By Chicago Times Magazine –
December 24, 2025
US holiday retail spending climbed 4.2 percent year over year this season, according to Visa’s annual Retail Spend Monitor from Visa Consulting & Analytics, underscoring a return to robust in‑person shopping even as online purchases continued to expand. Preliminary data released Tuesday shows that in‑store sales accounted for 73 percent of holiday payment volume, while e‑commerce made up the remaining 27 percent, with total online retail spending rising 7.8 percent across categories.
Visa’s analysis, which measures retail activity over a seven‑week period beginning November 1 using a subset of Visa network data and survey‑based estimates for other payment methods, found electronics to be one of the standout categories. Electronics sales jumped 5.8 percent as consumers sought high‑performance devices amid growing interest in artificial intelligence applications. Clothing and accessories also posted solid gains, up 5.3 percent, while general merchandise stores—favored for one‑stop convenience—saw a 3.7 percent lift. Furniture and home furnishings edged up 0.8 percent, and building materials and garden equipment cooled slightly, declining 1.0 percent.
The report also highlights global momentum, with seasonal retail spending rising in several markets outside the U.S., including Australia, Canada, South Africa and the U.K. Visa Consulting & Analytics said its findings are drawn from the expertise of thousands of consultants, data scientists and product specialists combined with VisaNet transaction data, which the company says processes hundreds of billions of transactions annually.
Visa emphasized the practical value of the Retail Spend Monitor for businesses navigating shifting consumer behavior. “Insights from the VCA Retail Spend Monitor help businesses adapt to changing consumer behaviors and prepare for the rapidly evolving future of commerce,” said Kate Manfred, North America head of advisory services at Visa. Over the past year, VCA reported delivering nearly 4,500 consulting engagements that the company estimates helped clients realize roughly $6.5 billion in incremental revenue.
Retailers credited early‑season promotions and convenience for the growth in online sales, while the dominance of physical stores during the holidays reflected consumers’ continued appetite for in‑person experiences—whether to try on fashion items, evaluate electronics firsthand, or take advantage of immediate pickup and returns.
