Walmart, Target, Amazon.com and other retailers ramped up promotions and value messaging to entice customers during a shorter holiday season.

Holiday retail sales rose 3.8% year-over-year, topping earlier estimates with a boost from online shopping, according to Mastercard.

Despite inflation, American consumers showed a willingness to spend more than last year, but were very value-oriented and selective in their purchases.

By Savyata Mishra and Siddharth Cavale (Reuters) -Holiday shoppers opened their wallets at the last minute in search of good deals on online platforms, making significant purchases in apparel, electronics and jewelry,

STORY: Steep discounts and a last-minute shopping surge boosted U.S. holiday sales above prior estimates. That's according to a report by Mastercard SpendingPulse, which said that holiday spending from Nov.

Shoppers snapped up sweaters, smartwatches and skin-care sets as they chased discounts to drive a stronger-than-expected holiday season for retail, according to Mastercard.

U.S. retail sales rose 3.8% between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, as customers turned to last minute shopping due to intense holiday season promotions, a Mastercard report showed on Thursday. The jump in sales was higher than a 3.

Mastercard said consumers were "value-minded" and shopped at both brick-and-mortar stores and online platforms in search of attractive deals.

Total spending for the holiday period, from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, rose 3.8 percent, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse. That’s up from 2023, when growth was 3.1 percent.

Holiday season retail sales rose 3.8% this year over last, Mastercard says, as more people dined out and bought clothes and jewelry. Why it matters: The report suggests a resilient consumer, key to the continued health of the U.