April Chain Store Sales Spring Ahead

May 7, 2010

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Analytics, Automated & MarTech | Data-driven | Promotions, Coupons & Co-op | Retail & E-Commerce

Chain store sales increased on a year-over-basis each week of April 2010, although the month ended with a slight week-over-week decline, according to [pdf] the Weekly Chain Store Sales Snapshot compiled by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and Goldman-Sachs.

Pace Picks Up from March
Although the impending Easter holiday (April 4, 2010) helped drive positive growth in year-over-year and week-over-week (except a 0.4% drop the week of March 13, 2010) sales during March 2010, that pace continued even after Easter passed.

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The Chain Store Index for the week ending May 1, 2010 reached 513, a 4.4% year-over-year improvement but a 0.4% week-over-week decline. This was the only decline in an otherwise positive sales month. Flooding in the Southeast, especially in Tennessee, offset increased purchases of warm-weather goods caused by unseasonably high temperatures in the Northeast and West.

For the week ending April 24, the Chain Store Index was 514.9, up 5.5% year-over-year and 0.2% from the previous week. The Index was 513.8 the week ending April 17, up 4.6% year-over-year and 0.2% from the previous week. During the week ending April 10, the Index was 513, up 4% year-over-year and 0.1% from the previous week. That week (ending April 3), the Index was 512.7, up 4.7% year-over-year and 2.1% from the previous week.
Chain store sales in 1977 are set to a score of 100.

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April Comps Rise 0.8%
Despite initial predictions of comparable chain store sales in the flat to negative 3% range, based on the ICSC’s tally of 30 retail chains, April 2010 comparable store sales rose 0.8%. The ICSC says comparable sales during the month were dramatically restrained by the year-over-year calendar impact of the Easter/spring breaks/warm weather shifts on the March-April period. On a two-month basis, the average comparable store sales pace was 4.9%, well above what might be sustainable.

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