It was a very merry holiday season for retailers. USA Today reports holiday retail sales are up 4.9 percent compared to last year, giving retailers their best holiday season since 2011. Holiday e-commerce sales increased 18.1 percent year-over-year, while overall consumer buying during the holiday period set a record for dollars spent, according to a sales report issued by Mastercard SpendingPulse.

“Overall, this year was a big win for retail,” Sarah Quinlan, senior vice president of market insights, Mastercard, said in a statement issued with the report.

Source:  Total Retail                               Read Full Story:  Holiday Sales Jump