January Sales Tumbled for Nearly Everyone Except Walmart

As the New York Times put it, January sales were dismal “for retailers not named Walmart.”

Sales for the entire retail industry fell 1.6 percent in January 2009 versus 2008, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. And research firm Retail Metrics put the decline at 1.8 percent and said that without Walmart, sales would have fallen 5.6 percent.

Walmart posted a 2.1 percent same-store sales increase, not including fuel. “Our sales results were driven by a continuation of gains in customer traffic,” said vice chairman Eduardo Castro-Wright.

Other discounters also outperformed the industry. Sales at BJ’s Wholesale Club were up 7.6 percent. Sales were down 3.3 percent at Target and 2 percent at Costco, but those figures were an improvement over the chains’ December sales figures.

Department stores, especially luxury chains, were especially hard-hit. Same-store sales fell 24.4 percent at Neiman Marcus, 23.7 percent at Saks and 11.4 percent at Nordstrom.

At the moderate-priced chains, sales were down 16.4 percent at J. C. Penney, 13.4 percent at Kohl’s, 12 percent at Dillard’s, 8.2 percent at Bon-Ton Stores and 4.5 percent at Macy’s.

At the mall, most retailers had double-digit declines, including Gap (down 23 percent), American Eagle Outfitters (down 22 percent), Abercrombie & Fitch (down 20 percent), Zumiez (down 14.8 percent), Wet Seal (down 14.7 percent), Children’s Place and Pacific Sunwear of California (both down 11 percent). Limited Brands was down a comparatively mild 9 percent.

On the other hand, Aéropostale had an 11 percent sales increase in January; Buckle was up 14.7 percent jump; and Hot Topic enjoyed a 6 percent, mainly from selling gear inspired by the vampire romance film “Twilight.”