Halloween marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, when retailers begin to increase promotions and stock their shelves with related merchandise. As summer departs, merchants across the country are already gearing up for the next few months. Many retailers are saying they are extremely optimistic about the upcoming shopping season. Some have even brought back layaway programs, and many are hiring new employees to help get ready for the rush of customers.

Retail optimism surges for holidays

The outlook of merchants that are planning to see increases in holiday shopping is becoming increasingly positive. A recent survey by consulting firm Hay Group asked 14 large retailers about their opinions on the upcoming season, and the majority stated they were looking forward to the rise in sales that is expected this year. Three-quarters of businesses responded that they are anticipating a boost in holiday purchases over last year, compared to 68 percent that said the same last year. This is the highest percentage since 2008, the report stated.

Steps are being taken to better plan promotions and discounts, as retailers are focusing on controlling their inventory to decrease deals that can chip away at profits. The survey found that 31 percent of respondents said they plan to begin their holiday incentives earlier this year, representing an increase from the 21 percent who did the same in 2011. October will be a big month for these promotions, as the majority of retailers surveyed said they will start their holiday campaigns during the month.

These merchants are also making efforts to hire new employees for the shopping season, and the chances of these staff members staying on board into next year is also increasing. Thirty-six percent of retailers are employing more workers leading up to the holidays, up from 10 percent last year.

"All things considered, retailers are on the 'nice list' this year," said Maryam Morse, a leader of Hay Group's retail practice. "With sales improving, retailers are placing more emphasis on retaining and rewarding employees beyond the holiday season."

Layaways are making a comeback

Many large retailers are also bringing back their layaway programs, as some consumers are still concerned about economic conditions and may not have the money needed up front to purchase gifts. NBC News reports that Kmart, Toys R Us, Walmart and Sears are all offering layaway services for cash-conscious customers. The companies said they decided to provide these programs because many shoppers asked them to. They are promoting layaway by waiving fees and letting consumers know about the benefits.

For Canadian retailers, last year did not produce the retail sales they were hoping for. Businesses and consumers across the North American country are keeping their fingers crossed that 2012 will surpass last year's amounts, although some recent reports state that sales have stalled or are only slowly improving. On the other hand, some studies are forecasting that this year will see a boost in the number of ecommerce retail sales for Canadian companies. Industry experts anticipate that online purchases might even surpass American growth in the market.

Canadian retail sales slow down during second quarter

According to recent research by KubasPrimedia, during the second quarter of 2012, retail sales in Canada saw only a 2.8 percent increase from the same time last year, reports The Star. The study's authors say this is one of the poorest results since the economic recession. For the first quarter, year-over-year growth rose by 5.6 percent, which was the highest amount since the downturn.

Industry experts told the news source that Canadian consumers are worried about economic conditions as well as debt and employment. In order to have a successful year for retail sales, the numbers should be steady throughout the year and growth should be sustained leading up to and all the way through the holiday shopping season.

One sector that has performed well is clothing, as sales growth for apparel rose by 7.7 percent from 2011's amounts. This increase happened during the first six months of this year. Health and personal care stores also saw boosts, although sales were not as high as was hoped for.

Next few years to see boost in Canadian ecommerce

While Canadian retail sales have been producing less-than-expected results, ecommerce is anticipated to grow significantly over the next few years. According to recent research by eMarketer, growth of online sales will increase by 14.3 percent this year and continue to rise, states Internet Retailer. The study also states that this figure will surpass American internet retail sales, which will come in at a 13.8 percent increase for 2012.

Industry experts believe that ecommerce growth will slow down after this year, but Canada is expected to grow by 11 percent in 2016, while the United States will increase by only 9.4 percent. These are significant forecasts, as Canada has approximately 33.4 million citizens, which represents 10.7 percent of the population of the U.S.

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.

Retailers and shoppers throughout the world took part in 2012's Fashion's Night Out, which was held in more than 500 cities, including New York City, Paris and Sydney. The annual event allows stores and designers showcase their latest merchandise and increase sales, as they offer discounts for consumers.

