CANADIAN CLOTHING SALES ARE ON THE RISE

The National Retail Federation (NRF) reported today that Canadians are spending more on clothing, footwear and accessories. Statistics Canada released a report that total retail sales in the clothing segment totaled $41.9 billion in 2015, a 38% increase from a decade ago.

During that decade, many retailers exited the Canadian retail market, such as Maxx Canada and Aeropostale. Stores still in the market that primarily sell clothing and accessories made up for 67% of the sales. Retailers of sporting goods, books and music saw their clothing business increase by 50%.

The Statistics Canada report noted that although many retailers closed, most were replaced by higher-end stores. Women’s clothing and accessories totaled $17 billion of the $42 billion, while men’s clothing and accessories were at $9.4 billion. Footwear was right behind at $7.1 billion and luggage and jewelry had $4.4 billion in sales.

Source: NRF Smartbrief, CTV News

Data Analytics Among Strategies to Combat Loss in Omnichannel

With new technologies hitting the market on a regular basis, the retail industry is constantly evolving. Most retailers now operate in a technologically sophisticated omnichannel environment that includes strategies to enhance selling, including online, mobile retail and social media marketing.

In a 2015 retail industry survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, findings revealed that technology is making it more difficult for retailers to prevent, detect and manage loss.

“At the core of omnichannel is the concept that a customer can securely purchase and receive their product in any manner they desire,” Zawoyski says. “For many retailers with legacy pre-omnichannel operations and systems, ensuring secure and dynamic customer purchasing and fulfillment is a significant challenge. Beyond the well-documented data breaches and information security risks, many retailers struggle with ensuring supply chain inventory accuracy.”

According to the PwC report, many companies haven’t fully integrated new technologies that are needed to combat loss in omnichannel effectively. One key recommendation for the report: Retailers should embrace the process of root cause analysis while increasing their use of data analytics to better spot and mitigate shrink. Zawoyski says 59 percent of respondents reported they are employing data analytics and end-to-end root cause analysis as a primary tool to identify losses.

One of the many strategies that PwC suggests to enhance root cause analysis is to leverage data analytics.

“Effectively leveraging advanced analytics and end-to-end root cause analysis allows retailers to assess, strategize, plan and deploy risk mitigation programs,” says Zawoyski.

Sources: National Retail Federation: STORES magazine, June 2016, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Overregulation: Burdening America's Small Retailers

In an effort to gauge the views of small business retailers on the overall economic environment, the health of their individual businesses and the impact of public policies, the National Retail Federation commissioned a survey that was conducted online by GfK in December 2015 and January 2016.  752 small business owners participated and they represented a balance among demographic factors including gender, age, political ideology and geographic location.

The survey found that government regulation is a consistent point of difficulty for small retail businesses. Eight out of ten stated that government regulations actually weaken the appeal of owning a small business, and seven out of ten retail small business owners feel overwhelmed by rules and mandates on how they operate their business. The infographic below shows a sneak peak of the study and the full report is available on the NRF website at https://nrf.com/resources/retail-library/overregulation-burdening-americas-small-retailers.

Source: nrf.com

CONGRATULATIONS 2016 GRADUATES! GRAD GIFT SPEND HIGHEST IN 10 YEARS!

The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that 2016 graduation spending will reach a 10-year high this year, with spending expected to reach $5.4 billion. Americans celebrating high school and college graduations give special gifts, and retailers are offering a lot of options for the best gifts possible. Retailers will need to keep graduation gift items up front and in stock, and advertise locally for shoppers who look online before going shopping.

NRF’s 2016 Graduation Spending Survey revealed the average person buying graduation gifts will spend $106.45, up 3.9% from last year. Each individual graduate should not get too excited, though – the average shopper is buying for 2 graduates this year, so the spend is higher but spread out among more recipients.

Not helping retailers is the fact that cash is the most popular gift, given by 56%. Greeting cards, with the cash inside, will make up 39% of spend. This is followed by gift cards at 31%, clothing at 14% and electronics at 11%.

While the amount of spend averages $106.45, the age group of the gift giver makes a difference. Spending by those aged 45-54 will average $120.74, compared with $78.08 from those 18-24.

