We’re nearly two months into 2017 and already past the year’s first big shopping day — Valentine’s Day, a holiday that saw about $18 billion in spending, according to the National Retail Federation.
Such holidays are milestones in retail, a chance to attract new customers and a chance for consumers to establish new shopping habits. No red-letter days are more important in that regard, of course, than are the days leading up to the Christmas holiday, a period that is make or break for many retailers.