Retail sales fell 0.3% in September as consumers backed off on purchases of cars, home goods and clothing, the Commerce Department said Wednesday Declining auto sales push retail sales down Retail sales fell 0.3% in September as consumers backed off on purchases of cars, home goods and clothing, the Commerce Department said Wednesday Check out this story on USATODAY.com: http://usat.ly/1w8qmQK In this July 23, 2014 file photo, Julie Wilkins helps her grandson, Griffin Brady, 3, put a box of crayons in a shopping cart while shopping for school supplies with her family at a Target store in Memphis, Tenn.