Comps up 1.6% as October gets started

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 10/9/2012 11:25:01 AM

New York - Same-store sales were up 1.6% in the first week of October, according to The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index.

The discount stores channel recorded a comp gain of 2.6% for the week ended Oct. 6, while same-store sales slipped 0.3% in the department store segment.

Sales were mixed in the first week of October, from on plan to modestly below plan at most stores, observed Redbook analyst Catlin Levis.

"The week started slowly with below average customer counts, partly due to more people watching the election debates than shopping, but improved towards the weekend due to the upcoming Columbus Day promotions and temperatures falling to more fall like levels in many parts of the country," she continued.

"October is the final month of the third quarter for most retailers and it is an important period for retailers to meet quarterly sales and earnings targets. The month includes the buildup to Halloween, which falls two days later this year than last, a timing shift that could push some holiday business into retail November and out of the October reporting period," said Levis.