Holiday retail projections are flooding in, with several big firms announcing upbeat forecasts despite a volatile economy, a contentious political climate and fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Online seasonal sales in the United States are expected to jump 13% to $136 billion this year, according to a Salesforce analysis. Forrester Research Inc. is predicting similar ecommerce gains, pegging the holidays for a 12.7% uptick, which would translate into $138 billion in web sales for the period. The National Retail Federation also anticipates the same range of holiday growth, with an 11%-14% year-over-year lift, or between $162.6 billion and $166.9 billion in seasonal non-store revenue, which includes sales channels beyond ecommerce.

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