Retail Sales Recovered Slightly In April 2016, U.S. Government Report Says

Retail sales rose 1.3 percent in April 2016, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Data from the agency revealed online retailers, including Amazon and eBay, jumped 10.7 percent, compared from the same period in the previous year. NPD Group chief industry analyst Marshal Cohen said, “online is cannibalizing the store business.” Sales at department stores have recovered slightly; however, for the past 12 months, they were down 1.7 percent. According to NPD Group, impulse buys account for 45 percent of in-store purchases, but only 23 percent of online purchases.