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

Holiday spending rose 3.8% from a year ago, topping last year’s growth, as consumers were “willing and able” to spend, if there was a good deal, Mastercard SpendingPulse said.

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

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,

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

Mastercard found online retail spending during the holiday grew by 6.7 percent over last year. Price-conscious holiday shoppers opened their wallets for last-minute online discounts on clothing and stocking stuffers,

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.

Retail sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve rose 3.8 percent, according to new data released Thursday.

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.

Japanese retail sales rose 2.8% in November from a year earlier, government data showed on Friday. That was above the median market forecast for a 1.7% rise. To view full tables, go to the website of the Ministry of Economy,