Retail Sales Soften in December

Same-store sales in December increased 3.2 percent, representing a decline from the strong performance in November of a 5.6 percent gain in comp store sales, reports Kantar Retail. However, December sales were slightly better than the 3 percent gain in 2009.  

"It's clear that November's great in-store deals robbed spending from December.  And in December shoppers were partial to spending online, perhaps encouraged even more by bad weather late in the month.  One key exception was upscale department stores, which saw sales growth hold steady or improve in December," says Frank Badillo, senior economist, Kantar Retail.

Abercrombie & Fitch reported the biggest jump in December same store sales of 15 percent. American Eagle reported the biggest decline of 11 percent among only six retailers posting declines.

The total figures, according to Kantar, are based on 31 retailers reporting monthly sales, but exclude Walmart, which no longer reports monthly results.