Solid sales forecast for holiday season

9/13/2012

NEW YORK — After wrapping up a decent back-to-school shopping season, merchants are expected to see healthy sales gains for the critical winter holidays, though the pace should be slightly below last year, according to a forecast issued for the holiday sales season.

Retail revenue in November and December should be up 3.3 percent during what's traditionally the biggest shopping period of the year, Chicago research firm ShopperTrak said.

The sales prediction from ShopperTrak would be below last year's pace of 3.7 percent and the more than 5 percent gains seen during the boom economic times