Source: NRF.com 

Taking the Guesswork Out Of Online Sizing

It’s a challenge all clothing retailers have to face: excessive returns based on poor fit. According to a 2015 report by The Retail Equation and backed by NRF data, “fit” is the stated reason for nearly 11% of all merchandise returns. The associated costs include processing, sorting, repackaging and remarketing the item, and they’re a headache every apparel retailer would like to avoid.

Now there is a tool that offers help to customers looking for a perfect fit, all while creating an informational bridge between consumers and clothing manufacturers. Fittery.com offers a tool for men that finds clothes that fit them across a wide selection of brands based on their body type, fit preferences and measurements. The site has been live since September and is well positioned for growth.

Upon visiting the site for the first time shoppers are asked for basic information such as weight, height and body silhouette, plus waist and collar measurements. The process also asks them to identify their fit preference through images rather than words.

“We’ve done a lot of research, and found that different people have different concepts of what a slim or a classic fit might be,” says CEO Catherine Iger. “Pictures, as opposed to words, result in greater accuracy.”

The customer’s information is matched to the precise sizes of garments available through Fittery.com such as Thomas Pink, J.Crew, Boden and Lands’ End. Customers are shown choices that are best for their body based on exact product dimensions in the Fittery.com database. Customers can also measure themselves with a tape measure while being coached with a short tutorial video. “Either way, the process is 96.3 percent accurate,” Iger says.

The sizing technology is only currently available for dress and casual men’s shirts.  Future plans include expansion into slacks, sport coats and more. Fittery.com also offers an array of accessory items, including ties, messenger bags and sunglasses, also through affiliated retailers.

Women’s clothing is planned for a future rollout. “We’re careful to expand our offerings slowly so that the data can be gathered completely and the algorithms can be adequately tested so we’re confident in their reliability,” Iger says.

Source: NRF.com

NRF SAYS CONSUMERS PLANNING TO SPRING INTO RETAIL SPENDING ON ST. PATTY’S DAY AND EASTER

With two big spring holidays upon us in March, the National Retail Federation reports that consumer spending appears to be on the rise. The NRF conducted two consumer surveys that indicate that trend is coming. According to its annual St. Patrick’s Day Spending Survey, over 125 million Americans will spend $4.4 billion on today’s holiday. 56.5% of those celebrating will purchase food and beverages, 28% will buy apparel or accessories, 23.3% will buy decorations and 17.2% will buy candy.

According to the NRF Easter Spending Survey, consumers plan to shop at 13-year high levels. The holiday is expected to reach spending of $17.3 billion. Half of that spending will be on clothing, gifts and flowers. “Retailers are beginning one of their busiest times of year and are more than ready as consumers shop for Spring essentials, “NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

58.4% of shoppers will head to discount stores, followed by 41.4% in department stores. Online shoppers grows to 21.4%, up from 18.8% last year.

Source: National Retail Federation

NRF REPORTS INCREASE IN RETAIL EMPLOYMENT

The NRF (National Retail Federation) commented on the Labor Department’s report that retail employment (excluding gasoline stations, automobiles and restaurants) was up 51,100 jobs in February. Compared with February 2015, retail jobs were up by 247,300. Apparel stores saw a significant gain of 11,100 jobs. The NRF noted that weather played a big part of the increase.

“Weather has a serious impact on the retail industry, and when cold winter weather finally made its appearance shoppers headed to stores and brought shopping patterns to a good level,” said National Retail Federation chief economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “This solid report shows that the consumer is confident and continuing to shop.”

Source: Retailing Today

NRF SAYS MILLENNIALS WILL SAVE THEIR TAX REFUNDS INSTEAD OF SPLURGING ON RETAIL

Retailers have depended on American’s using their IRS tax refund checks to boost February and March sales. However, according to a survey conducted by the National Retail Federation (NRF), more than half of those expecting a refund are planning to save their money instead of spend it. This is the highest level since the NRF has begun conducting the survey.

Millennials, ages 18 to 24, show 57.3% planning to save and 27.4% planning to spend their refunds on everyday purchases like gas or groceries. In the 25 to 34 year old bracket, 52.3% plan to save and 45% plan to repay debt.

