Holiday Sales Increase by 7.9 Percent

A report released by MasterCard (Purchase, N. Y.) SpendingPulse found that spending for the holiday 2015 season increased 7.9 percent from Black Friday through Christmas Eve. Analysts had previously predicted spending would only increase 3.5 to 4 percent.

The findings include e-commerce sales as well as retail sales. Sales for furniture items and women’s apparel experienced double-digit growth, reports Women’s Wear Daily. Smaller boutiques also saw significant growth, and e-commerce sales increased by 20 percent from last year.