Twenty/20October is unofficial start of holiday shopping seasonThis year, half of shoppers plan to begin their holiday shopping by Halloween, according to a recent Bankrate report. Early estimates point to a strong shopping seasonWith more shoppers getting an early start on the season, holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 3.5% and 4.6% in 2023, according to Deloitte's annual forecast. "We expect healthy employment and income growth to keep the volume of sales growing for the 2023 holiday season," said Daniel Bachman, Deloitte's U.S. economic forecaster. Student loan payments could weigh on wallets"Student loan payments are another drag on the consumer," said Brett House, professor of professional practice in economics at Columbia Business School. "On the other hand, labor markets remain strong," House added.

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Persons: RetailMeNot, Daniel Bachman, Matthew Shay, Jack Kleinhenz, Brett House Organizations: National Retail Federation, Columbia Business School Locations: Deloitte's U.S