More than 166 million shoppers are expected to hit the stores Thanksgiving weekend, the National Retail Federation reported on Nov. 17.
This would mean retailers could see fewer customers than last year. However, the actual number of holiday shoppers has exceeded similar forecasts in the past.
Last year, nearly 180 million shoppers made in-store and online purchases during the holiday weekend, reaching beyond the retail federation’s initial expectations by over 21 million. That was slightly less than the 186 million holiday shoppers in 2020.
“We are optimistic that retail sales will remain strong in the weeks ahead, and retailers are ready to meet consumers however they want to shop with great products at prices they want to pay,” the association’s President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a release….