WASHINGTON – Retail sales for the 2021 holiday season totaled $886.7 billion, up 14.1% over 2020 and easily beating the National Retail Federation’s forecast, the retail trade group said on Friday. That number, which includes $218.9 billion in online and other non-store sales (up 11.3%) but excludes sales at automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants,
WASHINGTON – The National Retail Federation lauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to block the Biden administration’s rule that would have imposed COVID-19 vaccine-or-test requirements for employees at most large companies. By a 6-3 vote, the Justices reimposed a stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s COVID-19 employer-based vaccination and testing Emergency Temporary Standard, blocking
WASHINGTON – Retail sales continued to grow in November, putting the 2021 holiday season on the home stretch for record spending despite inflation, supply chain disruptions and COVID-19, the National Retail Federation said Wednesday. “Despite economic headwinds, November retail sales data confirms that consumers continue to spend, as demonstrated by a 14% increase in sales
WASHINGTON – Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to end 2021 with both the largest volume and fastest growth on record despite supply chain disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released Wednesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. “This has
WASHINGTON – With the holiday season “off to a good start,” the National Retail Federation’s chief economist now expects consumer spending to exceed his October forecast, overcoming supply chain disruptions, inflation and challenges like the new COVID-19 omicron variant. “Now that we’re in December, the holiday shopping season is nearing the finish line,” said Jack
WASHINGTON – Nearly 180 million Americans shopped during the five-day holiday shopping period from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, according to a survey released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. “Retailers have adapted and enticed customers with a number of incentives throughout November. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend remains a significant
WASHINGTON — Early holiday shopping helped boost retail sales in October, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), which sees the outcome as a positive omen for the rest of the season. “Retail sales data for October reflects the enduring strength of consumers’ finances and willingness to spend as the holiday season gets under way,”
ARLINGTON, Va. – Retail groups applauded a court ruling blocking enforcement of the Biden Administration’s mandate that employers require workers to get vaccinated for COVID-19, or adopt a policy requiring employees to choose to either be vaccinated or undergo regular COVID-19 testing and wear a face covering at work. The National Retail Federation and FMI
WASHINGTON – This year’s holiday spending has the potential to shatter previous records, the National Retail Federation said Wednesday, forecasting that holiday sales during November and December will grow between 8.5% and 10.5% over 2020 to total between $843.4 billion and $859 billion. The numbers (which exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants) suggest that
WASHINGTON – Growth in imports at the nation’s largest retail container ports is slowing due to pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released Thursday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. “Year-over-year growth isn’t as dramatic as it was earlier because we’re now comparing against months when most
WASHINGTON — Imports at retail container ports reflect robust consumer demand in the United States as well as the economic and logistical disruptions that have snarled global supply chains over the past 17 months, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates. “Operational constraints brought about
WASHINGTON — Retail sales grew in June after dipping month-to-month in May, in a sign that the industry is benefiting from an improving economy. Retail sales rose 0.6% in June, according to the U.S. Commerce Department, which also revised data for May to show sales falling 1.7% instead of declining 1.3% as previously reported. Many