Even though Santa Claus is already at malls across the Sunshine State and the radio stations are playing Christmas music, Friday marks the traditional start of the holiday shopping season and groups offered insights on it this week.
Florida retailers can expect a strong holiday shopping season, the Florida Retail Federation (FRF) forecast earlier this month, with growth above the national average. The FRF’s forecast shows the average shopper will spend $805 for the holidays, a 14 year high.
“We expect the year to be a good one,” said Rick McAllister, the president and CEO of the FRF, in a call with the media last week.
Pointing to figures showing holiday sales of more than 3 percent over last year at the national level, McAllister sounded optimistic for Florida retailers. He said Florida retailers will see sales of around 4.5 percent higher than last year.
On Tuesday, the FRF showcased the National Retail Federation’s lists of the top toys for children this holiday season.
“Most kids have no problem letting their parents know which toys they want to unwrap by the tree during the holidays, but these lists are helpful for those parents still unsure about what to buy or looking to complete their lists,” McAllister said on Tuesday.“We’re excited about what the upcoming shopping season will mean for Florida retailers, as consumers feel more comfortable with spending their hard earned money in celebration of the holidays.”
Legos are the top toys for boys while Star Wars products, cars and trucks and video games remain popular. Barbie products are the most popular toys for girls while Frozen remains popular as are Disney products in general.
With no state income tax, Florida’s state government relies heavily on sales tax revenue. On Wednesday, Florida TaxWatch released a guide to where sales tax dollars go.
“Understanding Florida’s tax laws can be very difficult for Florida shoppers, so Florida TaxWatch is helping taxpayers understand their tax obligations and get a better sense of where their hard earned-money is going this Thanksgiving,” said Dominic Calabro, the president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch, on Wednesday.
The guide can be read here.
Florida will also be marking “Small Business Saturday” this weekend. Gov. Rick Scott issued a proclamation on Tuesday, insisting the event was needed as “small businesses are the backbone of our economy and create valuable jobs in our community” and making up 92 percent of businesses in the Sunshine State.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