In addition to saving, 22.4% of Americans will save their refunds while 11.4% will plan a vacation. “Consumers are building their spending power and boosting their confidence as they set aside their checks from Uncle Sam,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Americans this year see refund season as a time to improve their financial health by using their refunds to get ahead on savings goals and plan for bigger purchases in the future. Money saved is money waiting to be spent.”

As refund checks start to get into Amercan’s hands, it will remain to be seen if this holds true for future retail spending and whether they will actually save the money or decide to shop instead.

Source: Chain Store Age

NRF THINKS 2016 WILL BE A HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR RETAIL

The NRF forecasts a 3.1% increase in retail sales growth in 2016, which will exceed the 10 year industry average of 2.7%. The National Retail Federation also forecasts ecommerce growth to be between 6-9%.

The NRF makes this forecast based on assumptions on employment gains. It believes that prospects for consumer spending are going to be higher as it expects a continued growth in the labor market. 

“Wage stagnation is easing, jobs are being created and consumer confidence remains steady, so despite the headwinds our economy faces from international developments, particularly in China, we think 2016 will be favorable for growth in the retail industry,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

The NRF’s chief economist indicated that with lower gas prices creating more discretionary income, more jobs, and with retailers continuing to find ways to compete and succeed in a cost-conscious environment, 2016 should be a good growth year for retail.

Source: Chain Store Age

NRF’s Big Show Recap

The NRF’s Big Show wrapped up on Wednesday after record attendance, and, as we unwind from an exciting week in New York, we find ourselves reflecting on the event as a whole and on the key takeaways that will impact Accelerated Analytics in 2016.

Matt Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation, opened the trade group’s annual Convention and EXPO with a state-of-retail message, highlighting the event’s transformation under the strategic guidance of Shay and the NRF board.

“We’ve invested in attendee experiences, added a third day of exhibits and gained exclusive control of the entire convention center.” Shay said. 

The event saw record numbers, with 35,000 people in attendance and roughly 580 exhibitors. While the convention was dominated by technology companies, both those facilitating consumer-driven change in the retail industry and those designed to help retailers replace, upgrade and modernize their systems, very few occupy the niche market of POS data and analytics. “There were about 50 companies in the Data and Analytics section of the expo, but very few that do what we do,” said Jennifer Freyer, Director of Sales and Marketing for Accelerated Analytics.

As customer expectations continue to rise, it’s imperative that vendors and retailers have access to their data -  down to the item level -  quickly. Accelerated Analytics is well positioned to meet that need via our one-click access to SKU/store level sales to identify trends, optimize assortments and track promotions. Plus, our forecast reports and low inventory and out of stock alerts help our clients ensure the right inventory is at the right stores.

Our visit to the Big Show also provided the opportunity to participate in several meetings with GS1, as we work with them toward standardizing POS data sharing in the retail industry. This is crucial in expanding the retailer and vendor partnership for better joint planning, store execution and sales performance.

The event returns to New York again next year, January 15-18, 2017.

There is still halloween candy to eat, but retailers put the 'creep' into holiday shopping right away

Due to Christmas creep, retailers are moving out the pumpkins and putting out winter holiday right away, if not already. Some retail trends shoppers can look forward to now:

• Early season deals are popping up and not waiting for Black Friday. Wal-Mart announced November 1 launches “savings and holiday retailtainment”. The iPad mini will be priced at $199 instead of $268. Target, Amazon, Kmart and Toys R Us all introduced their “hot toy” lists in early Fall with sales starting now.
• Thanks to the broad effects of Amazon Prime, Best Buy and Target and many other retailers are offering free shipping throughout the season.
• Many retailers have implemented their in-store and curb pick-up programs in time for the holidays, using online pre-purchasing and mobile apps in store to get shoppers checked out quickly.

 Sales will increase dramatically on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, as usual, but predictions are that 15-18% sales growth will come from online sales on those days. The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts holiday sales to rise 3.7% this year with online sales far outpacing brick-and-mortar sales. Counting on those online sales are retailers who have decided to be closed this Thanksgiving to appeal to families: Staples, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco, GameStop and Nordstrom.

