Consumers struggling with higher gasoline prices and the economic fallout from Hurricane Katrina shopped for basics at discounters and avoided mall-based apparel stores in September, delivering many retailers tepid sales results. Unusually warm weather also curtailed demand for fall clothing.
As retailers began reporting their monthly sales figures Thursday, discounters including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. posted strong numbers, helped in part by increased demand of supplies like bottled water and batteries as shoppers dealt with the aftermath of Katrina and Rita. But many mall-based apparel retailers, including Limited Brands Inc. and Talbots Inc., suffered.
