Apparel Sales Propel 13.7% Growth in May Online Sales

 

The best performing sub-categories of eCommerce were Children's Apparel and Family Apparel, growing 30.4% and 26.2% respectively, on a year-over-year basis. However, total U.S. Apparel decreased 3.7%, with declines in all sub-categories except Children's Apparel. Steepest declines were in Men's Apparel, down 10.4%, the usually strong Footwear category, down 7.3%, and Women's Apparel, down 6.1% . However, pricing continued to hold firm for the category as a whole, showing a healthy 5.4% increase in the overall apparel pricing index, on a year-over-year basis.

 

More retail sectors showed a respite in year-over-year growth, as slow economic recovery appeared to weigh on the U.S. consumer's spending behaviors, said Michael McNamara, VP of research and analysis for SpendingPulse.

 

 “The momentum in consumer spending that was building through the first quarter, seems to be taking a breather in the second quarter of 2010, at least so far,” he said of overall retail spending. “Financial volatility in the capital markets and ongoing macroeconomic issues could account for this shadow cast over the recovery in consumer spending. Some sectors seem to be responding to specific disruptive events, such as the expiration of the Federal housing tax credits, where previously we'd noticed a beneficial “echo” effect on housing related categories such as Furniture and Furnishings. In addition, Memorial Day occurring a week later than it did last year, could have pushed some spending into June, 2010. Nevertheless, we continue to see strength in pricing, and in most categories, we are registering solid increases in the SpendingPulse Price Index, indicating that inventories continue to be aligned to demand, and retailers have not had to return to steep discounting.”