CrossCheck Blog

It is common knowledge that furniture sales spike immediately after the holidays as stores slash prices in preparation of new styles and inventory that typically arrive in January and February. When store owners put out the large “For Sale” signs, tie balloons to their front façade (not to mention placing the occasional inflatable sky dancer in the parking lot), they are hoping for a rush so they can clear out the sales floor ahead of new inventory arrivals.

John is a building materials supplier. He has just received a wish list of innovative materials from a general contractor who is building an office and lab for a tech manufacturer. John knows the wish list is expensive but is excited to be part of creating what promises to be a structure that will revolutionize the construction industry and hoist it into tomorrow.

The 2019 holiday season sales are expected to increase over last year, the 11th consecutive year they have done so since the Great Recession of 2007. More specifically, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday retail sales during November and December are expected “to increase between 3.8 percent and 4.2 percent over 2018 to a total of between $727.9 billion $730.7 billion.” These trends mirror economic improvements in the stock market as well as unemployment rates, giving merchants one more reason to anticipate greater holiday revenue.