Even as prices Iowans pay for everything from groceries to gasoline remain high, a survey finds many of us hold firm to traditions and won’t skimp on the holidays. November and December are vital to retailers, as some Iowa merchants can make up for ten months of so-so sales in the year’s final two months. Allison Zeller, vice president of industry and consumer insights at the National Retail Federation, says they’re projecting -higher- consumer spending for the holidays.
Zeller says more than half of holiday shoppers surveyed say the economy will shape their plans for the rest of the year, and those plans will be more strategic. She says shoppers believe sales and promotions will play an important role.
The survey says consumers are shopping early and they’re shopping online, but Zeller says brick-and-mortar stores are also seeing a comeback.
Zeller says the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3.4 percent between July and September, as consumers continued spending — despite high prices.
