Retail Sales in Perspective

In response to my post on retail sales, an anonymous reader stated:

July sales are not only down YoY on 2008, they are below July sales in 2006. With any adjustment for inflation, they would be below July 2005.

Actually, it is even worse. Looking at all retails sales (seasonally adjusted), August 2009 sales are below November 2005 sales and inflation adjusted (quick and dirty using headline CPI), below November 2001 sales.



Source: Census