Fri Mar 8, 2013, 07:50 AM

Retailers report a ‘difficult’ February

Source: Omaha World Herald-AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans cut back on spending in February as cold weather and economic challenges chilled their appetite for spring merchandise.

The nation’s retailers on Thursday reported that sales slowed in February, a time when most stores get rid of winter merchandise and bring in swimsuits, ankle-length pants and other spring fashions.

But Americans spent more judiciously during the month as they contended with an increase in the payroll tax of 2 percentage points, income tax refunds that came later than usual and rising gas prices. Winter storms throughout much of the country in February also likely made spring merchandise less appealing to them.

“February was a difficult month,” said Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics LLC, a research firm. “Retailers faced significant headwinds.”

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20130308/MONEY/703089952/1697#retailers-report-a-difficult-february

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14 replies	Author	Time	Post
Retailers report a ‘difficult’ February (Original post)	Omaha Steve	Mar 8	OP
This consumer reports a "difficult" every month due to lack of income.	hobbit709	Mar 8	#1
I bought a half price light jacket at REI, so I did my part. nt	onehandle	Mar 8	#2
It has always been utter stupidity	BumRushDaShow	Mar 8	#3
I have never been able to understand that.	llmart	Mar 8	#7
I work in food service myself	Fearless	Mar 8	#4
Bad weather hurts more than good weather helps.	sofa king	Mar 8	#5
I think consumers are still recovering from Xmas	RebelOne	Mar 8	#6
I think a lot of consumers....	llmart	Mar 8	#8
Even in grocery this was a shitty February.	Codeine	Mar 8	#9
No doubt the 30% increase in gasoline prices played a big role	Norbert	Mar 9	#10
This means they're open to some discounts this month, probably	Blandocyte	Mar 9	#11
We are actively trying to limit our spending.	City Lights	Mar 9	#12
Winter storms. Riiiiight...	Earth_First	Mar 9	#13
These silly rumors. Who keeps saying stuff like this? The economy is ROCKING!	Safetykitten	Mar 9	#14

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 08:22 AM

hobbit709 (26,073 posts)

1. This consumer reports a "difficult" every month due to lack of income.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 09:30 AM

onehandle (35,462 posts)

2. I bought a half price light jacket at REI, so I did my part. nt

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 09:34 AM

BumRushDaShow (11,956 posts)

3. It has always been utter stupidity

for stores - at least in the northern areas of the U.S., to continue to stock summer clothes in the dead of winter and winter clothes in the dead of summer. I have found that those places that at least kept some seasonal clothes there DURING THE SEASON would get my $$$. It's a PITA when you'd like to pick up a few heavy sweaters and they have damn bikinis and shorts on the racks in the middle of February or if you want to get a few short-sleeved summer blouses or a couple pairs of capris in July and the racks are filled with wool coats, flannel, and long-sleeved shirts.

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Response to BumRushDaShow (Reply #3)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 05:30 PM

llmart (3,304 posts)

7. I have never been able to understand that.

When it's 12o outside who can even think of trying on sleeveless tank tops or bathing suits? Same with winter coats in the hot months. Clearly they don't do well selling these things off season because the next thing you see are racks and racks of these things that didn't sell on the clearance racks.

I invariably lose one winter driving glove or my walking earmuffs around February and then it's a bear trying to find a new pair.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 12:09 PM

Fearless (12,393 posts)

4. I work in food service myself

And know many others who do as well. The numbers are very bad there too. Of course, they're always bad in February for most kinds of places, but this year is really nasty.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 01:07 PM

sofa king (8,704 posts)

5. Bad weather hurts more than good weather helps.

At least where I am, environmental conditions play a heavy role in whether or not people come out that day. Sun adds about 10-25% more to a day's receipts, while cold, rain, and snow can depress receipts by 50%.

For the past two months, hot air from China has been splitting the polar vortex over the Arctic Ocean and pooping cells of frigid polar air across North America. Because bad weather depresses sales more than good weather improves it, overall numbers have been lower than hoped.

People are not shy about saying that they stay home when the weather sucks. But show them these maps, and they'll freak out and ask you why you hate Jesus.

Our greed and insatiable desire for cheap Chinese crap is quite likely tied to this phenomenon. Thus we furnish the means by which we suffer, while vehemently denying that any of it exists at all.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 04:58 PM

RebelOne (26,834 posts)

6. I think consumers are still recovering from Xmas

and still paying their credit card bills.

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Response to RebelOne (Reply #6)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 05:32 PM

llmart (3,304 posts)

8. I think a lot of consumers....

are starting to realize that they don't need so much crap and that endless shopping isn't very fulfilling. As the population ages, a lot of people realize the years they have left on this earth shouldn't be wasted in walking around in malls and buying useless shit made in China.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 08:19 PM

Codeine (12,682 posts)

9. Even in grocery this was a shitty February.

Frustrating as hell.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Sat Mar 9, 2013, 08:27 AM

Norbert (2,589 posts)

10. No doubt the 30% increase in gasoline prices played a big role

We don't go out and drive around to different places over the weekend like we did in the fall. When it cost you almost a dollar in gasoline to drive up the road to buy a 50 cent newspaper you start to ask yourself if it is really necessary.

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Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Sat Mar 9, 2013, 09:03 AM

Blandocyte (1,037 posts)