Holiday shopping is upon us, and the seasonal sales are in full swing. But just how does the 2023 holiday season stack up against the ghosts of retail past? On this episode, Courtney Reagan, CNBC’s Senior Retail Reporter, sits down with host Liz Thomas, SoFi’s Head of Investment Strategy.  Liz and Courtney discuss the (promising) future of big box stores, how retail has bounced back from the economic downswing, and who the winners of this holiday season will be. For more, read Liz’s column every Thursday at On The Money by SoFi, sign up for the SoFi Daily Newsletter, and follow Liz on Twitter @LizThomasStrat. Notable mentions in the episode: (00:00) Intro (02:00) What’s the story on consumer spending in 2023? (05:29) Are consumers trading down? (08:07) Inventory management improved in 2023 (12:41) On the ground for Black Friday (19:58) What product categories hit it out of the park this year? (23:56) Record sales numbers or just inflation? (26:41) Nostalgia rules the toy aisle (29:24) What’s happening with retail stocks? (32:53) Hot Minute (34:28) Liz’ Takeaways Additional resources: SoFi Daily Podcast: 5-minute daily episodes covering the latest business, economic, and stock market news you need to start your day. The SoFi Daily Pod is available on Apple and Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. SoFi Daily Newsletter: Sign up for the SoFi Daily to receive the latest financial news in your inbox every day.  Investing 101 Center: At SoFi, we believe investing is for everyone — which is why we’ve created a hub with info for beginners and experts alike. Start exploring to get investment education, advice, resources, and more. Wealth Investing Guide: Information you need to know to make your money work harder for you. Recommended reading: Investing in Retail Stocks Is Inflation a Good or Bad Thing for Consumers? This podcast should be used for informational purposes only and not deemed as a recommendation. Our Automated investing is via SoFi Wealth LLC, and is a registered investment advisor. Our Active investing is via SoFi securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest® platforms, please visit www. SoFi.com/Legal. ©2024 Social Finance, Inc. All Rights Reserved.