From August through October, total sales jumped 6.7% from last year. The bureau also revised its September increase over August from 1.5% to 1.6%. Over last year, gasoline prices during the month shot up 23.8% and non-store retail sales saw a 14.1% hike.
Other strong year-over-year performers were building and garden supply stores, up 9.5%, and clothing stores, up 6.7%. General merchandise retailers posted a 7.4% jump, but on their own, department stores only increased by 0.5%. None of the sectors that the bureau surveyed posted a year-on-year loss.
The Census report comes after the International Council of Shopping Centers' survey on October same-store sales, which said retailers posted a 4.1% year-over-year gain. The strongest-performing sector in that report was apparel, with a 6.9% jump.
ICSC predicts a 3% to 4% gain in November, which it says will be in line with the entire holiday season.
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