The National Retail Federation’s forecast says holiday sales will increase just over 4 percent this year. But an analysis by the University of Cincinnati says Ohio will enjoy a modestly better bump, nearly half a percentage point higher than the rest of the U.S.
Gordon Gough, President of the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, says the sharp drop in gas prices is one factor driving consumer spending.
“That essentially gives consumers in the state more discretionary income to spend if they’re paying less at the pump," says Gough. "And the economy’s getting better in Ohio, more people are back to work. Obviously that gives people the ability to spend if they have a job and have a paycheck.”
All of Ohio’s biggest metro areas are on track to do well. Dayton is the only city expected to see a decline.