After a strong, but not exceptional, holiday season, American retailers are hoping that 2013 will bring better luck in terms of sales and customer retention. Fortunately, the latest figures for consumer spending show that further improvement could well be on the way.

Bloomberg reports that the most recent statistics from the Commerce Department revealed that consumer spending rose by 0.2 percent in January from the previous month. This figure increased by 0.1 percent in December from November's spending levels. Last month's growth met analysts' expectations, the news source states. The boost in spending is another piece of good news for the economy, as steady employment gains and more business confidence are pointing to a strong 2013.

Retailers are sure to see effects from all of these factors in the form of increased sales, as people become more optimistic about their financial conditions. The first three weeks of February were positive for companies, according to Redbook Research. The Johnson Redbook Index found that retail sales jumped 1.4 percent from the previous month. This figure is a 2.7 percent year-over-year growth.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, March 1st, 2013 at 10:39 am .