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Another big retail sales period. the holiday gift returns he's in. sellers are hoping for a continuation of the big numbers they have been seeing since last month. correspondent anita vogel takes a look. >> whether online or actually waiting in a line, there's no question shopping was back in vogue this season. >> i am more excited about shopping. >> i usually don't go out and shop at this year i felt more positive. >> i like stores. i always prefer buying in stores. i see it and touch it and feel it. >> retailers got their wish sales grew at a faster pace than they have in the last five years...

Season. i think their worries will continue to 2018. >> as the season progressed, did you change your expectation, your prediction for the strength of holiday sales because the national retail federation did not? they're still looking for that 4%, $682 billion spent. >> we were seeing an upward trajectory of how people were spending over the course of the last couple of months. so stamps same-store sales were rise for retailers across board minus a couple that were having some foreclosures, et cetera. but because you are seeing that went to monica's point, when you are seeing consumer spending...

Black friday rush. retailers are counting on the holiday season after a rough 202 2017. more than 6500 stores have closed. and the national retail federation predicts that holiday sales could total about $682 billion. that's up 4% from last year. that's good news. >> whoo. >> we'll see you back here at 10:00. that's also good news. >> for "cnn newsroom," of course. "smerconish" is coming up after a short break. i just got my cashback match, is this for real? yep. we match all the cash back new cardmembers earn at the end of their first year, automatically. whoo! i got my money! hard to contain...

Weekend and cyber monday. that is $682 billion. and that is up from what we saw last year. now, is this a positive sign across the board for the economy? >> it is. what they're saying is people are expected to spend more money right now, about $30 more per person. that is a positive sign. it is good right now for retailers in this moment. but, look, retailers have been going bankrupt. they've been closing stores. even if we have a blip of success in this holiday season, that trend is not going to change. it's not expected to change going forward in 2018. >> okay, well then here's what makes th...

Holiday shopping season. >> a wave of bargain hunters flooding malls and stores across the country. the black friday frenzy actually getting started on thursday. turkey and stuffing apparently not enough for shoppers hungry for savings. >> i'm always out, always out, especially on thanksgiving, black friday. >> reporter: and there are some big deals today. top american retailers slashing their prices 37% on average. analysts say the best buys will be on electronics, appliances and jewelry. the national retail federation predict shoppers will take advantage of the markdowns, spending an average...