• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026

2

CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea

3

Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion

1

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026

2

CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea

3

Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
Retail

The Busiest Shopping Day of the Holiday Season Isn’t Black Friday

Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Phil Wahba
By
Phil Wahba
Phil Wahba
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 16, 2016, 3:14 PM ET
Photography by Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday get all the attention, but Super Saturday, which takes place tomorrow, will be the biggest shopping day of the holiday season, hands down.

According to a survey released on Friday by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, some 66% of Americans, or 155.7 million people, are planning to go shopping on Saturday, December 17. (Some 99 million of them hit stores over Thanksgiving weekend.) The day is known as Super Saturday because it is the last full Saturday of shopping before Christmas. (Next Saturday, Christmas Eve, doesn’t count because stores close earlier.)

156 million Americans are making plans to shop on #SuperSaturday. https://t.co/spVvJunMfB @ASerafinSmith #holiday16 pic.twitter.com/lFgD1Ixyxh

— National Retail Federation (@NRFnews) December 16, 2016

Though by all accounts, the holiday shopping season is going well, there is still time for retailers to mess up their holiday season: the NRF survey found the average American shopper has only finished 52.5% of of his or her shopping. (The survey of 6,890 consumers took place between December 1 and 7.) And six of the 10 busiest days in terms of visits to stores exclusive of online shopping. are still in front of us, according to ShopperTrak.

So retailers are not letting up on what has already been a very promotional season.

“We expect retailers will once again be competitive on price and value options in the final stretch, especially on Super Saturday,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement.

Despite more consumer confidence, low gas prices, and a soaring stock market, retailers have been more aggressive this year in doling out deals. Market Track, a data firm that measures the depth of discounting a major retailers by analyzing their circulars, found top chains were keeping their foot on the gas pedal in terms of promotions heading into Super Saturday. As the chart below, prepared for Fortune by Market Track, shows, Macy’s (M) and Walmart (WMT) in particular were more aggressive than last year, while other chains’ deals are generally on a par with last year. (Over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the discount gap was far bigger compared to 2015.)

depth-of-discount2

Still, retailers were careful about not over-ordering ahead of the season, so the promotions have been more planned than driven by a need for clearance, something that will help margins. Moody’s Investors Service said this week that despite heavy discounts, Walmart, Target and Best Buy’s margins are up, something that should give them some “cushion” in the holiday quarter, analyst Charlie O’Shea said.

Many major retailers get as much as 25% of sales in November and December and an even higher percentage of profits, leaving them little room for error this time of year. Still, analysts by and large agree the industry will enjoy it’s best season in a while. What’s more, the arctic chill bearing down over the Eastern half of the country will surely help apparel sales. Customer Growth Partners said on Wednesday there was potential for this holiday season to be the best for retailers in a decade.

“A ‘positive perfect storm’ of factors have come together to boost growth, including real income growth, low gasoline prices, food deflation—and now record stock prices—as shoppers and retailers will see their best Christmas season in over a decade,” CGP President Johnson said in a research note.

That, of course, hinges, on a successful Super Saturday.

About the Author
Phil Wahba
By Phil WahbaSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Phil Wahba is a senior writer at Fortune primarily focused on leadership coverage, with a prior focus on retail.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

Gina Rinehart
InvestingSpaceX
Australia’s richest person just bought a SpaceX stake worth more than $1 billion. ‘Elon has done what very few people in history have done’
By Jacqueline MunisJune 15, 2026
10 hours ago
Why Patagonia is risking its progressive brand image with a lawsuit against a drag queen
RetailEnvironment
Why Patagonia is risking its progressive brand image with a lawsuit against a drag queen
By Phil WahbaJune 15, 2026
15 hours ago
gene
Arts & EntertainmentObituary
Gene Shalit, who made film criticism a television institution, dies at 100
By Mark Kennedy and The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
18 hours ago
target
HealthRecalls
FDA recalls Nara Organics baby formula after infant botulism cases in 3 states
By The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
18 hours ago
korea
RetailStarbucks
Starbucks Korea called a tumbler ‘SS Tank’ on a military anniversary. Now every store is closing early
By Kim Tong-Hyung and The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
19 hours ago
‘There simply isn’t enough product for the U.S. customer’: GLP-1 craze eats whey too much protein
RetailFood and drink
‘There simply isn’t enough product for the U.S. customer’: GLP-1 craze eats whey too much protein
By Dee-Ann Durbin and The Associated PressJune 14, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 15, 2026
18 hours ago
CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea
Success
CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea
By Preston ForeJune 13, 2026
3 days ago
Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
Startups & Venture
Meet Gwynne Shotwell, the engineer-turned-COO who runs SpaceX in platform heels and is now worth over $2 billion
By Eva RoytburgJune 15, 2026
1 day ago
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
Economy
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
By Nick LichtenbergJune 14, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, June 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 15, 2026
18 hours ago
Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983
Personal Finance
Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983
By John W. Diamond and The ConversationJune 12, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.