Wreaths and reindeer will make early appearances at retailers this year, and no wonder: Holiday sales—usually spanning November and December—represent roughly 20% of annual U.S. retail sales each year, according to the National Retail Federation. But a longer season doesn’t necessarily mean a better one. Their collective shift toward a prolonged holiday period reflects pandemic constraints: Retailers want to limit crowding at stores, as do customers. And because delivery will take an especially important role this time around,...

Source: Wall Street Journal September 12, 2020 14:03 UTC