As the holiday season draws to a close, sales of these categories in the United States are weak

After rising for four straight months , consumer spending on apparel and footwear fell 4.2% to $500.74 billion in December , according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) .

On the other hand , consumers spent $503.87 billion on furniture and home appliances in December , also down 3.9% from November .

Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist of the National Retail Federation, said : "Although high employment and wage growth, as well as savings accumulated during the epidemic , have supported this year 's holiday consumption , consumers have also been squeezed by inflation and interest rates. In addition, since consumers began shopping in advance in October this year , sales data at the end of the year are under great pressure . "

It is understood that Americans' personal savings rate reached an all-time high during the epidemic, as many people working from home saved on daily commuting costs and other expenses and benefited from consumption subsidies issued by the government .

But currently, the savings rate of American households is 2.4%, the lowest level since 2005.

In addition to clothing and footwear, American consumers have also recently been downgrading their alcohol consumption.

After years of growth, sales of high-end wine and spirits are beginning to slow, and consumers are now turning to cheaper brands in search of better value, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The report cites Nielsen data analyzed by beverage industry consulting firm Bump Williams Consulting Co., which shows that sales of "premium" spirits sold in U.S. retail stores fell 3.7% in the 48 weeks ending Dec. 3, compared with a 4% increase last year.

Sales growth for premium spirits — such as $50 bottles of tequila — slowed to 2% this year after climbing 24% last year, according to the report.

The report also noted that online alcohol seller Drizly announced a surge in sales of low-end white wine brand Prosecco as consumers began looking for cheaper alternatives to Champagne.

In any case, it can be seen that in the face of inflation, consumers are increasingly turning to lower-cost brands and retailers, which is an opportunity for some small and medium-sized sellers. In today's world where consumers do not look at brands but only at cost performance, sellers who can offer lower prices may win more market share in the future.

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