Official figures show that sales at US retailers increased by less than expected in January amid weak receipts at building material and restaurant outlets.
The government report may reflect the effect of snow storms that slammed large parts of the country during the month.
Total retail sales rose 0.3%, the Commerce Department said, advancing for a seventh straight month. Sales for December were slightly revised down to growth of 0.5% from a previously reported 0.6%.
Economists had expected retail sales to increase 0.6% last month. Compared with January last year sales were up 7.8%.
Excluding cars, sales increased 0.3% last month, below expectations, after rising 0.3% in December. Sales last month were held back by a 2.9% drop in receipts at building material and gardening outlets. Sales at food services and drinking places fell 0.7%, while receipts at clothing and clothing accessories stores slipped 0.3%.
But so-called core retail sales, which exclude cars, petrol and building materials, increased 0.5% after slipping 0.1% in December.
Core sales correspond most closely with the consumer spending component of the government's gross domestic product report. Consumer spending, which accounts for 70% of US economic activity, increased at a 4.4% annual rate in the fourth quarter.
A separate report from the New York Federal Reserve showed a gauge of manufacturing in New York State climbed to 15.43 in February, the best since June and up from 11.92 in January. The report was the latest to the manufacturing sector remains strong, even as the inventory rebuilding cycle starts to wind down.
