Experts: Caution Leads to Retail Sales Drop
Statistics show retail sales fell from February to March. The Associated Press reports it is the largest decline in nine months. Numbers suggest consumers cut back across the board. The Associated Press says auto sales dropped. Department stores, grocery stores, electronic retailers, and sporting good stores all reported lower numbers. Gas station sales are also down, partially because of lower prices. Some consumers said they have not noticed a decline in spending. “The amount of traffic I see on I see on a Friday night on restaurant row in the city I live in is every bit as much as it has been,” said Jeff Kraus, a consumer. “We hear all these stories, but I don‘t see any reduction in how many people are eating out, going out, and doing what they want to do.” The Commerce Department said retail sales slipped a seasonally adjusted .4 percent last month.
