Local Retailers Optimistic About Holiday Spending

The survey, released last week, shows that New Hampshire retailers are expecting their holiday sales to be up 4 percent, slightly higher than the national expectation. Seventy-three percent of New Hampshire retailers surveyed are anticipating that their 2013 holiday sales will be the same as or better than last year. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said their store traffic so far this year has been the same as or better than last year.

"Due to our lack of a sales tax, New Hampshire retailers tend to do better than retailers in other parts of the country," said Nancy C. Kyle, president/CEO of the Retail Merchants Association of New Hampshire. "Combine that with sales and competitive pricing, and consumers will have a tremendous advantage this holiday season."

Sixty-one percent of respondents said that their 2013 inventory levels are the same as or better than last year’s levels. Forty-six percent of RMANH members offer online shopping, and they expect that online sales will account for up to 25 percent of their holiday sales.

More and more retailers are utilizing social media, with 77 percent of RMANH members replying that they are using social media, up from 67 percent last year. Of retailers utilizing social media, Facebook had the most users at 62 percent, while 15 percent of merchants were using Twitter.

When asked what factors would have the biggest impact sales this holiday season, 90 percent of respondents thought consumers' uncertainty over government actions would be detrimental to spending.

The overall sense of retailers was that customers were shopping a bit earlier this year compared to last year because Thanksgiving is very late, with less than four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Retailers had an extra week last year, so the New Hampshire consumer will see lots of competition and sales.

Looking forward to 2014, 63 percent of respondents are anticipating increased sales as the economy continues to improve.