IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
A lot of people must have waited until the last minute this year to do their holiday shopping.
Sales were up 3.1 percent for the week that ended Saturday compared with the same week in 2013, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Index, which was released Tuesday.
Compared with the previous week, sales were up 3.4 percent.
“Business over the past week was very strong compared with the same period of the prior year, as consumers unleashed a late shopping surge,” said Michael Niemira, research consultant with the council, in a statement.
The council has predicted a four percent year-over-year increase in sales for this year. Final numbers for December are scheduled to be released Jan. 8.
