Not a key month in the scheme of retail results, February has consistently been the month that offers the least amount of guidance of future results for retail same store sales. It is a shorter month and typically stores offer the last of the winter products on sale and begin to offer warmer weather products. But unless you are going on vacation, the new spring items are not jumping off the shelves into consumers bags yet. This year, with the economy in recession and job losses rising, consumer confidence remains in the basement. Wal-Mart, with its tagline 'Save Money; Live Better', and other budget minded retailers are winning over customers concerned about their resources and overall wellbeing. This is not to say that these retailers are not hurting... They too have been reducing prices, as well as jobs, capital spending and overall inventory. Remaining on trend, grocery, health and wellness items, and entertainment continue to drive traffic. Overall, though, retailers are far from being out of the woods, but March and April should be a better indicator of how retailers will fare going forward.