Retail Landscape Transforming

Overall retail sales might have risen 0.6 percent in July from the previous month, but some stores are definitely doing better than others. Department stores, for example, saw an 0.8 percent drop, and electronics stores fell 1.2 percent.

The sales results come as traditional department stores such as Macy’s and Kohl’s are reporting lower earnings. Among the reasons cited is that more shoppers are now seeking experiential environments in which to spend their money, such as restaurants and entertainment venues.

One exception is the luxury department-store chain Nordstrom, which saw a five-percent same-store sales jump during its most recent quarter.