Survey: Online shopping, lower gas prices helped holiday retail sales

Lower gas prices and the ease of online shopping may be giving retailers an extra spark this holiday season.

After years of recessionary belt tightening, consumers spent 7.9 percent more than last year during the dash between Black Friday and Christmas Eve and ponied up for furniture and other high-priced items, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse.

The report, released Monday, doesn't include sales of cars or gas and is based on an analysis of actual spending data as well as surveys of consumers using credit cards, cash and checks.

http://www.startribune.com/survey-online-shopping-lower-gas-prices-helped-holiday-retail-sales/363672031/