Bloomberg Talks Shopify President Harley Finkelstein Talks Consumer Spending
Dec 1, 2025
Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, sheds light on remarkable e-commerce trends, revealing a 25% spike in Black Friday sales, reaching $6.2 billion with around 70 million shoppers. He discusses an interesting shift toward home-focused purchases and the increase in cross-border orders. Finkelstein emphasizes the pivotal role of AI, noting a sixfold growth in traffic to stores and introducing 'Sidekick,' Shopify's AI assistant, which engages in over 100 million conversations, enhancing merchant productivity.
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Black Friday Sales Jumped 25%
- Shopify recorded about $6.2 billion in Black Friday sales, a 25% increase from last year.
- The platform saw peak sales of $5.1 million per minute and nearly 70 million unique shoppers.
Strong Cross-Border And Market Reach
- Shopify powers about 12% of all e-commerce and its top markets are US, UK, Australia, Germany and Canada.
- Cross-border orders made up 17% of Shopify orders, showing substantial international demand.
Home Goods Led Holiday Demand
- This season buyers shifted from outdoor gear to home-focused purchases like kitchen items, puzzles and blankets.
- Consumers continue to buy from brands they love rather than chasing channels or discounts.