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The Commerce Department’s report on retail purchases showed a sector that has collapsed so quickly that sales over the past 12 months are down a crippling 21.6%.
The sharpest drops from March to April were at clothiers, electronics stores, furniture stores and restaurants.
A long-standing migration of consumers toward online purchases is accelerating, with that segment posting a 8.4% monthly gain.
Measured year over year, online sales surged 21.6%.
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