According to The Huffington Post, retailers who participated were looking forward to the night-long affair, as they expected it to significantly boost sales and bring more customers into their stores. Although the total amounts for the event are not yet available, the numbers from 2011 were positive and merchants were hoping to surpass them this year. The source states that with the improving economy and successful summer sales, this year's Fashion's Night Out is anticipated to especially benefit the stores that participated.

"What happens is there's a big bump in the stores the following week or 10 days after that," said George Fertitta, head of New York City's tourism organization NYC & Company. "People go and they see … and then they go back to the stores and buy what they want the next day."

This is the fourth year that Fashion's Night Out has been held, and each year more cities encourage their retailers to open their doors for local customers.

While women are generally considered to be the expert shoppers who are always looking for a deal, it seems as though men are coming into their own when it comes to buying clothes. It could be because males are paying closer attention to the latest fashions and want to be stylish, or it could be that they want more control over their options. Whatever the reason, retailers across the globe are attempting to maximize on the recent uptick in mens retail sales. Many clothing manufacturers are starting to see increases in purchases from males, and they are designing and producing new styles that appeal to the gender.

Several men's retailers see quarterly increases

Clothing retailers that specialize in men's fashions have seen a rise in business over the past few months. According to Barron's, both Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank Clothiers reported increases in second quarter earnings. Industry experts believe this jump in sales is due to men shopping for work suits. Additionally, male shoppers want to find trendy and stylish clothing, which both of these retailers offer.

Male shoppers become fashion-conscious

Other clothing stores are attempting to reach out to men as well. The New York Times writes that males are becoming more interested in fashion and want to make decisions about what they wear. The old assumption that men don't care about clothing is being replaced with this new trend of fashion-conscious customers.

"For too long, male shoppers were considered to be the stepchildren," said Jim Moore, the creative director of men's magazine GQ. "There were a lot of assumptions on the retail level that men weren't interested in fashion and that they just went to department stores to buy socks and underwear."

The newspaper reports that there are now some retailers who have opened storefronts that sell only male clothing. Other businesses have redesigned their men's departments to better attract and accommodate these shoppers. These companies range from luxury retailers, such as Christian Louboutin and Hermes, to more wallet-friendly stores, including Ralph Lauren, Nordstom and Ugg.

The economic recession had a negative impact on the entire country, but since its slow and steady improvement, men's retailers have seen adult males become the fastest-growing segment in their apparel market. Many of these companies have been diligently studying men's shopping habits to better appeal to their needs.

Although American consumers are slowly regaining confidence in the steady but sluggish economic improvement, retail sales have been increasing over the past few months. This trend could highlight the fact that conditions are beginning to look up as shoppers make their way back into retail stores.

According to a study by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), retail chain store sales rose 6 percent in August in comparison to the same time last year, reports Investor Place. Last month's numbers also increased by 4.6 percent from July. The jump in sales could be due to the back-to-school shopping season, as industry experts anticipate September's totals could slightly decrease once the school supply shopping frenzy is completed. An increase between 3 and 4 percent is expected for this month, states the source.

August's numbers were better than expected, writes Seeking Alpha, as retailers anticipated that low consumer confidence would have a negative impact on the industry. However, last month's rise in sales defied odds by bringing in some of the highest totals of the past few months. Many large department stores saw an uptick in August sales, including Macy's, Nordstrom and Limited Brands, which owns and operates Victoria's Secret and Henri Bendel.

Retailers throughout the U.K. are looking to boost sales not only on their island nation, but also across the world. Recent research has found that British stores are hoping to increase retail sales in several countries, including Germany, China and the United States.

According to Retail Week, a study by Barclay's found that 66 percent of retailers anticipate that their totals of overseas sales will increase within the five years. Almost one-quarter of respondents said they are focusing their efforts on Germany, with China, Australia, Europe and the United States rounding out the top five countries of where U.K. retailers wish to expand sales.

