U.S. retailers fear sales decline despite reports of strong January sales

Noelle Perillo, 34, was certainly lured in by deals last month — she spent $100 on discounted holiday ornaments, home items and clothes for her toddler son — but she also says she may cut back going forward.

“I have what I need, and I am kind of shopped out. I'm set for now,” said Perillo, a freelance public relations consultant who lives in Silver Springs, Md. “When I hear things like gas prices spiking, that's a concern.”

Overall, 20 retailers reported Thursday that revenue at stores opened at least a year — an indicator of a store's health — rose an average of 5.1 percent, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. That's above the trade group's 3 percent estimate. It also marks the highest reading since last August when the figure was up 6 percent.

A group representing just about 13 percent of the $2.4 trillion U.S. retail industry report monthly revenue. Still, the data offers a snapshot of consumer spending, which has been heavily influenced by discounts during the economic downturn.

Retailers already had discounted heavily during the holiday season to get people to buy.

But once the clearance goods disappeared last month, so did shoppers. Analysts say the absence of big discounts — coupled with the higher payroll tax and gas prices that have risen for the past 20 days — caused sales to taper off in the last week or so of the month. Such pressures also hurt consumer confidence last month, which fell to the lowest reading in 14 months, according to The Conference Board.