Alabama Retailers Have High Hopes Going into the Holiday Season During the Pandemic

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Many stores already are decorated for the Christmas shopping season and pushing holiday sales, and that could help Alabama retailers avoid a pandemic slump. A statement from the Alabama Retail Association says holiday sales are expected to hold steady or grow a little from 2019, which would be good news for stores as coronavirus cases worsen across the state.

The group says sale tax reports from the Alabama Revenue Department show state consumers spent nearly 8% more through this September than last. That’s despite disruptions caused by economic shutdowns linked to the coronavirus..

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