{"id":45480,"date":"2025-11-26T18:56:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/45480\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T18:56:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:56:10","slug":"strong-optimism-for-retail-shopping-this-holiday-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/45480\/","title":{"rendered":"Strong optimism for retail shopping this holiday season"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the National Retail Federation predicts sales during November and December will increase between 3.7% and 4.2% over 2024, both industry experts and small-business owners expressed optimism about the holiday shopping season.<\/p>\n

Consumers are projected to spend between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion \u2014 which would surpass the $976.1 billion spent last year, according to the NRF\u2019s annual holiday forecast.<\/p>\n

The forecast considers various economic indicators, including consumer spending, disposable personal income, employment, wages, inflation and previous monthly retail sales releases. NRF defines the holiday season as Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.<\/p>\n

Additionally, NRF\u2019s latest holiday survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, which is separate from the holiday sales forecast, found consumers plan to spend $890.49 per person on average this year on holiday gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items \u2014 the second highest in the survey\u2019s 23-year history, according to the organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican consumers may be cautious in sentiment, yet remain fundamentally strong and continue to drive U.S. economic activity,\u201d NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. \u201cWe remain bullish about the holiday shopping season and expect that consumers will\u00a0continue to seek savings in nonessential categories to be able to spend on gifts for loved ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

A record 186.9 million people are planning to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year \u2014 topping last year\u2019s previous record of 183.4 million \u2014 according to the consumer survey.<\/p>\n

Black Friday \u2014 the day after Thanksgiving \u2014 remains the most popular day to shop as 130.4 million plan to make purchases that day, followed by 73.9 million on Cyber Monday (Dec. 1), according to the survey.<\/p>\n

Clothing and accessories lead the list of most popular gift items at 50%, followed by gift cards (43%) and toys (32%), the survey found.<\/p>\n

Liz Baldi, business development director for Scranton Tomorrow, a nonprofit community and economic development organization, feels more shoppers seem to be turning to local stores.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the community recognizes the importance of having small-business owners and the quality products they offer,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s different than what you get at a big-box store. They\u2019re unique gifts, they\u2019re more personalized gifts, and a lot of the time they are one-of-a-kind items. There is also that personal aspect of going into a small business where a lot of the times you know the business owner \u2014 they\u2019re our friends, our neighbors, our community members. It\u2019s a more personal feel when you get to go in and tangibly touch the items, and pick things out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldi noted that many smaller retailers depend on strong holiday sales to both continue operations and potentially grow their shops.<\/p>\n

\u201cOftentimes, they rely on the revenue from holiday shopping alone to see what they can do next,\u201d she said. \u201cCan they retain employees? Can they hire new staff? It also determines if they can make the business expansion that they\u2019ve been working on for years a reality. It\u2019s the busiest time of the year for them, and the time of year they count on most.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 55 small-business owners registered for Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29) this year, the highest number ever in downtown Scranton, Baldi said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s encouraging for us to see that the small-business owners see the value in the events we put on and that they would like to participate,\u201d she said. \u201cIt also signifies the growth that the downtown has seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The decision to expand hours leading up to Christmas may also provide a boost for small businesses downtown, Baldi said.<\/p>\n

Specifically, on Dec. 11, stores, bars and eateries will extend their hours to be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and free parking will be available, she added. Many shops will also begin opening each Sunday, starting Dec. 7.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey want to make themselves easy to get to, they want it to be an enjoyable experience, and they offer discounts,\u201d Baldi said. \u201cI think our community sees what they\u2019re doing and the effort they\u2019re putting in, they appreciate it and they\u2019re more prone to shopping small.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A selection of Christmas merchandise available for purchase at Over the Moon on North Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE\/STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"Baby<\/p>\n

