Stay-at-home US consumers make for flat footwear/leather retail sales
The continuing reluctance of US consumers to reach into their pockets is reflected in the August sales figures from several of the country’s leading footwear and leather goods retailers.
Wilsons The Leather Experts Inc. today reported that comparable store sales for the four weeks ended August 31 2002 were down 2.5% to $31.6 million. Year-to-date sales for the current fiscal year were similarly depressed showing a decline of 1.4%, to $240.3 million. And although comparable store sales at the company’s Wilsons Leather stores were up 4.3%, the increase was more than offset by the 18.3% decline seen by its travel stores. (For July results see leatherbiz.com story: Wilsons July travel store sales down 23.6% - 08.08.02). Wilsons Leather stores comparable store sales were down 3.5% year-to-date.
