Holiday Shopping Outlook Still Strong

Retailers and analysts this week said they’re optimistic about this year’s holiday sales even as volumes declined after the Thanksgiving weekend. Sales are strong enough that many retailers are still hopeful of seeing mid-single digit holiday gains.

“We are pleased with what we saw happen last week,” Keith Fulsher, executive vice president and chief merchandise officer of Dress Barn, told Women’s Wear Daily. “The categories that were pretty good and that we think will remain strong are special occasion, sweaters, especially longer-length tunics, jeggings, the denim business and cold weather, especially items with fur trims. We are hopeful. We think it will play out to be a good season, but there is still a lot of time ahead of us. So far, we are OK.”

Retailers say sales are up over the same time period last year and expect the post-Thanksgiving lull to last only until around Dec. 15 when sales will pick up through Christmas.

“The tone is very good,” one department store chairman who requested anonymity told WWD. “There is no reason to believe any different. You would see a lull versus Black Friday, but you have to make the comparison to a year ago. We are in a reasonably good holiday season. There is no reason to believe it’s changing. I don’t hear people crying.”

Growth rates online slowed during the second half of last week, WWD reported, but holiday season-to-date dales are up 12 percent from last year, at $16.8 billion.