Nov 14, 2023

Building and garden supply store sales down 0.5% month over month in October

CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor’s October 2023 Retail Sales Data have been released. In October, total retail sales, excluding automobiles and gas, were down .08% from September and up 2.57% year over year. That compared with increases of 0.23% month over month and 4.93% year over year in September.

The Retail Monitor calculation of core retail sales — which excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants to focus on core retail — shows that retail sales were essentially flat, coming in marginally down .03% seasonally adjusted from September and up 2.63% year over year, unadjusted. In September, sales were up 0.09% month over month and up 4.39% year over year.

October sales were up in five out of nine retail categories on a yearly basis, led by non-store, sporting goods/hobby/music/bookstores, and health and personal care, and up or unchanged in four out of nine categories on a monthly basis. Specifics from key sectors include:

• Online and other non-store sales were up 1.18% month over month seasonally adjusted and up 29.1% year over year unadjusted.
• Sporting goods, hobby, music and bookstores were up 1.45% month over month seasonally adjusted and up 8.88% year over year unadjusted.
• Health and personal care stores were up 0.77% month over month seasonally adjusted and up 5.98% year over year unadjusted.
• Food and beverage stores were up 0.23% month over month and up 2.59% year over year unadjusted.
• General merchandise stores were down 0.57% month over month seasonally adjusted and down 1.57% year over year unadjusted.
• Clothing and accessories stores were down 0.78% month over month and up 2.72% year over year unadjusted.
• Building and garden supply stores were down 0.5% month over month and up 0.89% year over year unadjusted.
• Furniture and home furnishings stores were down 1.29% month over month seasonally adjusted and down 5.24% year over year unadjusted.
• Electronics and appliance stores were down 1.38% month over month seasonally adjusted and down 4.66% year over year unadjusted.

To learn more, visit nrf.com/crci and CNBC.com.