SEPTEMBER OUTLOOK

August was a slow month for most retailers.  Blame that on consumers who opted to spend more time and money on vacations than on back-to-school shopping. 

September is the warm up for the race through Q4, and we’re expecting more retailers to offer even more early holiday sales.  Clearly consumer spending in most markets has softened – and is not expected to strengthen in Q4.  

Thus, many retailers will be looking to capture sales well before Black Friday and the run up to Christmas when competitive (and discounts) are likely to heat up.