Page 7 - atoday dec 23

U.S. NEWS A7
Wednesday 23 December

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US Financial Front:

Holiday sales pattern skews online; malls lose some luster

offer speedier delivery on accessories stores had a as last year, clothing and
orders placed online. As 2.9 percent sales decline accessories got hit hard
a result, shoppers, who in- so far this season, com- because of deep discount-
creasingly are looking for pared with a 3.7 percent ing. Stores have needed to
convenience, are spend- increase online. Furniture ramp up price cuts to get
ing more of their holiday and home furnishings store rid of excess goods amid
budgets online. sales slipped 0.5 percent, the mild temperatures that
That’s led to a big gap in while online increased 8.1 have extended into De-
some product categories percent. cember. As a result, the av-
between online and physi- And while the average or- erage ticket size for those
cal stores. According to der for key product areas products went to $88.30
First Data, clothing and remained largely the same from last year’s $83.43.q

A consumer looks at Cyber Monday sales on her computer
at her home in Palo Alto, Calif. Online sales growth so far this
holiday season is surpassing growth in sales at physical stores,
according to First Data, which analyzed online and in-store
payments.

(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

A. D’INNOCENZIO signals the continuation of
AP Retail Writer a big shift in how U.S. con-
NEW YORK (AP) — More of- sumers are shopping.
ten shoppers are making This season, Mother Na-
the decision to sit on their ture appeared to provide
couches rather than head an extra lift to online sales,
to stores this holiday sea- analysts said. While unsea-
son. sonably warm weather has
Online sales growth so far hurt overall sales of cold-
this holiday season is sur- weather items, it appears
passing growth in sales at to be driving more shop-
physical stores, according ping to buy on their PCs
to First Data, which ana- or mobile phones since
lyzed online and in-store they don’t want to waste a
payments from Oct. 31 pleasant day inside a mall.
through Monday. “Store traffic is down every-
Sales growth for stores is where, and it’s compound-
up 2 percent, while online ed by the weather,” said
sales rose 4.6 percent, ac- Steven Barr, U.S. retail and
cording to First Data, which consumer sector leader for
declined to give dollar fig- PwC.
ures, citing proprietary rea- “We do believe that warm
sons. weather is driving consum-
Total spending, including ers online.”
sales in both physical stores The big question, he asks,
and online, climbed 2.4 is whether warm weather is
percent, stronger than the the number one reason or
1.8 percent growth during a secondary reason shop-
the same period last year. pers are heading online this
While physical stores still season.
account for the majority The overall shift to online
of spending, the uneven spending is largely due to
growth between buying at more retailers working to
locations and on websites improve their websites and