Retail sales during the holiday weekend increased two percent compared with Thanksgiving 2000, according to Houston, TX-based TeleCheck. The modest rise was welcomed by much of the retail community, which is still hoping to end 2001 on a positive note.
Sales on “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving and a standard measuring stick for holiday forecasts, rose four percent over last year — a positive start, considering that some analysts have predicted declines of as much as five percent this season. Bentonville, AK-based Wal-Mart posted its largest-ever one-day sales total at $1.25 billion.
Aiding the increase were mild temperatures and a heavier-than-usual discounting strategy that has become nearly standard among chains. However, TeleCheck reports that while shopper headcount was up, the average receipt total was $73.64, down 4.6 percent from last year.
The National Retail Federation, Washington, DC, predicts holiday sales will grow 2.5 percent to $206 billion.
Network
