Holiday Retail Statistics from the US Govnt.

Want to wow your family with some great statistics over the holiday table?  Read the latest statistics on consumer spending this holiday season.  View the full set of statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Holiday Season:

$27.2 billion

Retail sales by the nation's department stores (including leased departments) in December 2010. This represented a 44 percent jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many holiday-related, registered $18.8 billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last year was as large.  Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 2010 were clothing stores (33 percent); radio, TV and other electronics stores (44 percent); sporting goods stores (58 percent); bookstores (92 percent); and jewelry stores (113 percent).   Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

Note: Leased departments are separately owned businesses operated as departments or concessions of other service establishments or of retail businesses, such as a separately owned shoeshine parlor in a barber shop, or a beauty shop in a department store. Also, retail sales and inventory estimates have not been adjusted to account for seasonal or pricing variations.

14%
The percentage of total 2010 sales for department stores (including leased departments) in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 20 percent.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

24%
The growth in inventories by our nation's department stores (excluding leased departments) from Aug. 31 to Nov. 30, 2010. Thanks to the holiday crowds, inventories plummeted by 22 percent in December.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

$34 billion
Value of retail sales by electronic shopping and mail-order houses in December 2010 — the highest total for any month last year.  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Service Sector Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail

21,891
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in 2009. These businesses, which employed 320,721 workers, are a popular source of holiday gifts (NAICS code 45411).

If you're not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retail establishments abound: In 2009, there were 150,205 clothing and clothing accessories stores (NAICS code 448); 8,663 department stores (NAICS code 4521); 8,424 hobby, toy and game shops (NAICS code 45112); 27,738 gift, novelty and souvenir shops (NAICS code 45322); 21,628 sporting goods stores (NAICS code 45111); 24,973 jewelry stores (NAICS code 44831); and 9,390 book stores (NAICS code 451211) across the nation. The figures shown are for locations with paid employees and do not include nonemployer firms (i.e. firms with no paid employees). NAICS — North American Industry Classification System  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html