Two Numbers That Don’t Fit Together
Two numbers from last week that don’t fit together: March retail sales beat expectations at +1.7% month-over-month and +4.0% year-over-year, and consumer sentiment landed at 50.0 — second straight monthly drop, matching UMich’s record-low signal. People say they’re nervous and keep buying anyway.
But those numbers are every register in America — Walmart, Costco, gas stations, restaurants, pharmacies. We’re not that. Boutiques and gift shops sell wants, not needs, and the customer walking into your store on a Tuesday afternoon usually can afford it.
What’s changed isn’t the wallet — it’s the willingness.
Sentiment crossed party lines this round, which means even your most reliable shopper is more deliberate, more reason-driven, more “I’ll come back next week” than she was a year ago.
The growth in March was real, but it landed on promotion and on permission. That’s the gap to keep in mind.
Happy May. May is usually the third-busiest month for retail — hope yours is a busy one. Enjoy your weekend.
xoxo,
❤️ AmyFay
This morning’s Friday Retail Tidbits is live.
Why competitors can copy your product lines but never copy how you operate them — and what that means for the moat around your store.
What’s happening in the world. What it means for your store.
Monday through Thursday, from AmyFay Chandler. More in Friday Retail Tidbits, every Friday morning.