Baby merchandise on display at Over the Moon on North Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE\/STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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A selection of picture frames and holiday merchandise for sale at Over the Moon on North Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE\/STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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A selection of Christmas merchandise available for purchase at Over the Moon on North Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE\/STAFF PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kathi Whitney Davis, owner of Over the Moon, 123 N. Washington Ave. in Scranton, a gift store specializing in registry services for wedding and baby showers, stressed that having a profitable end to the year is vital for her business.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very important, and typically the fourth quarter is our strongest,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re anticipating a strong shopping season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Davis, who has owned the store for eight years, said she\u2019s added much more inventory over time to appease different types of customers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to make it so that there is something here for everyone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Olivia Bennington, manager of the Giving Tree Wellness Center, 311 Penn Ave. in Scranton, expressed gratitude for the shoppers who regularly support local businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think shopping small is definitely important, especially in downtown Scranton,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen a lot of improvements in the last few years and that has mainly happened, in my opinion, from the support of our customers. I think it\u2019s important to shop small during the holidays, too, because everything is a little more personal. There is more of a selection that you can tailor toward a specific person whereas shopping with a big corporation, everything is mass produced. It\u2019s a little less from the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennington believes the Giving Tree benefits from customers looking to improve their overall well-being and those purchasing similar services for others.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the holidays, we sell a lot of massage packages,\u201d she said. \u201cI think especially in the new year, people are looking to better themselves mentally and physically. We really uplift people from beauty all the way to mental health. The rush starts right after Thanksgiving, and we have different Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday deals.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Personalized<\/p>\n

Personalized silverplate dog and cat ornaments are available for $20 at Fly Me Home in Pittston. (COURTESY FLY ME HOME)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A cardinal ornament, pressed from a vintage silverplate tray, is available for $10 at Fly Me Home in Pittston. (COURTESY FLY ME HOME)\n<\/p>\n

\"Wheat<\/p>\n

Wheat penny bracelets, sizes small to extra large, are available for $21 at Fly Me Home in Pittston. (COURTESY FLY ME HOME)\n<\/p>\n

\"Fly<\/p>\n

Fly Me Home, a gift shop in Pittston, specializes in upcycled silverware accessories, ornaments, mosaics, pottery, candles and more. (Courtesy Fly Me Home)\n<\/p>\n

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Personalized silverplate dog and cat ornaments are available for $20 at Fly Me Home in Pittston. (COURTESY FLY ME HOME)\n<\/p>\n

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Dave Guzik \u2014 who opened Fly Me Home, a gift shop featuring upcycled accessories and home decor, pottery, candles and more in Hughestown, just outside Pittston, with his wife, Sue, 13 years ago \u2014 estimates the store takes in at least 25% of its overall business for the year from Thanksgiving to Christmas.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmall Business Saturday is our biggest day of the year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Amid uncertain financial times, sales have remained steady at Fly Me Home, 299 Parsonage St., Guzik said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know the economy is a little tougher now, but it really seems like we\u2019re pretty much on pace for what we\u2019ve done the last few years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Guzik thinks the combination of handmade products and an inviting decor brings people into the small business.<\/p>\n

\u201cI make all my stuff out of silverware \u2014 everything from jewelry to bracelets to bookmarks \u2014 and my wife does stained-glass mosaics and mixed media pieces,\u201d he said. \u201cThe shop is so cute and nice. Some people just like coming in and looking around.\u201d<\/p>\n

The influx of new retailers in the Pittston area also attracts a variety of customers to the region, Guzik said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get a lot of people that make their rounds,\u201d he said. \u201cThere have been a lot of shops popping up. You think it\u2019s competition, but it\u2019s actually helpful. We get people from an hour or two hours away that come because it\u2019s a destination.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As the National Retail Federation predicts sales during November and December will increase between 3.7% and 4.2% over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":45481,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[60,201,182,803,28,178,180,179,181],"class_list":{"0":"post-45480","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-scranton","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-lackawanna-county","10":"tag-local-news","11":"tag-luzerne-county","12":"tag-pennsylvania","13":"tag-scranton","14":"tag-scranton-headlines","15":"tag-scranton-news","16":"tag-top-stories-stt"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}