Holiday shoppers gave county retailers a modest boost in sales in the last few months of 2009.
The upswing in sales comes as welcome relief after retailers struggled through a rough 2008 holiday season – one in which winter storms kept cash-strapped consumers home.
National research firm ShopperTrak said Monday that sales for November and December rose 1.7 percent and customer counts slipped 2.9 percent. That’s better than ShopperTrak’s predictions for a 1.6 percent sales gain and a 4.2 percent drop in traffic.
Locally, retailers also reported an increase in November and December.
At the Everett Mall, sales of gift cards doubled over 2008, Julie Tennyson, the mall’s marketing director said in late December. Like many retailers, the mall offered plenty of promotions, giving gift card buyers a bonus card of a “mystery” amount as an incentive.
Debbie Baillie, owner of Rowdy Rascals Toy Store in Snohomish, reports her sales were up from 2008. Baillie added a staff member late last year, contrary to news of other businesses in Snohomish shutting down.
“Best Christmas ever,” said Baillie, who opened the store with her sister in 2007.
She noticed customers shopping earlier this year. Some shopped for Christmas presents throughout 2009, she said.
“I think a lot more people wanted to shop local and support the small businesses, and I think a lot of people didn’t want to risk another snow-laden Christmas,” she said.
Seattle-based Nordstrom reported a 7.4 percent increase in same-store sales for the five-week period ended Jan. 2, 2010, compared with the five-week period ended Jan. 3, 2009. Preliminary total retail sales of $1.25 billion for December 2009 show an increase of 10.8 percent compared with total retail sales of $1.13 billion for the same period in 2008.
However, Nordstrom, like retailers across the nation, experienced a decline for sales for the full year. Nordstrom saw about an estimated 5.1 percent drop in same-store sales in 2009 compared with 2008.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said 2009 saw the biggest sales decline in at least four decades. Merchants saw sales fall every month but September, October and December.
And retailers may be facing chilly months ahead as consumer spending is expected to remain muted amid high unemployment and tight credit, though the slowdown in job losses may help.
However, many retailers and research firms are somewhat optimistic about 2010.
Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak, forecasts that total sales for the first quarter will show an increase compared with a year ago.
“We see stability” in spending, Martin said.
Everett Mall’s Tennyson echoed Martin’s sentiment.
“We think sales and consumer confidence will continue to build,” she said.
This report contains information from the Associated Press.
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