Consumer Behavior

Retail sales in-store, online up in February

Adobe Stock

March 9, 2023

Retail sales in the U.S. in February were up 6.9% compared to a year ago, according to a Mastercard SpendingPulse report that measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment.

"Following a dynamic holiday season, consumer spending returned to a familiar and healthy balance in February," Steve Sadove, Mastercard senior advisor and former CEO of Saks Inc., said in a press release on the findings. "Consumers have remained resilient, prioritizing discounts where possible to counteract inflationary pressures."

E-commerce sales were up 13.2% year over year and in-store sales were up 5.5% year over year.

The biggest growth was on experiences spend, including restaurants, airlines and lodging. Department and apparel stores showed "moderate growth," according to the press release.