After a weak Thanksgiving weekend that saw retail sales decline 3.5% vs. 2015 (according to the National Retail Federation, see “Under 12% of Holiday Shopping in Indy Retailers”), U.S. retail sales excluding autos and gas grew a robust 7.9% in the Black Friday to Christmas Eve shopping season, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse.  MasterCard uses payments through its payment network as well as survey-based estimates for other payment forms as the source for its estimates.

Among other factors, MasterCard’s data shows that lower gas prices were helping to fuel the increase, with the growth in spending including gas much lower than the increase without gas spending. 

As has been the case for years, ecommerce sales grew more rapidly during the holiday season than sales at brick and mortar stores, with ecommerce sales up 20% vs. a year ago, the report said.