Holiday Sales Rose 3 Per Cent Below 3.7 Per Cent Forecast

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Jan, 2016 12:43 PM

NEW YORK — Holiday shoppers flocked online during the critical holiday shopping season, but overall sales in November and December were disappointing.

Sales rose 3 per cent to about $626.14 billion, according to The National Retail Federation. That's below the forecast for a 3.7 per cent gain the group had expected. The shortfall came even as stores aggressively pushed discounts throughout the season.

The disappointing total sales figure underscores challenges for retailers ahead as shoppers continue to shift away from physical stores and research and buy online.

Indeed, online sales, which are included in the figure, rose 9 per cent to $105 billion. That's higher than the group's original forecast of 6 per cent to 8 per cent growth

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Crackle And Glow: Saskatchewan Photographer Captures Fireball In Night Sky

A huge fireball that crackled and glowed as it streaked across the night sky was captured by a Saskatchewan photographer almost by accident.

Crackle And Glow: Saskatchewan Photographer Captures Fireball In Night Sky

A huge fireball that crackled and glowed as it streaked across the night sky was captured by a Saskatchewan photographer almost by accident.

Crackle And Glow: Saskatchewan Photographer Captures Fireball In Night Sky

Order RCMP To Open File Into Leak Of Secret Spy Agency Documents, Court Urged

RCMP should be forced to open their file from their four-year-old criminal investigation into the leak of secret intelligence documents to the media, a man once accused of terrorism ties argues in court filings.

Order RCMP To Open File Into Leak Of Secret Spy Agency Documents, Court Urged

Father Of Hero Soldier, Collin Fitzgerald, Faces Police Obstruction Charge In Arrest Of Son

OTTAWA — The father of one of Canada's most highly decorated soldiers will face an Ontario provincial court judge today in connection with the August 2014 arrest of his son.

Father Of Hero Soldier, Collin Fitzgerald, Faces Police Obstruction Charge In Arrest Of Son

UNHCR Says Syrian Refugees Will Be Processed In Canada, Welcomes Commitment

Syrian refugees being brought to Canada by the Liberal government will only be given temporary residency permits until their cases have been fully processed in Canada, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee says.

UNHCR Says Syrian Refugees Will Be Processed In Canada, Welcomes Commitment

RCMP Stymied In Probe Of Parliament Hill Shooter's Winchester Rifle

The RCMP believes it has "come to a dead end" in its probe of where Parliament Hill shooter Michael Zehaf Bibeau got his gun — one of the most vexing questions about the events of Oct. 22, 2014.