UPDATE 4-Last-minute shopping boosts holiday sales above prior forecast, Mastercard says

Adds comments from Mastercard adviser, background on retailers' holiday plans in paragraphs 3-11

By Savyata Mishra and Siddharth Cavale

Dec 26 (Reuters) - Holiday shoppers opened their wallets at the last minute in search of good deals on online platforms, making significant purchases in apparel, electronics and jewelry, in a sign that household finances remain healthy.

Spending during the holiday shopping period of Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 rose 3.8% over 2023, said a Mastercard SpendingPulse report, compared to a previously forecast rise of 3.2% and topping the 3.1% increase during the same period last year.

"The consumer is healthy. Unemployment is low. Wages are increasing. Their personal finances are reflective through the fact that they are shopping," Steve Sadove, senior adviser to Mastercard and former Saks CEO and chairman, told Reuters.
Heading into the holiday season, many U.S. retailers described their consumers as "selective," "cautious" and "conservative," and making "needs-based" purchases. As a result, many doubled down on cutting prices and offering promotions, Bernstein analysts said earlier this month.

Walmart WMT.N, for example, said it would continue to bring down prices through rollbacks, while rival Target TGT.N said it would increase its promotional intensity as shoppers were not as engaging without promotions. Dollar General DG.N said it expects profits to be pressured from increased promotions in the fourth quarter, while Kroger KR.N and Five Below FIVE.O also said they had to reduce prices to be competitive.

Retailers experimented with generative AI for customer service and product search and tried to improve curbside pick-up and delivery services as they jostled to offer a smooth shopping experience.

While the level of promotions remained consistent with last year, Sadove noted, the introduction of upgraded TVs and laptops, the growing acceptance and lower prices of lab-grown diamonds and the ongoing demand for athleisure apparel all encouraged shoppers to open their wallets.

This drove sales in the apparel, jewelry and electronics categories up 3.6%, 4% and 3.7%, respectively over last year, according to Mastercard. Online sales of apparel, in particular, grew a healthy 6.7%, compared to 0.7% in stores, as shoppers scoured for deals on multiple websites.

Mastercard SpendingPulse measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. The data excludes automotive sales and is not adjusted for inflation.

Online sales overall rose at double the pace compared to stores during the holiday period, continuing a trend of digital-first shopping outpacing retail for some time, Sadove said. "This indicates a shift toward more normalized shopping behaviors," he said.

A shorter-than-usual holiday season also did not dampen sales. Despite shoppers typically waiting until the last minute for the best deals, Sadove noted there was "a lot of strength in the end," with the last five days of the holiday season accounting for 10% of all holiday spending.

"We had a very big Super Saturday and Sunday," Sadove said, referring to the weekend before Christmas when last-minute shoppers rush to buy gifts.

(Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Howard Goller)

((Savyata.Mishra@thomsonreuters.com;))