American consumers are slowly becoming more confident in both their own financial conditions and the country's economy, which has recently translated into increased sales for retailers. However, March's sales figures took a bit of a downturn. Despite this, consumer spending levels remain steady, research has found.

According to the latest statistics from the Commerce Department, retail sales declined slightly in March, marking the second time in three months that these figures have fallen, Reuters reports. Overall, sales decreased 0.4 percent during the month. Analysts say this drop could be the result of increase payroll tax increases that went into effect at the beginning of the year, as many consumers now have less take home pay than in previous months.

On the other hand, Deloitte's Consumer Spending Index revealed that consumer spending has remained solid over the past few weeks. Levels did fall slightly last month, from February's reading of 4.37 down to 4.12 for March, which helps explain the decreased retail sales. However, analysts say the decrease isn't bad news and levels should remain strong in the coming months.

"Consumers have maintained their level of spending in recent months and retailers should be encouraged by the economic signals," said Alison Paul, vice chairman of Deloitte LLP and retail & distribution sector leader. 

The retail industry in the United Kingdom has been struggling for improvement over the past few years, ever since the economic recession hit the country hard. Now, conditions are becoming more positive, as the government is looking into ways to enhance the sector through increased consumers spending and expansion opportunities.

Retail Week reports that Parliament has developed the U.K. Retail Sector Inquiry, which will analyze the industry and research aspects related to brick-and-mortar stores when compared to online merchants. Other areas under the review include the impact of high business rates on companies, training and skill development offered by these companies and where opportunities for expansion lie, among various factors. The analysis is currently ongoing and is expected to be finished sometime this summer, with the results being published by Parliament in June, the news source notes.

Foreign expansion has been on the books for a while now, according to the International Business Times. The U.K. Trade and & Investment Association has developed the U.K. Retail Industry International Action Plan, which will result in the government extending assistance and loans to retailers throughout the nation to reach their goals of expanding into foreign markets. Some of the top regions of concentration are Brazil, Russia, Mexico and China.

No one really wants to leave the comfort and warmth of their home when temperatures outside are low and snow is on the ground. This is one reason why retailers across the country experienced a less-than-stellar March in terms of sales, as consumers stayed in and slowed down their spending on clothing and outdoor items.

MSN Money reports that many merchants saw low sales totals last month, as chilly weather gripped many regions of the nation. As March is usually the month when businesses stock their shelves with merchandise geared for warmer weather, these products mostly stayed in stores as shoppers saw no need for them just yet, the news source explains. Other types of items, such as those for home improvement and gardening tools were not purchased as quickly as in the past years due to the low temps and snowstorms.

Yahoo argues that the cold weather was not all that bad for merchants last month, as analysis from its search engine revealed that consumers are looking to buy summer items in the coming weeks. While some chilly temps are still lingering around, the source expects that sales on warmer weather merchandise will jump significantly as spring and summer come around.

Trends are always changing within the retail industry, and businesses are well aware of this fact. However, that doesn't mean that merchants should turn a blind eye toward the aspects that are currently shaping their profession. Instead, companies should embrace them, as they are often the best strategies for attracting and retaining valuable customers.

So just what are some of the components at the forefront of retail right now? BDaily writes that gathering and implementing feedback is something that many businesses are currently focusing on. Many merchants are setting up a "continuous design-development-feedback loop" wherein they utilize the opinions and reviews of customers to create more effective processes, products and other operational factors.

The source writes that retailers are also looking for ways to merge their online and offline elements, as this results in more consistent and satisfactory experiences for customers. Merchants are streamlining all touchpoints for shoppers in the hope of generating loyalty. In addition, the source notes that mobile technology is playing a key role in retail operations, as consumers are increasingly using devices to browse for and purchase items. Mobile POS systems are making this more efficient in stores.

Retail sales throughout the United States have been improving over the past few months, and recent findings reveal that March is on track to be another positive month for American merchants, as consumers spend more money amid their increasing confidence.

Fox Business reports that statistics from Redbook Research showed that during the first three weeks of March, chain store sales throughout the country rose by 0.6 percent. While this did not meet the 1.2 percent expected gain, it is positive news, as the final days of the month could see a strong boost for retailers to round out a solid month of growth. Year-over-year, Redbook found that seasonally adjusted sales were up by 2.8 percent, the news source explains.

March is following an extremely positive month for retail sales, as Modern Materials Handling cites research from the National Retail Federation revealing that sales totals reached $421.4 billion in February. This represents a 1.1 percent increase from January, and was the largest rate of growth since September 2011. These findings lay down the foundation for a strong 2013 for American merchants.

