Mastercard SpendingPulse shows U.S. retail sales Grew 7.6% this holiday season

According to Mastercard SpendingPulseTM, U.S. retail sales excluding automotive increased 7.6% year-over-year this holiday season, running from November 1 through December 24. Mastercard SpendingPulse measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment and is not adjusted for inflation. Online sales grew 10.6% compared to the same period last year, the preliminary insights show. This holiday season, e-commerce made up 21.6% of total retail sales, up from 20.9% in 2021 and 20.6% in 2020. The channel continues to experience elevated growth as consumers prioritize convenience and availability of discounts. Black Friday sustains its title as the top spending day of the 2022 holiday season, up +12% year-over-year excluding automotive. This was followed closely by Saturdays in December. Building on the ongoing demand for experiences, in-person dining continued to show strong momentum with restaurants up 15.1% year-over-year. From gatherings with co-workers to dinners out with friends and family, the festive season brought consumers out for the holidays.