Consumers spend during back to school

Retailers received some good news in September as consumers opened their wallets during the back-to-school season.

Zumiez reported the strongest results of the teen retailers I reviewed, with same store sales rising 17%. For more details about Zumiez’s back-to-school results, click here.

The International Council of Shopping Centers also said luxury was the strongest performing segment (up 6.6%) in its chain store retail index.

“The fact that luxury continued to post a strong performance is not surprising given the recent improvement in high-income household consumer confidence,” Michael P. Niemira, chief economist and director of research for ICSC, said in a statement. “This is especially encouraging for the economy and the upcoming holiday-shopping season because the top 20 percent of households by income account for nearly 40 percent of total consumption.”

Here’s a roundup of September same store sales results for other industry customers and competitors at the mall:

Teen Retailers

Editor’s note: PacSun no longer reports monthly same store sales.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Total same store sales: up 13%

Hollister: up 9%

The Buckle

Total same stores sales: up 3%

Aeropostale

Total same store sales: up 3%

Hot Topic

Total same store sales: down 2.6%

Torrid: down 1.3%

Hot Topic: down 2.9%

Wet Seal

Total same store sales: down 0.7%

Wet Seal: up 0.1%

Arden B.: down 5.5%

Gap

Total same store sales: down 2%

Gap North America: down 1%

Banana Republic North America: flat

Old Navy North America: down 5%

International: up 3%

Department stores

Macy’s: up 4.8%, and the company noted the success of Madonna’s Material Girl line.

Nordstrom: up 7.5%

JC Penney: up 5.1%