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Michigan retailers are anticipating their best holiday sales season in three years when Christmas shopping begins in earnest on Friday.
Jim Hallan, president and CEO of the Michigan Retailers Association says improved economic conditions are driving that optimism.
He say significantly lower gas prices and lower heating costs, a lower unemployment rate and strong consumer confidence numbers are reasons why 91-percent of his members polled in September expect the same or better sales this holiday season compared with last year.
Hallan also expects the new Main Street Fairness law, which took effect October 1st, to result in more sales this year by removing an incentive for consumers to buy online from out-of-state companies.
That new law requires out-of-state online retailers to collect Michigan’s 6 percent sales tax, and prevent what Hallan calls “showrooming,” where a consumer would find merchandise in a brick and mortar store, but then order it online from an out-of-state merchant at a cheaper price.
Hallan says weather will also be key citing last year’s snow storms right before the Christmas holiday that had a serious impact on holiday retail sales, despite rosy projections.
