1.   But what department stores have found, as spring clothing sales begin to make room for fall merchandise, is that sales of status merchandise have picked up strongly.

2.   Colder-than-usual weather in many areas crimped sales of spring clothing while an early Easter pushed many holiday-related sales back into March.

3.   Slowing demand in June could pose trouble for retailers because that could force the chains to slash prices on spring clothing, eroding their profits, analysts said.

4.   This meant that many shoppers paid regular prices on spring clothing rather than waiting for markdowns.

5.   Though sales improved in the last week of the month, they still were largely weak for May because of cool weather that cut into sales of spring clothing.

6.   U.S. retailers said sales were disappointing in April as cooler weather discouraged shoppers from buying spring clothing, which hurt department stores and specialty retailers the most.