Mastercard's SpendingPulse, a platform, offering retail data analytics, revealed the U.S. retail sales, excluding automotive, increased 3.8% y/y from November 1 through December 24.
"Consumer demand for experiences like dining out strengthened in the holiday season," the report noted, adding that restaurant spending jumped 6.3% compared to last y/y.
In addition, this season saw an increased advance in spending on goods, with Apparel (+3.6% y/y), Jewelry (+4.0% y/y) and Electronics (+3.7% y/y) benefiting as notable sectors for gift-giving.
It was also underscored that consumers increasingly preferred digital-first shopping this year. As a result, online retail sales climbed 6.7% y/y. Meanwhile, in-store sales increased 2.9% y/y.