• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
RetailBlack Friday

Walmart, J.Crew, Lululemon: Retailers’ Websites Struggle to Handle the Black Friday Bonanza

By
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 23, 2018, 1:21 PM ET

Black Friday is now possible from the comforts of your living room — but only if retailers’ websites are functioning properly. Some frustrated shoppers are finding that’s not the case.

In a year when digital sales are soaring, several big-name chains have reported issues with their online shopping systems. J. Crew reported on Twitter late Friday morning that it was experiencing “some technical difficulties” as buyers flocked to its site for 50% off everything deals. Lululemon Athletica Inc. said on Facebook late Thanksgiving that it was “working hard to get the dot com running smoothly again.”

“Our North American website experienced some minor disruption in service which the team quickly mitigated to restore our guest experience. We are managing closely throughout this week and into Cyber Monday,” a Lululemon spokeswoman said in an email Friday. “We sincerely apologize to any of our guests impacted by this issue.”

A J. Crew spokesman didn’t immediately reply to requests for comment.

Even Walmart Inc., the world’s biggest retailer, reported issues amid higher than expected web traffic. The big-box store — which saw some of the biggest online-sales increases in the week leading up to Thanksgiving — reported sluggishness before the holidays even began.

“Due to extremely high demand for our Black Friday deals Wednesday night, our site experienced some delays shortly after our event began online,” Walmart spokesman Danit Marquardt said in a statement. “Many customers were still able to check out smoothly, and we were able to quickly fix the issue.”

According to Adobe Analytics, as of 10 a.m. Friday, $643 million has been spent online, up about 28% year on year. Digital spending is on track to exceed $6.4 billion on Friday — maybe even surpassing last year’s Cyber Monday totals, it said.

Mobile shopping represents a growing share of e-commerce this season. That’s because consumers are getting more comfortable making big purchases with their phones and major retailers are investing in their mobile apps, according to Lexi Sydow, a senior analyst for mobile insights provider App Annie.

About the Author
By Bloomberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

How to save the internet—according to Sam Altman’s all-seeing Orb  
EuropeEurope
How to save the internet—according to Sam Altman’s all-seeing Orb  
By Sam BirchallJune 1, 2026
6 hours ago
Delta has trained its passengers to pay premium prices. Here’s how it plans to get even more from them
C-SuiteAir Travel
Delta has trained its passengers to pay premium prices. Here’s how it plans to get even more from them
By Phil WahbaMay 30, 2026
2 days ago
Tomatoes become the latest symbol of the affordability crisis as prices rose over 40% from last year
EconomyGrocery
Tomatoes become the latest symbol of the affordability crisis as prices rose over 40% from last year
By The Associated Press and Matt SedenskyMay 29, 2026
3 days ago
A barista wearing a green apron stands behind the bar and pours a drink into a cup
RetailStarbucks
Starbucks quietly retired its AI agent just months after deployment after it miscounted coffee shop inventories and slowed down baristas
By Sasha RogelbergMay 28, 2026
4 days ago
lee
Commentarystock exchanges
Texas Stock Exchange CEO: exchanges can build on Exxon’s retail model to rein in proxy advisors
By James H. LeeMay 28, 2026
4 days ago
Independent book stores are growing as people look for community in local spaces
Retailbooks
Independent book stores are growing as people look for community in local spaces
By The Associated Press and Hillel ItalieMay 28, 2026
4 days ago

Most Popular

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
Personal Finance
I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
By Nick LichtenbergMay 31, 2026
1 day ago
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
Environment
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
By Brian K. Sullivan and BloombergMay 31, 2026
21 hours ago
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
Investing
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
By Shawn TullyMay 31, 2026
1 day ago
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
Future of Work
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
By Jacqueline MunisMay 30, 2026
2 days ago
Ex–Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: Competing with China’s grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balance
Future of Work
Ex–Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: Competing with China’s grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balance
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 30, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
6 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.