Fall sales expectations

Q: I was hoping that my sales would start to pick up in September since I have already done a couple of fall events, but it has been slow growth. Is this what I should expect for the rest of the season?

A: Unfortunately, we do expect slower sales this fall since we’re at the end of a retail growth cycle. Here at Blacks, we still expect low single-digit growth for the season, but you’re going to have to use all of your marketing tools to make the most of it.

The US election, turmoil abroad, and tensions over the debt ceiling are adding uncertainty to the season. But, keep in mind that consumer confidence has been resilient and we still expect spring to be strong. Stay positive and put your customers first — it may be slower than you hoped but we are nowhere near a downturn.