Retail group: holiday sales up 8.3% amid big spending shift
Associated PressNEW YORK — The nation’s largest retail trade group said Friday that holiday sales soared 8.3%, far exceeding its forecast even as the coronavirus kept shoppers away from physical stores. Moreover, even within the retail industry, big box stores like Walmart and Target are dominating the landscape, enjoying big sales gains at the expense of mall-based stores that were forced to temporarily close during the spring and early summer and still face restrictions. The non-seasonably adjusted holiday figures, contrast with a downbeat report Friday from the Commerce Department that retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in December from the month before. The government numbers, which include restaurants, gas and autos, also fell in October and November, even though many retailers tried to get people shopping early for their Christmas gifts by offering deals before Halloween.