Description:

Weekly change in Chain Store Sales

Released:

Every Tuesday for the week before ending on Saturday

Calculation:

The ICSC-UBS survey takes information from 80 Wal-Mart and Target stores and then creates an index from the data. The Redbook Average collects data from retailers with over $250 Billion in revenue. The numbers from the Redbook average are not seasonally adjusted, so week to week comparisons should not be made based upon its findings.

Key Point:

Weekly retail numbers are computed by 2 groups: The ICSC-UBS (International Council of Shopping Centers) & The Redbook Average. The averages are important because they show how consumer spending has changed in the past week. Chain Store Sales also measure a different group of retailers, concentrating on mailing large retailers with stores all over the country as opposed to the Census Bureau report which surveys small and large retailers.