(WBAP/KLIF) — Holiday shopping wasn’t hampered by higher prices, product shortages or a raging new COVID-19 variant…as sales were up 10.7% compared with the 2019 pre-pandemic holiday period. Retail stores will accept gift returns, but vary on their return policies.
Mastercard SpendingPulse tracks all types of payments and reported that holiday sales had risen 8.5% from a year earlier, a tad lower than the expected an 8.8% increase. By category, clothing rose 47%, jewelry 32%, electronics 16%. Online sales were up 11% from a year ago and 61% from 2019.
With holiday retail sales up 21% over last year, returns are expected to increase. According to WFAA, gift returns have a short window of opportunity. Holiday sales were up 10.7% compared with the 2019 pre-pandemic holiday period.
Listen to WFAA reports:
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