Dive Brief
- Selling directly through the web, catalogs and television made up 15.9% of all retail sales during November and December, according to a new report from the National Retail Federation.
- These direct sales rose 9.3 percent compared to a year ago, for a total of $95.7 billion. Total retail sales grew 3.8% in the same period. Store-based sales grew 2.8%.
- Discounts helped drive sales, but the two-month holiday retail sales growth rate was larger than last year.
Dive Insight
In the face of a shorter holiday shopping period, iffy consumer confidence and discouraging weather, retailers managed to pull off growth in sales over last year. E-commerce helped win the day, though discount pressures did make retailers’ celebratory glasses only half-full.
