Despite all of the usual hype over Black Friday madness, most U.S. retailers today reported disappointing November comparable store sales and are hoping cash-strapped consumers return to the stores in December.

Overall, November retail sales fell 0.3 percent, reversing the gains seen in September and October, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Most retailers reported increased November shopper traffic, but decreased actual sales, as stingy shoppers did not open their wallets for much beyond the hottest deals, analysts said.

"Consumers are being cautious and procrastinating and waiting to see how the retailers respond," Michael Dart, a partner at consultancy Kurt Salmon Associates, told MarketWatch.com. "There will be a cadence of promotions and price discounts. Retailers will start doing those instead of hitting the panic button given the inventory position."

Meanwhile, warmer-than-usual weather in the month also did not help with sales of winter coats and other heavier-weight apparel, analysts said.

Among the 30 retailers that have reported November sales, 81 percent missed Wall Street expectations, according to Thomson Reuters.

Retailers reporting drops in November comparable store sales included: Saks Inc. (down 26.1 percent); The Children's Place (down 13 percent); Dillard's (down 11 percent); Macy's Inc. (down 6.1 percent); The Bon Ton Stores Inc. (down 6 percent); J.C. Penney (down 5.9 percent); American Eagle Outfitters (down 2 percent); and Target Corp. (down 1.5 percent).

Menomonee Falls-based Kohl's Corp. was one of the few retailers reporting improved results in November, with comparable stores increasing 3.3 percent.

Kevin Mansell, Kohl's chairman, president and chief executive officer, said, "Our November results reflect momentum in our efforts to take market share in a difficult environment. While consumers continue to be conservative in their spending, we achieved a 10-percent increase in transactions per store for the month, reflecting customers growing belief that Kohl's is delivering the best value. We intend to continue that focus on market share the rest of the holiday season through a strong value message including communicating our industry-leading return policy to ensure consumers know they can buy their gifts with confidence at Kohl's."

Kohl's said its Southwest region reported the strongest increase in comparable store sales for the ninth consecutive month. From a line of business perspective, Home reported the strongest comparable store sales increase.