Retailers yesterday reported weaker-than-expected sales in November as a slew of deals and promotions, particularly during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, weren't enough to entice shoppers to open their wallets, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Industrywide, sales over the Thanksgiving weekend, which included the first day of December, were lackluster. Although companies from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to Target Corp. trumpeted strong traffic in stores and online, most retailers haven't provided specific sales numbers for the weekend. "The consumer is still fairly cautious, and they are going to be very reactive to promotions," said Keith Jelinek, a director in consulting firm AlixPartners' retail practice. Several retailers noted that November's sales were hurt by the last day of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend falling in December.
