A strong shopping season is probably out of the question but retailers are no doubt hoping for at least some growth. Whether shoppers really should buy more is another question.
Analysts said that September sales at stores open at least a year — a crucial indicator called same-store sales — suggested what many have been hoping for: consumers may be ready to open their wallets — even if cautiously — for the coming holiday season.
“We are certainly looking very closely at holiday sales, and back-to-school does help us gauge the enthusiasm of the consumer,” John Long, a retail strategist at Kurt Salmon Associates, said.
Ken Perkins, president of research firm Retail Metrics, said, “I don’t think we will be back to 2005 levels, but I think it is going to be a decent season with consumers retrenching to save for the upcoming holiday season.”
