Strong online sales in November indicated that Cyber Monday overtook Black Friday, according to figures released by the Nevada Department of Taxation on Wednesday.
Douglas County merchants reported a 7.9 percent increase in taxable sales for the month that includes two of the year’s biggest shopping days.
Merchants rang up $89.9 million during the month, up from $83.3 million in 2022.
That helped push sales to $509.98 million for the first five months of the fiscal year, up 5.3 percent.
Nonstore retailers, which includes most online sales, topped the categories for the first time with a 13.7 percent increase to $11.67 million.
General merchandise stores, including the county’s two Walmarts and a Target, reported $11 million in sales, down 1.3 percent from the previous year.
Tourism-related sector food services and drinking places was up 4.9 percent to $9.1 million, while accommodations was up 5.2 percent to $2.79 million. Amusement, gambling and recreation was down 25.4 percent to $1.1 million in November, slowing what had been a strong roll. The sector is up 14.2 percent for the fiscal year to $18 million, so far for the fiscal year.
November wasn’t a particularly lucrative month for gaming at Stateline where numbers were down nearly 8 percent, compared to 2022.
Gaming figures released on Wednesday indicated that Stateline was up 2.99 percent in December increasing to $16.12 million. The casino take is still behind 5.35 percent for the fiscal year, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
East Fork and Carson City townships were up 13.5 percent to $11.7 million. The two townships are combined for reporting purposes.
Construction-related sector building material, garden equipment and supplies was up 10 percent in November to $7 million. Furniture and home furnishings posted a 6.2 percent increase to $1.9 million.
One of the biggest drops was in motor vehicle and parts dealers, where taxable sales were half what they were in November 2023. The sector brought in $2.28 million, down from $4.6 million, but is still up 10 percent for the fiscal year.
Merchant wholesalers of durable goods climbed 33.8 percent to $8 million making the sector the fourth largest in November.
A working sawmill located in northern Douglas County appears to be generating income with taxable sales for wood product manufacturing up 119 percent to $1.1 million.