EXCLUSIVE: Circana Data Shows Fall in General Merchandise Sales During Holidays

Preliminary analysis of vacation 2023 sales data has retailers breathing A collective sigh of relief, with earnings average around 3 percent. But research farm Circan has A different take.

Circan reported exclusively has WWD on Wednesday that consumers spent 6 percent less through general merchandise categories For THE October. 1 has Dec. 23 period, compared with has THE even period last year.

That negative assessment contrasts somewhat with MasterCard Expenses The pulse preliminary knowledge, released Tuesday, that WE. retail sales increased 3.1 percent Year after year these holidays season.

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However, THE two companies measure vacation sales using different methodologies.

MasterCard results are base on at the store And online retail sales through all shapes of payment, including credit cards, For THE Nov. 1 has Dec. 24 period. THE The figures exclude automobile sales And are not adjusted For inflation, which In THE WE. was 3.1 percent as of last November.

Circana results come direct Since retailers And include general merchandise categories — clothes, technology, toys, household items, little Appliances, car rooms And beauty — but not food Or consumer packed up goods. THE early results Also TO DO not include off price And e-commerce walk data.

Circane, which research consumer behavior And consult with retailers And brands, East expected has release A more complete report on general merchandise sales on Jan. 3, base on additional data gathered.

According to has Put on Unser, Circana president of thought direction, THE data released has WWD exclusively represented "A early read of POV data Since OUR high retailers has give We A sense of tendencies has A high double. He East A great tool And align GOOD has OUR complete datasets that to have a lot more detail. This database doesn't to have e-commerce walk Or off price clothes chains. These will be included In OUR complete data When he released. Both of these chains are showing growth. »

Circan Also revealed Wednesday THE following knowledge related to has general merchandise only:

THE week END Dec. 23 was only down 3 percent And was THE best perform week of THE season. Beauty And video Games (excluding digital) experimented THE the fastest growth on last year. Prestige beauty continued has be THE alone industry showing growth For THE fourth trimester vacation period with 12 percent growth on last year. Hot gift items were portable beverage, toy building sets And most categories In beauty. Economic terms continue has challenge a lot WE. households with almost three years of wages not keeping up with THE increase In prices has WE. retail. This has strength real compromise For THE WE. consumer In retail And all areas of their expenses.

On Tuesday, Marshal Cohen, chief retail advise For Circane, said WWD, "He was A ho-hum vacation. When THE dust settles down, A plot of retailers will be satisfied with their results. Most will to have encounter expectations. »

Noting how retailers with caution managed stocks, Cohen said, "It is better has keep he weak And sell out that has to have has sell disabled. Retailers were more concerned about margins And inventory levels that volume dollars. We doesn't see these huge fire sales Or huge inventory dumping that We saw In years past."