The recent economic recession hit both businesses and consumers hard, as owners and individuals were forced to cut back on various expenses. However, now that conditions are steadily improving, confidence is coming back and shoppers are splurging on luxury purchases.

According to the recently released Harris Poll EquiTrend Brand Equity Index, luxury retailers are faring significantly well despite ongoing economic recovery. Businesses in nearly every luxury category, including automobile, clothing, airlines, hotels and gourmet foods, saw boosts in revenues over the past year, signaling higher consumer optimism as individuals spend more on expensive items and services.

"This may show that after a number of years spent tightening their belts, consumers are looking to the quality and value they feel these brands provide," said Aron Galonsky, Harris Interactive senior vice president of brand and communication consulting, of the study's results.

However, these luxury shoppers are less than eager to share their personal information such as address, phone number and other details when purchasing online, reports Internet Retailer. Research from the Luxury Institute found that more than half of these individuals give retailers their information only because it is necessary to do so to complete transactions. Therefore, merchants may want to provide incentives for these customers to share their details for better marketing and promotions.

As the American economy has improved over the past few months, consumers are becoming more confident in their own financial conditions and this is showing in their spending levels. If shoppers keep hitting retail stores and websites at the same pace, retail sales should be boosted in the coming months.

According to the Deloitte Consumer Spending Index, February was a positive month for consumer spending even though the number of weekly unemployment claims rose and concerns lingered over payroll tax increases. However, the index revealed that shoppers were not too phased by these worries, as spending remained steady throughout February. Last month's figure jumped to 4.0 from January's index of 3.9. Deloitte analyzes real wages, initial unemployment claims, tax burdens and real new home prices to come up with its monthly index. Authors of the report stated that all signs are pointing to further economic improvement bolstered by increased spending among consumers.

Retail sales in February were positive, as statistics from the Commerce Department revealed sales totals increased 1.1 percent from the previous month, which represents the biggest jump since September 2012, according to Reuters.

This month could be a good one for the nation's retailers, as recent research has revealed that sales increased during the first week of March. This finding follows news of rising consumer confidence throughout the country, and more optimism could certainly be seen in retail sales over the coming weeks.

Dow Jones reports that the latest figures from Johnson Redbook Research discovered that during the first week of March, sales jumped 0.6 percent from February. Seasonally adjusted sales also increased, up by 2.7 percent from the same time a year ago. Johnson Redbook explained that March retail sales are expected to get a boost due to the Easter holiday falling within the month, although those numbers will not be released until April.

Rising consumer confidence is also playing a major role in retail sale improvement. The most recent Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index increased for the fifth straight week during the beginning of March, coming to minus 32.4. This is up from the previous week's figure of minus 32.8, the source explains. Individuals stated now is a good time to buy products and services, as the American economy continues to recover.

Consumer confidence levels and spending are up, but many Americans are still concerned about federal budget cuts and how they will impact personal finances. Retailers are feeling the effects of this, as sales volumes in February grew but certain cautions remain for the coming months.

A report from Thomson Reuters revealed that a survey of 13 large retailers throughout the United States experienced a 1.8 percent jump in sales from January. This was better than analysts' forecast, which was 1.2 percent. Seventy-three percent of companies beat these estimates in their February sales, while 27 percent did not meet expectations.

However, there were several factors that hindered last month's retail sales, mainly in the form of severe winter weather. The Associated Press reports that although February is usually the time when businesses replace winter merchandise with spring and summer-related items, the onslaught of winter storms throughout the country did not encourage consumers to stock up on products for the coming warmer months. In addition to these conditions, increases in payroll taxes and ongoing uncertainty pertaining to federal budget cuts also impacted customers' purchases, the news source notes.

Retailers are constantly looking for ways to boost their ecommerce customer service, and merchants adopt many methods to achieve this goal. Self-service options, simple checkout processes and free returns are just some of the strategies used by businesses to make their web shoppers happy.

Now, a new trend is emerging, and as large ecommerce companies like Amazon and Google Shops employ it, it is only a matter of time until many web merchants are offering same-day shipping to customers. Advertising Age reports that the speed and convenience offered by the shipping method could attract more consumers online. The source cites a study by Forrester Research which estimates that by 2016, ecommerce sales will reach $327 billion. This means that shoppers will be taking to the web to buy a variety of products, ranging from everyday items to bigger purchases, such as cars. Internet retailers will want to ensure they are providing exceptional service, and same-day shipping is one way to accomplish this.

However, the notion of same-day shipping may take some time to catch on among consumers, as a study by The Boston Consulting Group found that only 9 percent of respondents said this offering would entice them to shop online. Free delivery and lower prices ranked above same-day shipping, Reuters reports.