The National Retail Federation (NRF) said holiday sales, including e-commerce, jumped 14.1% in November and December, marking the strongest growth in at least two decades and beating its latest forecast for an increase of up to 11.5%.
“Despite supply chain issues, rising inflation, labor shortages and the Omicron variant, retailers delivered a positive holiday experience for pandemic-fatigued consumers and their families,” NRF chief executive Matthew Shay said in a statement.
Shopping season, the busiest time of the year for retailers, has been marred by pandemic-caused shipping delays and resulting product shortages.
To ensure supplies during this pivotal period, some retailers, such as Walmart and Target, have rerouted their goods to less congested ports and even chartered their own ships to get Christmas items to their shelves in time.
The upsurge in coronavirus cases, caused by Omicron at the end of the year, also aggravated difficulties for retailers, limiting staff and reducing footfall in stores.
As a result, retail sales in December, excluding car dealerships, gas stations and restaurants, fell 2.7% from November, according to NRF data. E-commerce and other non-store sales, however, jumped 11.3% during the holiday season. (Reporting by Deborah Sophia Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.)