IndependentsOct 16, 2025
Retailer Hall of Fame 2025: Jeffrey Zimmer Jeffrey Zimmer's decades of leadership at Reeds Jewelers are defined by integrity, a love of sourcing gemstones, and a heart for community.
MajorsDec 29, 2017
Holiday Retail Sales See Biggest Increase Since 2011
Strong consumer confidence and more online and late-season shopping helped them grow by 5 percent this year, according to the MasterCard SpendingPulse report.
Purchase, N.Y.--Holiday retail sales saw their largest increase since 2011 this year, according to MasterCard, due to strong consumer confidence and more online and late-season shopping.
The company’s SpendingPulse report showed that holiday sales were up almost 5 percent this year, setting a new record for dollars spent. (MasterCard did not release the final dollar amount.)
The report details holiday shopping from November 1 through December 24 and covers retail sales across all payment types, including cash and check.
It also showed that online shopping saw massive growth of 18 percent when compared with 2016, boosted by plenty of late-season shopping.
Other key findings of the Mastercard SpendingPulse report include the following.
--Many shoppers were focused on home-related purchases. Electronics and appliances increased by nearly 8 percent, the category’s strongest growth in the past decade. Home furniture and furnishings, meanwhile, grew 5 percent, as did home improvement.
--Specialty apparel and department stores, both of which usually see the bulk of sales happening in store, saw moderate gains, which is “particularly impressive given recent store closings,” MasterCard said.
--Heavy promotions early in the season by retailers paid off, with the first three weeks of November seeing significant growth.
--Shoppers also were spending late into the holiday season, with Dec. 23 falling only after Black Friday in terms of single-day spending. This was a boon to certain categories, including jewelry. Jewelry grew 5.9 percent, largely driven by last-minute sales.
“Evolving consumer preferences continue to play out in the aisles and online sites of retailers across the U.S.,” said Sarah Quinlan, senior vice president of Market Insights, Mastercard. “Overall, this year was a big win for retail. The strong U.S. economy was a contributing factor, but we also have to recognize that retailers who tried new strategies to engage holiday shoppers were the beneficiaries of this sales increase.”
Though the National Retail Federation has not yet released its final holiday sales numbers--it will do so in mid-January--CEO Matthew Shay issued the following statement to National Jeweler:
“This holiday season’s big winners--in addition to consumers--were retailers of all shapes and sizes across all segments. From online and luxury retailers to department and discount stores, from Main Street to mega stores and everything in between, traffic and sales were generally up. In October, NRF forecasted holiday retail sales to increase between 3.6 and 4 percent for a total of $678.75
billion to $682 billion. When we issue our final holiday retail sales numbers in early January, we anticipate meeting or exceeding the higher end of that forecast.”
ShopperTrak, which monitors foot traffic in retail stores, has also released some figures for the holiday season.
According to the firm, in-store retail traffic on Super Saturday (Dec. 23) increased 20 percent compared with last year’s Super Saturday, supporting its belief that the importance of the day increases based on its proximity to Christmas Day.
As there was a full weekend before Christmas Day this year, with both Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 providing shopping opportunities, retail traffic increased more than 145 percent during the overall weekend when compared with last year.
Additionally, Saturday, Dec. 16 and Sunday, Dec. 17 saw a 3 percent increase in traffic when compared to last year’s Super Saturday Weekend.
However, the work week (Dec. 18 through Dec. 22) significantly underperformed when compared with the work week leading into Christmas Day last year, showing a 13 percent decrease in shopper traffic.
Looking ahead, one of the 10 busiest shopping days still remains: Saturday, Dec. 30.
To capitalize on shopper demand, retailers will need to make sure their store is stocked with all the right product assortments and price points, ShopperTrak said.
ShopperTrak, which monitors foot traffic in retail stores, has also released some figures for the holiday season.
According to the firm, in-store retail traffic on Super Saturday (Dec. 23) increased 20 percent compared with last year’s Super Saturday, supporting its belief that the importance of the day increases based on its proximity to Christmas Day.
As there was a full weekend before Christmas Day this year, with both Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 providing shopping opportunities, retail traffic increased more than 145 percent during the overall weekend when compared with last year.
Additionally, Saturday, Dec. 16 and Sunday, Dec. 17 saw a 3 percent increase in traffic when compared to last year’s Super Saturday Weekend.
However, the work week (Dec. 18 through Dec. 22) significantly underperformed when compared with the work week leading into Christmas Day last year, showing a 13 percent decrease in shopper traffic.
Looking ahead, one of the 10 busiest shopping days still remains: Saturday, Dec. 30.
To capitalize on shopper demand, retailers will need to make sure their store is stocked with all the right product assortments and price points, ShopperTrak said.
