Indeed. To expand to help save time for someone else: “Retail sales increased 3.1 percent from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 compared with the same period a year earlier”

Indeed. To expand to help save time for someone else: “Retail sales increased 3.1 percent from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 compared with the same period a year earlier” What that means, if anything on its own, is up for debate.