The latest data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Americans continued spending their cash at retail credit card terminals during September, despite the then-looming threat of a government shutdown.

Retail sales amounted to more than $425 billion during September, according to the Bureau's latest report. This represented a slight downturn when compared to figures from August. However, when stripped of automobile-related sales, the index moved up by 0.4 percent from the prior month.

The government also reported that September retail sales are up by more than three percent when compared with figures from September 2012. This suggests that retailers can expect an even busier rush this holiday season than they experienced during last year's winter months. 

ShopperTrak founder Bill Martin noted in a statement that retailers can expect a high volume of customers throughout the coming months. He insinuated that multi-channel marketing options will lead customers to have more definitive plans about what to buy than they've had in years past, however.

"The four weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas are pivotal for retailers," Martin said. "Though shoppers may wait until the weekends to hit the stores, they will come prepared with information about exactly what they want to buy. Smart retailers will ready their staff to work with an influx of these knowledgeable shoppers this season."