While security had been tightened around them in recent days or weeks following the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks in the nation's capital and New York City, shoppers mostly were unconcerned about being in shopping malls, though some had reservations about being in more high-profile public buildings.

Jessica Dubner, 30, a publicist who had just made a few purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue, said she would be more worried about being in a Penn Station or at the United Nations than at a mall or store.

"I was at Penn Station, coming home from the Hamptons Sunday, and I grabbed my husband's arm and ran."

But, generally, she said, she has resumed normal habits. "What else are you going to do?"

Most mall centers and retailers, which had already beefed up security after the attacks, said they remain on heightened alert.

Mall of America, the nation's largest mall, for example, had already stepped up security patrol and increased parking restrictions, said spokeswoman Maureen Cahill.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which traditionally maintains close contact with local authorities, continues to be "vigilant," said Tom Williams, a company spokesman, adding that sales were "normal" this past weekend.

"People are going back to the mall and are really trying to get their life back to normal," said Kurt Barnard, president of the Barnard Retail Trend Report, based in Montclair, N.J. "They are still looking for bargains."

A sudden cold snap also pushed consumers in search of heavy sweaters and pants, which were heavily discounted, he said.

At Taubman Centers, which owns 27 malls in 12 states, traffic was strong this past weekend and on Monday, helped by holiday sales, said Karen MacDonald, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-based company.

C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group, based in Charleston, S.C., said that U.S. counterstrike, unlike the terrorist attacks in the nation's capital and World Trade Center last month, didn't pull people away from shopping, since the moves were expected and taking place on foreign soil.

"They watched it on TV, and then they went back to what they were doing," said Beemer, who surveyed 1,000 people nationwide Sunday night.

Beemer said consumers aren't nervous about being in malls or stores. "Americans' biggest fear is airlines, sporting events and being in high profile towers like Sears Towers," he said.

Still, Beemer noted that since Sept. 11th, consumers have started shopping closer to home. On average, Americans now drive about 15 minutes to shopping centers, instead of 20 to 23 minutes. There was no evidence of an increase in online shopping by consumers avoiding public places, he said.

Michelle Moreno, 27, of Manhattan, stayed home on Sunday after learning of the U.S. retaliatory strikes, worried about any immediate counterattacks by terrorists. But she said she felt better about going back into stores Monday.

"Nothing has happened so far," she said while shopping at J. Crew at Rockefeller Plaza.

In Boston, Simon Cornder, 20, of Winthrop, Mass., was shopping at T.J. Maxx in Boston's Downtown Crossing shopping district, and he wasn't worried about his safety.

"There's no point in staying at home," said Cordner, who works at Logan International Airport in passenger service.

Nancy Biergans, who had shopped at Dillard's and CVS Pharmacy in at the Louisville Galleria in Louisville, Ky., to prepare for Halloween, saw some comfort in the U.S. counterattacks.

"I think people feel more comfortable that the U.S. is doing something," she said.

"However," she added, "We don't know how long this will last. Who knows how it will affect us a month from now? You can't protect yourself from everything. You have to have faith _ a lot of it."