Sensormatic Solutions, in making its annual global predictions for the holiday season’s busiest shopping days, said Black Friday, November 27, will be the biggest day for store traffic, followed by Super Saturday, December 19 and the second Saturday in the year’s final month, December 12.
Via its ShopperTrak Analytics platform, the retail technology provider traffic tracker concluded strong shopper efficiency and spending will be key drivers of consumer activity during the holidays. In looking at developments over the summer, the company said conversion rates increased 5.2% year-over-year while sales per shopper rose 4.8%, indicating consumers are making more purchases with intention. The data suggests that store visits this holiday season may drop 3.5% year over year, Sensormatic indicated, a slight underperformance relative to the year-to-date average of down 2.7%.
Sensormatic forecast that U.S. in-store traffic will hit its high note on Black Friday and remain strong deep into December, with daily visits expected to peak between 2 and 3 p.m. With Christmas falling on a Friday for the first time since 2020, the calendar week leading up to the occasion is likely to see sustained activity with a final peak on December 26, the fourth biggest day for store visits in the Sensormatic forecast.
As in years past, the top 10 busiest days are expected to account for between 30% and 40% of total holiday traffic.
Following the top four, the business traffic days as predicted will be, according to Sensormatic:
- December 23, the Wednesday before Christmas
- December 20, Super Sunday
- November 28, the Saturday after Black Friday
- December 22 the Tuesday before Christmas
- December 5, the First Saturday in December
- December 21, the Monday before Christmas
When it comes to store shopping today, Tony D’Onofrio, president of Sensormatic Solutions, said, “Most purchase journeys now start online, meaning shoppers arrive with a clear idea of what they want in mind and choose retailers they trust to deliver that product with a seamless experience to match. The sale is already done by the time they set foot in the store. The retailer’s job is to meet them at that moment, have the product ready, where it should be and at the right price. If you can do that, you’ll have a happy holiday season.”
Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions, added. “The slightly muted traffic compared to previous years may lead retailers to feel that they’re fighting an uphill battle, but it only tells half of the story. While individual visits have been trending downward throughout the year, conversion rates are rising. Retailers that recognize the scope of the modern journey and lean on data to inform their approach will be more likely to get those high-intent shoppers through the doors on the days that matter most.”