 Source: Money.com

Fright Night: Halloween Will be particularly scary for retailers this year but chocolate sales stay high

Halloween retail sales, which had grown to an $8 billion industry by 2012, is expected to fall 7 percent this year, to $6.9 billion. According to the National Retail Federation, this is the lowest total since 2011.

Experts blame the weak Halloween forecast on a shift in consumer spending to experiences rather than must-have items. Some retail experts view Halloween as a prediction of holiday sales, so poor results could cast a spell on the Christmas selling season. Supply and demand are not syncing, creating high inventory levels and low sell thru percentages of Halloween products.

The average American will spend $74.34 on the holiday, forecasts the NRF. This is slightly down from $77 in 2014. Although Halloween product sales may be down, malls are trying to take advantage of the holiday, as it falls on a Saturday this year, with trick-or-treat events and more Halloween-themed items on the shelves and on display. Melinda Merrill, a Fred Meyer spokesman, said that when Halloween falls on a weekday, year-over-year sales growth is typically in the single digits. “When it falls on a weekend, there are more parties, they are bigger and customers decorate and dress up for them on a bigger scale. … We’ll see much larger growth,” Merrill added.

Halloween chocolate sales generated $217 million in 2014, and remains the top-selling treat for the holiday. Leaders Hershey and Mars account for 87% of chocolate Halloween candy. Most variety bags contain chocolate over fruity or sour flavors.

Sources: New York Post, USA Today Democrat Herald, MarketRearch.com

Retailers Ramp Up Imports to Prepare for 2015 Holiday Season

The volume of import cargo for major US retailers is expected to increase 3.6% in August 2015 from August 2014, as retailers prepare to stock for the holiday season. Imports for the year, according to the National Retail Federation, is expected to be up 4.2% from 2014.

Some retailers are paying less to transport their merchandise due to larger capacity ships. Import levels in May were normal, showing a recovery from the port issues in 2014 and the beginning of this year.

“Consumers might be out buying back-to-school supplies but toys and sweaters are starting to show up on the docks,” NRF VP for supply chain and customs policy Jonathan Gold said. “There are still some lingering congestion issues, but retailers are working with their supply chain partners to make sure all of that merchandise flows smoothly to store shelves.”

Source: Chain Store Age

NRF ANNOUNCES AMERICANS ARE POISED TO SPEND THIS EASTER

The National Retail Federation released its 2015 Easter Spending Survey, gauging consumer behavior and shopping trends leading to the holiday. The report finds that the average person celebrating Easter will spend $140.62, over 2014’s $137.46 average spend. Total spending is expected to reach $16.4 billion.

“Easter will be the perfect segue into spring for both consumers and retailers who have longed for warmer weather for quite some time,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “As one of the busiest times of year for several retail sectors and as shelves begin filling with both traditional spring and holiday merchandise, retailers are looking forward to welcoming shoppers with attractive promotions on home goods, garden equipment and traditional Easter items.”

The survey found that 45% of those celebrating will purchase clothing, spending more than $2.9 billion. They will also spend $2.4 billion on gifts, $1.1 billion on flowers, $998 million on decorations and $695 million on greeting cards.

58% plan to spend at discount stores, while 41% will shop at department stores. Additionally, 21.8% will shop at a specialty store and 18.8% will shop online.

Source: Retailing Today

Unwrapping The NRF Holiday Sales Forecast

October 29, 2014

The all-important holiday shopping season is upon us.  NRF's 2014 holiday forecast calls for a retail sales increase of 4.1 percent to a total of $616.9 billion.  "Holiday sales" are defined as those happening from November 1 through December 31.

Overall, we expect holiday spending to reflect recent economic momentum.  The economy is expanding and there doesn't appear to be any distinct shift away from the moderate pace of growth.  Growth is expected to continue to be slow and steady following the unusually high degree of volatility we saw in the first half of the year.

Economic growth for the balance of 2014 is forecast to be in the range of 3 percent over the same time last year.  Employment, income and consumer confidence are all improving.

Employment

Labor market indicators point to continued growth.  There have been gains of 200,000 or more jobs every month, except two this year.  Since the end of 2013, more than 2 million jobs have been created.  The unemployment rate - a key psychological indicator for the public - stood at 5.9 percent in September, down more than a full percentage point since the same time in 2013, and at its lowest level since July 2008.  Jobless claims have been below 300,000 for more than a month, which is rare in historical terms.

