Retail sales throughout the U.S. produced positive numbers in August, mainly due to strong back-to-school shopping. However, the momentum seems to be carrying over into September, as retail purchases increased from the amounts at the end of last month.

According to the Johnson Redbook Index by Redbook Research, chain retail store sales rose slightly by 1.7 percent in the first week of September, reports Fox Business. This was a better-than-expected result, as it was anticipated that the increase would be 1.5 percent. From the same time last year, seasonally adjusted sales were up by 2.5 percent, surpassing the 2.2 percent target. The report stated that the increase was due to better promotions and advertising leading up to Labor Day, writes the source.

August retail sales were very strong and were boosted by the back-to-school shopping season. Research by Thomson Reuters found that same-store purchases increased by 3.6 percent from the previous month, surpassing the anticipated 2 percent rise. However, American commerce still faces some challenges, as both retailers and consumers are still slowly regaining confidence in economic conditions.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Tuesday, September 11th, 2012 at 1:55 am .