Chilly weather is still lingering for many regions across the United States, and this is affecting retail sales. Despite the upcoming summer season, the remaining colder temperatures are changing the way that consumers are buying items from merchants. However, businesses are optimistic that their merchandise for warmer months will soon be purchased as the weeks go on.

MarketWatch reports that data from Weather Trends International revealed that last month was the coldest April on record for the past 13 years. Snow and lower-than-normal temperatures kept many Americans inside and curbed their spending on summer-related items. This in turn forced many retailers to re-adjust their first quarter profit predictions. Because of this, analysts now expect that retail sales during April will only increase 3.6 percent from the previous month compared to the initial forecast of 4 percent, according to Retail Metrics.

For several regions, however, warmer weather is here to stay, and retail sales are boosted because of the nicer temperatures. In a separate article, MarketWatch reports that merchants in California are benefiting from the above average conditions in the state during the past month. Businesses have stated that purchases for summer-related products have jumped, and it has provided a "bright spot" for their sales totals, the source notes.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 at 4:53 am .