What: The Cut hypothesizes the only reason Hot Topic has been doing well in recent months is because of its Twilight merchandise.

From the Cut:

“The movie came out November 21, which means Hot Topic cashed in on the prerelease hype, a period of time we never will understand or miss. Even though sales have been increasing month to month, Hot Topic is anticipating the day they start to flag as the popularity of Twilight merchandise fades.”

What We Say: The Cut is definitely on to something - we’re not sure Twilight is the store’s only saving grace, but Hot Topic is doing well, unlike its competitors and its top execs are trying to find ways to keep the momentum of the mega teen flick going, for as long as humanly (or vampire-ly) possible.

So, what does this say about shoppers? Are there certain things we just can’t resist buying, no matter how unnecessary they are, and no matter how lifeless the economy is? Like… a Twilight shirt or choker? Maybe this is just a generational thing; Mom and Dad fund their teens’ trips to the mall and keep tight-lipped about their lack of cash. It’ll be interesting to see if the entertainment industry leads the retail one out of this mess.