Retailers in the Sydney CBD have suffered a dramatic slump in sales due to the APEC summit

Those shops in the Pitt Street Mall and surrounding streets have been especially hard hit and many shop staff have been told to stay at home, or work reduced hours.

Fears have also been expressed that staff working at Starbucks and McDonald's will be targeted by protestors however a Starbucks spokesperson says all staff will continue to wear their uniforms throughout APEC. Coca-Cola Amatil is not commenting on its security contingency plans.

Inside Retailing Online spoke to several retailers this morning and the story is the same - the CBD resembles a ghost town.

Stephen Adler has managed a shoe shop in the MLC Centre in Martin Place for the past 32 years and says he has never witnessed anything quite like APEC.

"It is a disaster," he said. "I sold five pairs of sandals last week to people who have either gone to Fiji, Phuket or the Whitsundays for a week's holiday.