Doors Floors and More

Cited: Associated Press

It seems that retail sales and clothing fell in November, but online sales came back with a boom. It seems that the strategic discounting that retailers are using our luring shoppers back. Retail sales did show signs of improvement in early fall, but clothing and luxury items weakened a bit the first half of November in comparison to year ago when shoppers were lured in by massive amounts of discounts.

Electronics sales have grown solidly this month, however, compared with the first half of November last year, when stores didn’t discount electronics as much. And online sales, where growth had slowed this year, are roaring back.

“It was a little bit softer,” said Michael McNamara, vice president at SpendingPulse, referring to the weak apparel and luxury figures. He cautioned against comparing the first half of November this year and last very closely.

“When you think about the discounts last year, they were broad-based emergency discounting.” Last year’s discounts encouraged consumers to spend more early in the holiday shopping season than this year’s more restrained — though ubiquitous — promotions.

“While there are some great deals, retailers are in a much better position and are more strategic with their discounting,” McNamara added.

SpendingPulse found that sales of women’s clothing fell 3.3%; sales at department stores fell 7.1%; footwear sales slipped 1.5%; and men’s apparel sales dipped 1% for the period from Nov. 1 to Nov. 14.

Overall apparel sales rose in October after many months of declines starting in July 2008. Luxury sales, which rose in September and October, had shown declines since August 2008. Online sales, where the figures haven’t shown a monthly decline since the recession started in late 2007, did taper in the spring.

But e-commerce is enjoying a rebound now, with sales up 19.4% the first half of the month. Online sales rose 5.2% in July, 12% in August, 15% in September and 18.7% in October, McNamara said. McNamara said this year’s rising gas prices have helped online sales because shopping online lets consumers drive less.

Electronics sales rose 6.1% the first two weeks of this month, helped in part by coupons and other enticements that retailers like Best Buy Stores Inc. offered to boost sales. Electronics sales rose 5% in September and I.2% in October, compared with a year earlier, McNamara said.

Major department stores like Wal-Mart stores Inc., Sears Roebuck & Co. and Toys “R” Us already are utilizing deep discounts that are usually reserved for the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, when holiday shopping usually begins in earnest. In fact, many retailers began advertising in earnest for holiday spending early this year.

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My Take: It is only logical that online sales rise; they do not have any other way to go. There are a lot of clothing stores but not advertise on the Internet because that is where most people look for sales. In the article is correct in that people are looking for ways to avoid using gas because it’s too expensive. That leaves Internet shopping.

You can go online and find pop culture T shirts for the same price if not cheaper than in-store shopping. In fact some of those same T-shirt retailers offer custom T shirt designs that you cannot get in-store. The only problem with buying clothing online is if you get the wrong side so unique and make sure you do get the right size.

Buying clothes online is not like buying sports tickets online. Clothing, like sexy costumes, can be difficult to return if there is something wrong. The main thing is that you have to pay for the shipping and handling to return. However, you can get the R & B tickets online and it is the best way to purchase them to avoid long lines. Clothing like Halloween costumes will probably be cheaper after Halloween.

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