Online shopping sales also grew by 49% between October 11 and December 24, further highlighting how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed shopping habits.
But retailers’ boost in shopping and shipping benefits led to a last-minute drop in buyers from a year earlier, the report found, with online shopping sales accounting for 19.7% of total retail sales . And Black Friday, an unofficial holiday characterized by unprecedented offerings, is the best spending day of the season.
Steve Sadove, senior adviser to Mastercard and former CEO and chairman of Saks Incorporated, said in a statement that the sales and shopping dates were a testament to the holiday season and strength of retailers and consumers.
“American consumers have turned the holiday season on its head and redefined ‘holiday home’ in a unique way in 2020. They bought from home for the home, which led to growth in e-commerce,” Sadove said. said.
Despite this, retail offerings, including car pick-ups and online purchases, have led to increasing sales in e-commerce. Clothing sales increased by 15.7% and department store sales increased by 3.3%, at a time when more buyers were focusing their attention and decisions on their homes. Sales of furniture and furnishings increased by 6.2%, while spending on home improvement increased by 14.1%. Electronic and device sales also followed, increasing by 6%.
The upheavals during holiday shopping highlight how the impact of the pandemic on outdoor activities has forced shoppers to make purchases better suited for indoors and with more time at home.