Looks like back-to-school shopping delivered at least a little more than stores expected after all, with major retailers posting modest gains for September. Teen retailers Abercrombie & Fitch and
Zumiez saw big jumps, and mainline department stores turned in exceedingly solid results.
But overall, the results are a bit of a decline. Kantar Retail, which tracks 31 large chains, says its
monthly index fell to 2.8%, down a little from the 3.1% same-store sales gain in the previous month. But it was up from the 0.9% gain in September of last year. The International Council of Shopping
Centers, which tracks a slightly different set of stores, says its index rose 2.6%.
A&F's comparable store sales jumped 13%, and Zumiez' rose 17%. Other teen stores also had improving sales,
with Aeropostale and Buckle both adding 3%, and American Eagle Outfitters 4%. (Sales fell at Wet Seal and Hot Topic.) And Limited Brands, parent of both Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works
brands, says its sales shot up 12%.