"British retailers haven't ventured into Germany for a very long time and it is only in the last few years, as the economy has strengthened, that it has come to the fore again," said Richard Lowe, Barclay's head of retail and wholesale.

Overseas sales is not the only trend happening for British retailers. Mobile shopping is becoming more popular among consumers, states Internet Retailer. A recent study by Affiliate Window found that for the month of July, 9.4 percent of website traffic came from consumers using their mobile devices. This represents a 4.5 percent increase from the same time last year.

After a strong summer, the month of August saw an increase in retail sales led by solid back-to-school shopping. With the recently released numbers, retailers are becoming more confident about the next few months and expect to see a rise in sales during the holiday shopping season. August's totals were better than expected, and many industry experts believe this could be an indication of improving economic conditions along with growing optimism of both shoppers and companies.

Better-than-expected sales

A study by Thomson Reuters found that for the month of August, same-store sales increased by 3.6 percent for nearly all U.S. retailers, reports Reuters. It was expected that the amount would only rise by 2 percent. This significant rise could be due to strong sales for back-to-school items and merchandise, which is normally the second largest shopping season, after Thanksgiving and the holidays. However, retailers still have some challenges to face, as the Commerce Department released research that found second quarter consumer spending was still below the levels of the first quarter.

In any case, industry experts anticipate that the solid spending numbers will remain steady for the next few months, including holiday shopping. The recent totals, coupled with the successful back-to-school season, will give retailers the confidence needed to develop and plan promotions to appeal to consumers, states the source.

Best sales growth in five months

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, several large retailers saw significant increases in the amount of sales throughout August. Research by the International Council of Shopping Centers found that totals rose 6 percent during the month, representing the strongest growth since March of this year. On the other hand, a study by a private research firm revealed that consumer confidence is low due to worries about economic conditions and unemployment. Despite shoppers' concerns, industry experts state that their retail patterns are pointing to an increase in optimism. This could very well result in this year's holiday sales figures at least meeting and possibly surpassing last year's totals, states the source.

"It shows some resilience among shoppers," said Ken Perkins, president of research firm Retail Metrics. "Let's face it. There are a whole series of economic headwinds that they are fighting against. The results show that the consumer isn't dead."

Hot dogs, American flags and fireworks are not the only items that see a surge in sales before Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. Mobile retail stores also see an increase in purchases during these summer holidays.

According to Internet Retailer, the retail search site Dealnews.com reported a rise in sales during Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day 2011. So far this year, the numbers have been steadily increasing leading up these holidays, and after Labor Day is over, the site expects the purchase amounts to be higher than last year. On Memorial Day, mobile traffic on the website – which searches for retail deals from online stores – reached 20.75 percent. This represents a 42 percent increase from the three working days leading up to the holiday. For the Fourth of July,  mobile traffic accounted for 22.48 percent, a 43 percent jump from the past three days.

Overall retail sales for July were better than expected, states MarketWatch. Industry experts anticipated that numbers would be dismal, as July is normally a slow month for retail sales. Retailers across the country are hoping that the positive totals will lead to a strong back-to-school shopping season.

The Gulf of Mexico and the Southern states are not the only places where Hurricane Isaac is stirring up trouble. It also has retailers on high alert as they stock their shelves with necessary items consumers will need to brace the storm.

Isaac was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane and made landfall in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on late Tuesday evening. The Wall Street Journal reports that many large retail stores closed their doors to weather the storm while it blasted the region. Some stores in Louisiana opened earlier on Tuesday to accommodate more customers, but also to ensure that staff can get home safely before conditions worsen. Wal-Mart has stocked several trucks along the coast with supplies such as bottled water, canned foods and batteries to provide residents with needed provisions in case of power outages and other associated events. Additionally, the retailer kept its doors open for consumers for as long as possible before the storm hit.

Gas prices were also anticipated to rise in preparation for the storm, reports New York Daily News. As off-shore oil rigs and gas production platforms were evacuated, the cost of fuel could increase and stay that way for the next couple of weeks due to Hurricane Isaac.