This year’s Super Saturday, the last Saturday before Christmas, is set to draw an estimated 157.2 million shoppers, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This marks a significant increase from last year’s 141.9 million shoppers and is the second-highest projection ever, trailing only 2022’s 158.5 million. NRF’s Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights, Katherine Cullen, attributes the surge to a shorter shopping season, with consumers seeking final gifts and taking advantage of last-minute deals.
Meanwhile, NRF reports that November retail sales showed moderate growth, even with key shopping days like Thanksgiving Sunday and Cyber Monday falling in December. According to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, November sales, excluding autos and gasoline, grew 2.35% year-over-year. Core retail sales, excluding restaurants and other sectors, saw a smaller increase of 1.43% over last year. It was also noted that the strong October sales momentum carried into November, despite the calendar shift.
NRF maintains its forecast of a 2.5%-3.5% increase in holiday retail sales this year, signaling a resilient shopping season amid changing consumer habits.
