NRF: Core retail sales inch up in September
Retail sales edged up in September as consumers continued to spend following a solid back-to-school season.
Core retail sales (excluding restaurants, auto dealers and gas stations) totaled $453.1 billion in September, up 0.27% month over month and up 3.73% year over year, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor released by the National Retail Federation. (Starting in September, online sales from store-based retailers are now attributed back to their respective categories, so sector figures reflect total omnichannel spending.)
In comparison, core retail sales rose 0.17% month over month and 3.47% year over year in August.
Total retail sales (including restaurants but excluding automobile dealers and gasoline stations) were $560.8 billion in September, up 0.28% month over month and up 4.05% year over year. That compared with increases of 0.22% month over month and 3.87% year over year in August.
Led an 0.52% gain in electronics and appliances, sales were higher month over month in all categories except sporting goods/hobby/music/bookstores, which were down 0.12%, and furniture/home furnishings, where were flat.
Year over year, sales were higher in all categories except furniture and home furnishings, which were down 2.7%. Electronics and appliances had the highest increase at 8.41%.
Here is a month-over-month review of September retail sales by category;
•Building & garden supplies: Up 0.07%
•Clothing & accessories : Up 0.48%
•Electronics & appliances: Up 0.52%
•Food services & drinking places: Up 0.30%
•Furniture & Home Furnishings: 0.00%
•General merchandise: Up 0.08%
•Grocery & beverage: Up 0.09%
•Health & personal care; Up 0.51%
•Misc. Retailer: Uo 0.58%
•Sporting goods, hobby, music & bookstores: Down 0.12%
•Unallocated non-store sales: Up 0.48%
Methodology
Beginning with the September release, the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor is based on new, fully enhanced methodology and includes gross dollar sales levels in addition to percentage changes at both the topline and category levels. The Retail Monitor now draws on a panel of roughly 120 million debit and credit cards from Affinity Solutions, weighted to reflect the makeup of U.S. consumers and projected to match U.S. Census Bureau retail sales totals.
Online sales from store-based retailers are now attributed back to their respective categories, when applicable, so sector figures reflect total omnichannel spending; remaining non-store retail sales are reported separately. The underlying data is also available for download. Full details on the methodology are available here.
