Cataloger and retailer the Spiegel Group, based in Downers Grove, IL reported sales of $226 million for the five weeks ended Sept. 29, a 12 % decrease from sales of $257.1 million for the same period last year.
Both direct sales and retail store sales declined 12% for the period. However, the firm’s online sales grew 27%, partially offsetting a 19% decrease in catalog sales.
The company also reported that comparable-store sales for its Eddie Bauer division decreased 21% for the five-week period and 11% for the 39-week period ended Sept. 29, 2001.
Specifically, sales dropped 11% at Eddie Bauer, 1% at Newport News and 21% at Spiegel. The company attributed Spiegel’s results to a change in some catalog mailings that shifted those sales out of September into October.
For the 39 weeks ended Sept. 29, total sales declined 6% to $1.86 billion from $1.98 billion in the same period last year.
