A surge in online shopping is credited with raising sales overall during the holiday season.
The National Retail Federation reports that sales rose at a 3% rate during the holiday season with a surge in online shopping fueling the increase.
Online sales rose a record 49% between Oct. 11 and Dec. 24 of last year and this year.
The holiday season was drawn out because of the coronavirus pandemic, with stores launching their traditional sales earlier and fewer of us willing to venture out among fellow shoppers to hunt down bargains.
It wasn't just how we shopped that was shaped by the pandemic. The coronavirus was also a factor in what we bought. Instead of clothing and jewelry, homebound shoppers spent more on furnishings and food.