Income

With more jobs on the books, there is more aggregate income for more spending.  For August and the two prior months, personal income grew 4.1 percent compared with 2013.  As the season nears, we will be keeping a close eye on disposable income to gauge economic activity.

Consumer Confidence

Consumer confidence has reached post-recession highs over the past year.  The University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index, for example, increased 1.8 points in October to 86.4, its best reading in more than seven years.

Nonetheless, confidence continues to be erratic and difficult to interpret.  With gas prices and unemployment low and smaller debt burdens, consumers should feel a bit better about their circumstances but they remain cautious.  Their mood may still be impacted by the lingering effects of the Great Recession.

Yet there is a lot of psychology at work, including volatile financial markets, European weakness, a slowdown in China, rising Middle East tensions and now Ebola.  All could still send a chill into consumer confidence, much like last year's ploar vortex.

Consumer Credit

Credit conditions are improving.  Consumers continue to choose and use credit very strategically.  Revolving credit, though uneven over the past year, has risen recently.  If employment and consumer confidence continue to improve as we expect, revolving credit may continue its healthy pace and help spur retail spending.

Consumers should benefit from easing price pressures.  Summer weather was quite mild this year and gasoline prices have recently dropped, leaving households to spend less on air conditioning and gas, freeing up more disposable income.

Additional Factors

As we observed last year, holiday retail sales can be severely impacted by any transitory factor from higher personal taxes and the debt ceiling debacle to a federal government shutdown and severe winter weather.

This year, it's too soon to predict the weather but at least Congress has kept the government open and there is no immediate talk of tax increases (at least not federally).

And The Forecast Is...

We look at employment, income, consumer confidence and consumer credit, incorporate a few wild cards such as gas prices, the whims of Congress and the outbreak of epidemics, then come up with an educated and informed figure.  It's part science, part art.

In the grand scheme of things, consumers appear to be in a much better position this year than last, with a bit more confidence and spending power.  These factors should translate into a solid holiday sales season for retailers and merchants alike.  Nevertheless, shoppers will remain cautious and stick to their budgets this year - just in case we're wrong.

Source: National Retail Federation 

Retail Industry Loses 17,700 Jobs In August

September 5, 2014

NRF calculated retail industry (excluding auots and gasoline) employment declined by 17,700 jobs in August, with significant downward revisions for July and June.  Loss leaders included food and beverage stores, which witnessed a 17,000 job loss, possibly suggesting a seasonal or category-specific anomaly.

"Employment figures for August were undoubtedly disappointing and lackluster," NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said.  "The weaker job growth in August presents a mixed picture of the economy compared to other positive indicators, including consumer confidence and average hourly earnings, which point to an improving economy."

"Today's jobs report calls into question how much momentum the economy will show in the second half of the year," Kleinhenz said.  "The employment situation report just does not fit into the overall economic landscape."

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Situation Summary showed that total nonfarm payroll employment rose by only 142,000 in August.  The unemployment rate fell slightly to 6.1 percent and the civilian labor participation rate came in at 62.8 percent.

Source: National Retail Federation

NRF Calls For Immediate Adoption Of Chip-And-PIN Tech

February 12, 2014

At a press conference this week, the National Retail Federation called for widespread adoption of chip-and-PIN payment card technology by U.S. retailers and their partners.

"The chip validates that it's the real card," said Tom Litchford, VP retail technologies for NRF.  "The PIN provides two levels of validation."

Litchford said that while an encrypted microchip makes creating a counterfeit card impossible, the PIN number makes it much harder for a thief to impersonate a customer using a stolen card.  Litchford and fellow panelists Mallor Duncan, senior VP and general counsel, NRF and David French, senior VP government relations, NRF, all agreed that only verifying a chip-enabled card with a customer's signature does not go far enough to take advantage of the chip technology's capabilities to prevent card fraud.

Whether the U.S. retail industry adopts chip and PIN or chip and signature, migrating to chip-based cards will not be cheap.  Duncan estimated that switching to either form of chip-based card verification would cost the U.S. retail industry $20 billion to $30 billion during a period of several years.  This includes costs of installing and upgrading hardware and software, as well as costs of the chip cards themselves, which run to a few dollars per individual card.

