The data, powered by Affinity Solutions and released by the National Retail Federation (NRF), revealed that total retail sales, excluding automobile dealers and petrol stations, reached $560.8bn in September.
Retail sales rose for the 12th straight month in September even as gas prices put pressure on shoppers’ budgets.
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Sales increased 0.28% from August and 4.05% from September last year, accelerating from August’s 0.22% month-on-month and 3.87% year-on-year gains.
Performance across categories was mixed. Clothing and accessories sales totalled $41.9bn, up 0.48% from the previous month and showing 2.21% year-on-year growth.
NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said: “Retail sales rose again last month as consumers continued to spend following a solid back-to-school shopping season. Households remain budget conscious, concentrating on everyday essentials even as higher gasoline prices continue to absorb a larger share of family budgets. Retailers continued to prioritise affordability, leaning on promotions and value pricing to keep everyday products within reach.”
The Retail Monitor’s calculation of core retail sales, removing restaurant, auto dealer, and petrol station transactions, was $453.1bn in September, representing a 0.27% increase month over month and a 3.73% rise compared to the same period last year.
The figures for August showed smaller gains, with increases of 0.17% month over month and 3.47% year over year, indicating a modest acceleration.
Electronics & Appliances led all sectors with an 8.41% year-over-year growth, defying the broader consumer pivot toward essentials.
In contrast, furniture and home furnishings was the only major sector to experience a year-on-year decline, falling by 2.7%.
September’s data also marks the debut of an updated methodology for the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. The current approach is based on spending patterns from roughly 120 million debit and credit cards, with results adjusted to reflect the demographic makeup of US consumers and aligned with US Census Bureau retail sales totals.
