TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Floridians can expect to see a few more presents under the Christmas tree this year.
Retailers in Florida are predicting a 3 to 3.5 percent increase in holiday sales this year. The average shopper is expected to spend $967 on gifts, which would be a new record.
The spending increase is attributed to a 10 year low unemployment rate in Florida, along with a strong housing market and record tourism numbers.
Florida retail federation spokesman James Miller says the holiday season is the biggest time of the year for stores, with shops making 20 to 40 percent of their annual sales during the month before Christmas.
He adds this year, shoppers should continue to see businesses open their doors even earlier than Black Friday.
"We are definitely seeing a gradual shift toward being open on Thanksgiving," said Miller. "Black Friday is also going to be huge again this year. Last year was the first year that we saw, depending on the studies you are looking at, that online shopping almost exceeded brick and mortar. We expect that to continue.
According to the Florida Retail Federation, the sales forecast would have been even higher if not for the impacts of Hurricane Irma, which has left many Florida consumers with less buying power this holiday season.
