, Columnist
In the Mood for Holiday Forecasting Follies
Almost every year, the National Retail Federation predicts holiday shopping sales. The forecast is usually wrong.
Their finest hour.
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It's become a favorite holiday tradition around these parts: wait for the National Retail Federation annual holiday spending forecast each October, then write a few choice words about why their methodology is awful and their forecast track record is even worse.
I overlooked the Federation's Oct. 3 forecast this year, as the 2016 presidential election obscured everything else. That was my mistake.