Source: Bloomberg
Jeannette Neumann, Olivia Rockeman
"Black Friday" sales show that American consumers are holding their wallets and waiting for greater discounts, which means that retailers are ushered in the dull holiday shopping season.Essence
Consumers' spending speed this year is different from the past few years. At that time, the holiday consumption was characterized by a lot of splurge after the epidemic.Although the estimated data of physical store sales on Friday will have to wait for a while to come out, Salesforce Inc. is expected to increase by 1%year -on -year in November and December, which will be the minimum growth rate in at least five years.The software company said that the sales of Thanksgiving are consistent with the above numbers, and the sales on Friday seem to be accelerated.
Some shoppers said that the discount on Friday is difficult to impress people's hearts and may insist on providing greater discounts in retailers.
Part of the reason is that retailers have recently done better in compressing extra products.Jane Hali Associates Analyst Jessica Ramírez said in an interview that this year "the pressure on the inventory is not as big as last year."
Other data companies' predictions for sales of holiday shopping season are also sluggish.Adobe predicts that in the next two months, American online revenue will increase by 4.8%year -on -year.Although the growth rate is higher than last year, the average annual growth rate of 13%is far below the outbreak of the epidemic.MasterCarda expects the retail sales of online and physical stores this year to increase by 3.7%over last year.This returned to the growth rate before the epidemic.
Adobe Digital Insights chief analyst Vivek Pandya said in an interview that consumers are "very conscious of prices now."
Nevertheless, many shoppers still celebrate the informal opening of the holiday shopping season on Friday.
Personal savings are falling from the high point of the epidemic period. Although the inflation rate is slowing down, the price of many items is still higher than a few years ago.The rise in interest rates has also pushed up house prices and car prices.Consumers have to choose.
However, Michelle Meyer, chief economist of the Institute of Economic Research, pointed out that after experiencing a chaotic shopping experience in recent years, consumers have returned to a more normal shopping rhythm.In an interview, she said that this year's sales forecast shows that "returning a more balanced economy."She added that the unemployment rate is still very low."Consumers have spending."
