Thanksgiving 2018 Consumer Spending and Retail Sales
National Retail Federation data showed U.S. Thanksgiving 2018 holiday weekend retail sales reached an estimated 22.2 billion dollars, a 1.6 percent increase over the prior year National Retail Federation. Online sales accounted for a growing share, with Adobe Analytics reporting a 28.7 percent year over year jump in e-commerce revenue on Thanksgiving day itself Adobe Analytics.
Average spending per consumer rose to roughly 334 dollars across the extended holiday period, driven by promotions that started earlier than in previous years National Retail Federation. Major retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, and Target expanded online inventory and offered doorstep delivery to capture holiday demand while managing logistics costs Forbes.
Thanksgiving 2018 Travel Volume and Transportation Data
AAA estimated that 54.3 million Americans traveled 80 kilometers or more from home during the Thanksgiving 2018 holiday period, the highest figure since 2005 AAA. Air travel rose by 3.2 percent compared with the previous year, while personal vehicle trips remained the dominant mode at roughly 48.6 million travelers AAA.
The American Automobile Association also reported that average gas prices in early November 2018 were around 2.87 dollars per gallon, a factor influencing driving costs AAA. Amtrak carried record Thanksgiving traffic, operating additional long distance trains and increasing capacity on the Northeast Corridor to handle demand Forbes.
Macroeconomic Impact and Market Reactions
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data indicated that personal consumption expenditures accelerated modestly in the fourth quarter of 2018, with holiday season retail sales contributing to a 3.4 percent annualized GDP gain in the final quarter Bureau of Economic Analysis. The Thanksgiving 2018 weekend is widely treated as the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, which typically accounts for a fifth or more of annual retail revenue Forbes.
Major publicly traded retailers and logistics companies used Thanksgiving 2018 results as an early signal for full year guidance, with shipping and fulfillment capacity under scrutiny