RAPAPORT...
3.6% amount that U.S. retailers’ sales rose for the holiday 2007 shopping season; this is the weakest performance in four years, according to MasterCard Advisors.
6.6% amount retail sales rose in the U.S. 2006 holiday shopping season.
8% amount retail sales rose in the U.S. 2005 holiday shopping season.
22.4% amount that online shopping was up in 2007 over the previous year; it was the category showing the greatest growth.
7.1% amount luxury goods sales increased – excluding jewelry.
-1.9% amount that luxury goods sales fell when jewelry is included in the category.
61% share of consumers giving gift cards this year, according to an NPD Group poll.
32% share of consumers who gave gift cards in 2006, according to the same NPD Group findings.
11% share of holiday expenditures accounted for by gift card sales in 2007.
$881million the amount of internet sales reported by comScore for December 10, 2007, known as Green Monday, the busiest online shopping day of the year.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - January 2008. To subscribe click here.