Cyber Weekend delivered another bumper year for ecommerce, with early estimates pointing to record-breaking spend, including $14.25 billion online for Cyber Monday alone.
The momentum has been reflected across the UK affiliate channel, where Tradedoubler reports its strongest performance to date.
According to the platform, long-running UK programmes observed a 28% jump in order value over the four days.
Average Order Value rose 9.5%, indicating that shoppers were opting for higher-value items or stocking up to take advantage of deals.
Retail, Electronics, Home & Garden, and Fashion continued to dominate the peak, together contributing around 85% of total order value.
But the big surprise came from Travel, which also delivered a standout performance. Cyber Week is no longer a retail-only moment; consumers are spending more on experiences as well as goods.
The data shows a subtle shift in shopper behaviour. The uplift from Thanksgiving to Black Friday eased from 40% last year to 30%, suggesting demand is spreading more evenly across the full weekend instead of concentrating on a single day.
CSS and creators take the lead
CSS partners saw significant year-on-year growth as consumers leaned further into price-comparison journeys and high-intent shopping.
Social and influencer partners’ contributions more than doubled YoY, underlining creators’ growing influence on product discovery and purchase validation during peak.
Cashback’s share of publisher commission declined, not due to weaker performance, but because fast-growing channels like CSS, Social, and Influencer captured a larger slice of the mix.
Discount and voucher partners remained stable year-on-year, continuing to play a reliable role in closing conversions when shoppers are primed for deal-hunting.
Overall, Tradedoubler’s data points to a Cyber Weekend defined by bigger baskets, broader category participation, and acceleration from creators and comparison partners: a positive signal of affiliate’s continued growth and influence across ecommerce.
