Sales rise as holiday sales pick up
During the fourth week of November, retailers saw improved sales and a positive customer count across the country. Independent grocers reported that their same-store sales were up 1.45 percent, compared to the same period last year. The customer count was up 0.89 percent.
G20 Summit
Last Friday, November 30th, President Trump signed the new trade deal to replace NAFTA at the G20 summit. The agreement now named “the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA has been tweaked to include changes in the auto industry, labor, and environmental standards, intellectual property protections and digital trade provisions. This deal will account for $1.2 trillion in trade including Canada agreeing to open up its dairy market to US farmers. However, the effectiveness of this treaty depends on the approval of all three governments, including the US Congress.
Consumer Confidence Index: November 2018
According to The Conference Board, “despite a small decline in Consumer Confidence in November, it remains at historically strong levels; this month hitting 135.7.”[1]
This upbeat trend suggests that consumers are less worried about the economy getting off track and more willing to spend during this season. How can you leverage this? As the holiday season continues, there is an opportunity for retailers to capitalize on end-of-year sales.
[1] Imbert, Fred (2018, November 27) Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/27/consumer-confidence-novembe.html