More on Majors
The Latest
AuctionsOct 16, 2025
Sotheby’s Introduces Custom Jewelry ServiceThe new high jewelry design and production process takes 30 days or less from concept to completion, the auction house said.
CollectionsOct 16, 2025
Foundrae Adds To ‘United in Love’ CollectionThe brand has released a second installment of its collection of traditional and non-traditional commitment heirlooms.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
IndependentsOct 15, 2025
Retailer Hall of Fame 2025: Kathy CoreyCorey rescued New England chain Day’s Jewelers, preserving its legacy with strong people skills, pragmatism, and a “get-it-done” attitude.
Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeOct 15, 2025
Men Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences for 2023 Murder of Colorado JewelerCharles Robinson Shay was sentenced to life in prison plus 120 years while his accomplice, Michael James McCormack, got 75 years.
Events & AwardsOct 15, 2025
‘Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture’ Opens at MADThe Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.
Brought to you by
JA New York Fall Is Right Around the CornerThe upcoming show provides savvy retailers with the opportunity to stock their cases with best sellers in advance of the holiday season.
Events & AwardsOct 15, 2025
JCK, Luxury to Debut New Watch Section in Vegas Next YearTimepieces at Luxury will take place at The Venetian and, like Luxury, will be invitation-only for the first two days.
AuctionsOct 15, 2025
Christie's Announces New Jewelry Department LeadershipThe auction house named a new global head of jewelry, as well as a new head of the jewelry department for the Americas.
IndependentsOct 14, 2025
Retailer Hall of Fame 2025: Tom DixonAs chairman of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Tom Dixon has been tasked with honoring the past and shaping the future of the family-run store.
Events & AwardsOct 14, 2025
Here Are the Winners of the BIJC, JA ‘Emerging Jewelers’ Grant Katty Villapando Lyte and Mica Rencher received a $10,000 grant for their business, Shimmer Culture LLC.
IndependentsOct 14, 2025
Day’s Jewelers Crafts Custom Jewelry for No.1 NBA Draft Pick Cooper FlaggThe parents of the Dallas Mavericks rookie bought their engagement ring at a Day’s store in Bangor, Maine, in 1997.
SourcingOct 14, 2025
Pragnell Debuts Kitulo Garnet Jewelry The UK-based brand sourced the gemstones, which are fully traceable, from an artisanal mining community in Tanzania.
CollectionsOct 10, 2025
Count Down to the Holidays With Astrid & Miyu’s Advent CalendarsThe trio of Advent calendars include a version with 18-karat gold and lab-grown diamond jewelry in a red lacquer jewelry box.
CollectionsOct 10, 2025
Piece of the Week: Marla Aaron’s ‘Nymphenburg Lock’Created in collaboration with Nymphenburg Porcelain, the lock is part of a four-piece collection that took two years to bring to fruition.
SourcingOct 09, 2025
Feriel Zerouki Is Leaving De Beers The company and industry leader’s two-decade tenure with De Beers will come to a close at the end of the month.
AuctionsOct 09, 2025
This Fabergé Egg Could Crack $27M At Auction“The Winter Egg” set the world auction record for a Fabergé piece twice at previous Christie’s sales.
MajorsOct 09, 2025
Sy Kessler Buying Watch Batteries as Silver Hits Record High The company will pay 1.5x silver’s current spot price for each pound of silver oxide batteries submitted.
CollectionsOct 09, 2025
Katkim Launches First Men’s CollectionThe line includes a “Shadow” series crafted exclusively for the new men’s offering and reimagined styles from the brand’s core collections.
SourcingOct 09, 2025
Gemfields’ Mini Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Garners $11MThe rough on offer was recovered from a newer area at the Montepuez mine.
SourcingOct 08, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 08, 2025
Emily P. Wheeler Shifts Into Neutral for Latest ‘Ombré’ CollectionThe champagne colorway in her newest “Ombré” collection combines white and trendy brown diamonds, a departure from her usual vibrant hues.
CollectionsOct 08, 2025
Tsuba Designs Inspire Monica Rich Kosann’s New CharmsKosann partnered with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to create a set of necklaces inspired by the artwork on samurai sword handguards.
CrimeOct 07, 2025
Men Who Posed as Utility Workers Found Guilty in Jeweler’s MurderCarlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo face life in prison for the October 2024 murder of 72-year-old Detroit-area jeweler Hussein Murray.
CollectionsOct 07, 2025
Jessica McCormack Looks to Sea Spirits for ‘Tempest’ CollectionThe brand’s first high jewelry collection, “Tempest” plays with movement while calling to mind the folklore of the sea.
SourcingOct 07, 2025
Columbia Gem House Announces ‘Opals for Outback Heroes’ FundraiserProceeds from its jewelry raffle will go to a volunteer-run fire and rescue group in the Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales, Australia.
