Same-Store Retail Sales Continue Soft

A weekend boost to sales of seasonal apparel, jewelry and accessories as Mother's Day approaches did little to help total same-store sales, which were up only 0.6 percent year-on-year in Redbook's sample for the April 30 week. Sales for the month of April were up 0.8 percent from April of last year, slightly below Redbook's target of plus 0.9 percent. Compared to March, April same-store sales were down 3.1 percent. Looking ahead, Redbook's target for May is for a 0.8 percent gain year-on-year and a 1.9 percent gain month-to-month.