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December 2, 2008 11:09:22 AM CST

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Ho-Hum Season Sees Drop in Women's Apparel Sales

Posted Dec 17, 07 2:07 PM CST in Business 

(Newser) – Women's spending on apparel for the first half of the Christmas season is down, alarming retailers and spawning broad worry in the industry. Experts blame a bleak economy and blah fashions for a slump of nearly 6% compared with a year ago, reports the New York Times. Men’s clothing sales, on the other hand, rose 4.5% in the first 20 days of the season.

In other good news, sales of electronics rose 5.8% and luxury item spending was up 10.8%, MasterCard said in its midseason snapshot. E-commerce, the star of the season, was up 30%. About $285 million has already been spent on holiday purchases. Retailers expect spending to rise 4% this year, the worst growth in 5 years.

Source New York Times

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A shopper walks by a clothing store at the Independence Mall in Kingston, Mass., Thursday afternoon, Dec. 13, 2007.   (Associated Press)
A clerk bags purchases at a Target store in Lombard, Ill., on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007. Retailers reported mixed sales for November despite the strong start to the holiday shopping season. (AP Photo/M....   (Associated Press)
Jessica Trowbridge of Pleasanton, Calif. tries to decide on an item of tie-dyed clothing while holiday gift shopping at street vendor stands on Telegraph Avenue near the University of California.   (Associated Press)
Shoppers look around in front of Bebe, a specialty shop Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007 in Chicago.   (Associated Press)
Shoppers look around at the Aldo shop Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007 in Chicago.   (Associated Press)
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