Sales in the US retail market slowed abruptly in January, according to the official data released on Tuesday. The weak retail sales were brought about the huge snow storms that affected several parts of the country in the beginning of the year.

From December, sales only increased to 0.3 percent, which shows the slowest rise in the market in seven months. The figures were based on the Commerce Department data that was adjusted for the given time of year.

In fact, the sector adjusted the December rise to 0.5 percent, where it was initially estimated to be 0.6 percent.

The pace in retail sales, as well as food services missed out the 0.5 percent increase analysts foretold, even though many stores featured sharp discounts after the holiday season.

Since January 2010, retail sales have increased to 7.8 percent based on a 12-month period. By December, retail sales merely climbed to 0.3 percent, which was barely half of the rise expected. However, the numbers excluded the automobile sector whose sales vary per month.

Garden supplies and building material dealers were the most affected area in the market. Their sales dived to 2.9 percent because of relentless winter weather and the collapse in housing markets.

The weak start of the year came after an upbeat recovery in the 2010 post recession period. That time, retail sales increased to 6.6 percent, which was the largest yearly increase since 1999.

Consumer spending, whose main indicator is retail sales, determines two-thirds of the economic activity in United States. However, they do not get sales in the area of services, which signify two-thirds of the consumption in household by value.

Melrose Diamonds announced on Friday that they have become the number one online Rolex retailer in Minnesota, including other cities around the state such as Minneapolis. The store’s second and third quarter revenues have remarkably increased to 77 percent over the same period last year.

According to Vanessa Puzio of Melrose Diamonds, it appears that the holidays have come early in Minnesota that their Rolex sales have increased drastically in just four months. Melrose Diamonds are happy and they are looking forward to a profitable holiday season.

They have updated the selections of their Rolex watches to deal with the increased demands from shoppers, and have included free overnight shipping for worldwide customers for every Rolex watch purchase.

Apart from that, most of their Rolex watch models were customized for the Minnesota market, as well as those of Minneapolis, Duluth, St. Paul, Bloomington, Rochester and Brooklyn Park.

Melrose Diamonds is also considered as USA’s number 1 online Rolex store. They have various Rolex watches for men and women fabricated in various designs and styles in different materials such as white gold or steel.

Melrose Diamonds believe that purchasing Rolex watches, as well as other luxury watches should not be as mysterious and complicated as other people might think.

They offer low and no-haggle Rolex watches that can be new or pre-owned, but restored to its original factory state with a comprehensive 2-year warranty. They also have their own Melrose Diamonds Minnesota website that caters to customers around Minnesota cities.

The Microsoft Corporation had just recently completed their Windows 7 Phone software. This new software will be formally launched to the public on October 11. By November, Windows 7 is expected to be installed on several handsets that are believed to compete with Apple and Google Android smartphones.

Samsung and HTC Corp, as well as other groups of smartphones are expected to release Microsoft-based phones this coming holiday season.

The employees of Microsoft Corp gathered around last month at its Redmond, Washington campus. This marked the completion of their software and revealed how they really want to get themselves back in the fiercely competitive phone market.

However, it is still a question whether the Windows 7 is good enough to turn the iPhone obsolete in the market.

According to Bryan Keane, analyst for the Alpine Mutual Funds that holds the shares of Microsoft, the product cannot just outrun everything that is out in the marketplace. However, Windows 7 might just be better than the other Windows platform.

Microsoft just missed a generation with their last phone operating system, Windows Mobile, admitted by Steve Ballmer, the Microsoft Chief Executive. The Windows Mobile struggled its way in the phone market while iPhone and Android reigned well with their touch screens and fresh applications.

Today, Microsoft ranks fourth in the fast-growing operating systems for the smartphone market in the U.S. It is behind Blackberry-maker Research in Motion Ltd, Apple and Google. From comScore research firm, Microsoft has a share of less than 12 percent.