The headline can also be “The largest retail gain since March!”
Stripping out autos, gasoline and building materials, retail sales rose 0.6% in August. As consumer spending continues to grow at a modest pace in the 3rd quarter, retailers are more optimistic about the last quarter of the year. Most consumers are still spending conservatively, looking for bargain deals.
While the fear of a double dip of the U.S. economy subsides, retailers should be aware of where growth is happening:
- Back-to-School Shopping 1.2%
- General Merchandise 0.4%
- Department stores 0.4%
- Food Stores 1.3%
- Electronics & Appliances 1.1%
- Furniture Stores 0.5%
- Building-Supply
- Leisure-time stores such as reading and music 0.9%
- Health & Personal-Care 0.6%
- Non-store retail such as catalogs and online stores 0.6%
Ramping up for the Q4 holiday season? Don’t forget to check out this blog post – http://netelixirblog.wordpress.com/2010/08/02/the-holiday-season-is-here-already-%e2%80%93-are-you-ready-for-it/#comments
– Ada Wong
