MasterCard Advisors, the analytical division of the payment system Master Card, published preliminary results of the holiday shopping season in the US in 2014.
According to analysts of MasterCard, retail sales during the period from Black Friday (November 28) to Christmas (December 25) increased by 5.5 percent compared to 2013. Jewelry and women's clothing showed better results than other categories.
"This festive season has become social. While sales of certain categories of retail goods have shown steady growth over the past months, people have been making shopping lists to get certain impressions of shopping, "said Sarah Quinlan, senior vice president of MasterCard Advisors, from restaurants to tourist destinations trips and memorabilia, we saw growth in categories that create impressions, and are not ordinary packages of gifts that are exchanged with friends or family members. "
Many news media also noted the reaction of consumers to positive economic indicators as a key factor of consumer activity in this festive season.
More detailed data on the results of holiday sales will be published in the report "Pulse of consumer spending" (Spending Pulse) in early January.