Here’s Visa’s take on the upcoming holiday shopping season: consumers are resilient, but remain cautious and will dole out more money this year than they did last year.
As a result, the company’s Visa Business and Economic Insights (VBEI) team expects U.S. holiday retail sales to see a 4.5 percent year-over-year in November and December, which would be the strongest growth since 2021.
The VBEI researchers said they expect consumer prices for holiday-related goods will increase 3.4 percent this season, year-over-year. “There is also one more shopping day this season compared to last year, which will provide a slight tailwind for sales,” they said. “But there may be fewer shoppers dashing through the stores for retailers. After accounting for inflation on holiday items, real spending—a good proxy for foot traffic—is expected to rise just 1.1 percent this year, down from the 1.3 percent that occurred last season.”
Visa’s forecast, released today, echoes the estimates other firms are noting in their reports. Major economic forecasters and industry groups anticipate a solid, albeit bifurcated, 2026 holiday shopping season. Overall retail growth is projected to hover between 4 and 4.8 percent. The National Retail Federation (NRF) projects November and December retail sales will climb 4.2 percent year-over-year to more than $1 trillion.
8 percent increase. This growth is driven largely by higher-income households and younger demographics prioritizing value and experiences. 1 billion. 4 percent, highlighting an ongoing consumer shift toward aggressive online promotions and digital value-seeking.
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