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Holiday shopping
starts strong in isles

Hawaii ranks No. 2
in sales using checks

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Star-Bulletin staff

Hawaii's cash registers rang up the second-best results in the country on the traditional first day of the holiday shopping season, according to one measure of retail sales growth.

TeleCheck Services Inc., which verifies check purchases nationally, said stores in Hawaii recorded a 5.4 percent increase in sales by check on Friday compared with the day after Thanksgiving last year.

The national average increase for Friday sales was 4.6 percent, the Houston-based check-acceptance company said. Massachusetts recorded the best increase at 5.5 percent.

Hawaii retailers are hoping for a green Christmas this year thanks to a rebounding state economy after a decade of stagnation.

TeleCheck says one-third of all retail purchases are paid for by check.

The company measures sales by check in stores open a year or more.