The NRF wants banks, acquirers, card issuers and other partners in issuing and accepting payment cards to share costs associated with migrating to chip-and-PIN technology.  Duncan said that while technically the acquiring merchant bank usually has to pay any costs associated with card fraud, the costs often wind up getting shifted back to retailers after the fact.

"Our goal is to start migrating right away," Litchford said in urging retailers not to wait for the upcoming October 2015 shift in card fraud liability.  At that point, any U.S. retailer that experiences card fraud relating to a customer using chip-based cards must assume any costs if they do not have equipment that can process chip-based card payments.

Looking ahead, Litchford said he expects that eventually, retailers will use contactless payment technology.

"We can easily provide contactless capability," said Litchford.  "Chip cards would also have an NFC chip.  It's 'tap and go' payment where you don't swipe a card.  It will probably migrate faster on mobile phones than cards.  Isis, Visa and Square are all involved in contactless payment."

Source: Retailing Today

Holiday Retail Sales Come in at NRF Expectations

The National Retail Federation recapped Holiday 2013 in a PR... and sales were pretty good.  It remains to be seen however how profits fair due to heavy discounting.  The next quarterly filings by retailers will tell that tale. 

Holiday Retail Sales Come in at NRF Expectations
Sales Increased 3.8% to $601.8 Billion; NRF Projected 3.9% to $602 Billion

NEW YORK, January 14, 2014 – Severe winter weather did not dampen December retail sales as shoppers took advantage of heavy promotions and last-minute deals. According to the National Retail Federation – the world’s largest retail trade association – December retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 0.4 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month, and 4.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year.

Total holiday retail sales, which include November and December sales, increased 3.8 percent to $601.8 billion, which was in line with NRF’s projected forecast of 3.9 percent and $602.1 billion. In addition, non-store holiday sales, which is an indicator of online and e-commerce sales, grew 9.3 percent to $95.7 billion.

“Despite facing a truncated holiday season, severe weather, and shaky consumer confidence, retailers rose to the challenge and executed their strategies with proven success,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Today’s holiday sales numbers are a testament to a resilient industry that knows what their customers want, when they want it and how they want to get it. Considering that retail sales are an important barometer when measuring the overall health of our national economy, this report provides a level of true optimism that the recovery is picking up steam, and once again, retail leads the way.”

December retail sales, released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, which include categories such as automobiles, gasoline stations, and restaurants, increased 0.2 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month, and 4.1 percent adjusted year-over-year.

“Retail sales have been volatile all year and the holiday shopping season was no exception,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “Solid job growth in the months of October and November led to a more-confident consumer and healthy holiday shopping season for many retailers. While economic and policy uncertainties remain, the economy seems set for steady growth in the New Year.”

“Undoubtedly, some of the increase came at the expense of margin. Retailers are still stressed and a long-term promotional environment may actually hurt the bottom line,” said Kleinhenz.  “As consumer confidence grows, there will be less need for retailers to heavily promote and discount their offerings.”

Other findings from the December retail sales report include:

• Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers stores’ sales decreased 0.4 percent seasonally-adjusted month-to-month yet increased 4.2 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• Clothing and clothing accessories stores' sales increased 1.8 percent seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and 4.7 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• Electronics and appliance stores’ sales decreased 2.5 percent seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and 1.5 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• Furniture and home furnishing stores’ sales decreased 0.4 percent seasonally-adjusted month-to-month yet increased 5.0 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• General merchandise stores’ sales were flat seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and flat unadjusted year-over-year. 
• Health and personal care stores’ sales increased 0.6 seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and 5.9 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• Nonstore retailers’ sales increased 1.4 percent seasonally-adjusted month-to-month and 14 percent unadjusted year-over-year. 
• Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores’ sales decreased 0.6 percent seasonally-adjusted month-to-month yet increased 5.8 percent unadjusted year-over-year.

NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.5 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy. NRF’s This is Retail campaign highlights the industry’s opportunities for life-long careers, how retailers strengthen communities, and the critical role that retail plays in driving innovation. www.nrf.com