September Chain Store Sales Higher Than Expected

New York, NY, Oct. 8, 2010–September figures for chain store sales were higher than expected, retailers said Thursday.

According to Thomson Reuters, which tracks a group of 28 national chain stores and records same-store sales to show month-by-month comparisons, same store figures have risen for 18 months consecutively.

The anticipated gain for September was 2.1% but end of the month figures show a 2.8% increase, compared to a September 2009 increase of 0.9%.

Sales and discounts have been a significant driver of sales.