NEW YORK (AP) — More people did their shopping online this year during one of the shortest holiday shopping seasons in years, helping to push total sales higher.
Retail sales in the U.S. rose 3.4% between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 compared with last year, according to early data from Mastercard SpendingPulse.
Online sales rose at a faster pace, up 18.8% from last year. Online shopping made up nearly 15% of total retail sales.
Mastercard SpendingPulse tracked spending online and in stores across all payment types, including those who paid by cash or check. Sales of automobiles are not included.
Faced with the shortest holiday shopping season since 2013, stores were trumpeting deals even before Halloween with hopes of getting people to think about Christmas.
Thanksgiving landed on Nov. 28 this year, the latest possible date it could fall. That meant six fewer days than last year, forcing last-minute shoppers to scramble. The Saturday before Christmas was the busiest shopping day in U.S. history, surpassing Black Friday, according to research firm Customer Growth Partners.
Clothing sales rose 1%, Mastercard said. Jewelry sales increased 1.8%. Sales of electronics and appliances rose 4.6%. And furniture sales grew 1.3%.
Department stores, which have been hit hard by the rise of online shopping, still had trouble getting shoppers in their doors: total sales fell 1.8%, Mastercard said.
Food inflation affects eating and shopping. Students still get bulk deals, but are people trading down? Debate on price gouging and retailer control persists.
Arc'teryx CEO Stuart Haselden gives an exclusive look inside the outdoor sportswear brand's new NYC flagship store and introduces new MO/GO wearable hiking tech
The US Open kicks off in NYC, and USTA Chairman Dr. Brian Hainline discusses tennis’s growth, Djokovic's worries about pickleball, and the sport's future.
Hero Bread's viral low-carb, keto-friendly croissant, backed by celebrity investors like Tom Brady and Kevin Durant, is revolutionizing healthy eating.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell's Jackson Hole speech on Friday is expected to align with market expectations of upcoming rate cuts, likely beginning in September.
