U.S. retailers are projected to hire more than 800,000 temporary employees for this year’s holiday season, the most since 1999, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Retailers are expecting American spending to be at its highest in three years this holiday season, according to a report published this week by the National Retail Federation.

The much-hyped “showrooming” phenomenon was supposed to take down retail giants. Long-standing stores would be shuttered as consumers used them only to touch, try and compare products – but turned to online and mobile retailers to make their actual purchases.

A swell in clothing and footwear consumption during August led the UK to a 2.7 percent gain in retail performance compared to August of last year, according to the British Retail Consortium.

The National Retail Federation projects U.S. retail industry sales will increase 4.1 percent in 2014.  That growth – higher than last year’s 3.7 percent – presents a timely opportunity retailers can seize to grow and, more importantly, sustain a wider base of loyal customers.