• by Ray Schultz , November 2, 2020

Halloween weekend was a scary one for retailers, judging by new reporting from Adobe Analytics.  

YoY spending growth slowed to 11%, compared to 32% the week before. Online buying totaled $1.7 billion. And consumers will be just as distracted the day after the election. 

On the positive side, sales rose on Sunday with 34% growth for total sales of $2.3 billion. 

Adobe forecasts $16.3 billion in online sales during election week, from November 1 to November 7.  

But online sales will grow at an 11% slower rate, dropping $300 million compared to the full week.  

This is typical of an election week. In 2016, online sales fell by 14% the day after the vote, and by 6% after the 2018 mid-terms. 

Adobe reports that 63% of consumers will be more confident in spending after the election, and 26% say the outcome will affect their holiday spending.