Cold winter blasts retail sales

Thanks to a unseasonably warm January, followed by a frigid February, retail stores took a major hit to their normal customer sales numbers. Many major retail stores sales decreased in the month of February, which experts determined was caused by cold temperatures and people wanting to stay warm inside and not leave the house. Because January was unexpectedly so warm, sales went way up during that month as people got excited for spring early. But as temperatures dropped, February's numbers did as well. Popular teen stores like Gap, Pacific Sunwear, Aeropostale and Hot Topic all dropped for their sales in February, as well as home furnishing store Pier 1. A bright spot was stores like Wal-Mart and Target, as they both increased in sales slightly. Although since Easter is later this year, store experts are expecting decreases in March, with increases coming as April nears. Easter is a big holiday for consumers and producers. Stores like Wal-Mart and Target should benefit greatly from the holiday as many families buy an influx of candy, food and gifts for their loved ones. But aside from that assured case of consumer increase in April, the stores right now are hoping that Mother Nature is on their side and the temperatures start to rise, so their retail incomes will as well.