October Sales on the Rise

New York City, Early tabulations of October sales show some strong performances. Comparable-store sales rose 31.0% at Abercrombie & Fitch, 21.2% at Shoe Carnival, 12.8% at Deb Shops, 14.9% at Stage Stores, 17.3% at American Eagle, 16.2% at Joseph A. Bank and 17.9% at Chico’s FAS.

According to Richard Hastings, VP and senior retail analyst for Bernard Sands, based in New York City, success for many chains in October was determined by three words: merchandising, merchandising, merchandising. “Retailers with the right presentation and right combination of fresh styles and promotions hit the jackpot. Specialty retailers such as Chico’s, Talbots and Abercrombie have their wardrobing and merchandising and service totally nailed down,” he wrote.

The Gap Inc. suffered another negative month, with comps declining 5.0% in October. Wal-Mart Stores posted a 4.3% increase, while rival Target Corp.'s comps increased 5.7%.