Retail sales in the United States jumped nearly 11 percent this season compared with the holiday period in the previous year, according to a report published on Sunday.
Retail sales increased over the holiday season, according to a report by Mastercard. The figures do not include automobile sales.
E-commerce sales were up 11 percent compared with last year. E-Commerce sales increased by over 61 percent compared to 2019.
According to the Mastercard report, online sales made up 22% of all retail sales this year. The shift to e- commerce has accelerated due to the Pandemic, with online sales accounting for just 14.6 percent of retail sales in 2019.
Steve Sadove, senior adviser for Mastercard, said in a statement that many Americans got their Christmas shopping done early this year. He said that shoppers were eager to secure their gifts ahead of the retail rush, with conversations surrounding supply chain and labor supply issues sending consumers online and to stores in droves.
Despite early fears, holiday shoppers received their gifts on time, with many shopping early and in person. Retailers placed merchandise orders early to head off other problems. Delivery companies hired more workers to handle the huge amount of packages that overwhelmed the Postal Service last year. According to ShipMatrix, almost all packages delivered by the three major delivery companies arrived on time or with minimal delays.
Thanksgiving weekend is the traditional start to holiday shopping and is important for retailers. Black Friday was Mastercard's top day for spending during the holiday season, and spending was up 14 percent compared with last year.
