US retail sales perked up in November with the start of the holiday shopping season, led by online buying and purchases of autos, clothing and electronics.

The Commerce Department says retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.7 per cent last month.

Falling petrol prices caused purchases at gas stations to decline 0.8 per cent, but that potentially freed up income to be spent elsewhere.

Excluding petrol stations, sales climbed a healthy 0.9 per cent. Spending on motor vehicles accelerated 1.7 per cent, while purchases at clothiers, online retailers, electronics stores and department stores all improved.

The sales figures indicate that consumers have pumped up their holiday shopping, despite initial signs within the retail industry that Black Friday shopping plunged compared with the previous year.

Sales were up 5.1 per cent over the past 12 months.

AP