New York: The official start of the holiday season saw double-digit increases in shop traffic from just three chains among HTT’s Top 50 home textiles merchants.
According to Placer.ai, HomeGoods’ Black Friday retail traffic was the highest of the three. Traffic at the specialist store for home furnishings increased 17.0% over the previous year. Additionally, visits were 105.0% higher than the average daily traffic from November 4–24, the pre-holiday period.
Target’s store traffic increased by 16.8% over Black Friday 2023 and by an astounding 176.4% over the pre-holiday average of everyday visitation from November 4–24.
On November 29, Marshalls’ traffic was up 11.1% on Black Friday 2023 and up 112.8% from the pre-holiday average of daily traffic from November 4–24.
Black Friday traffic for the chain’s discount competitors increased year over year as well, however it was only slight for the majority of them:
- TJMaxx: +5.3%
- Nordstrom Rack: 3.1%
- Stores in Burlington: +1.7%
- +1.3% for Ross Dress for Less
Walmart’s Black Friday store traffic decreased 1.3% in the big box discount channel, despite being up 55.0% over the average daily traffic from November 4–24, the pre-holiday period.
Mid-tier retailers had a difficult time in the department store industry. Kohl’s and Macy’s saw declines in Black Friday traffic of 6.9% and 7.7%, respectively, from the previous year. More upscale department stores did better, with Dillard’s up 3.0% and Nodstrom up 4.0%.
Placer.ai’s chief of analytical research, R.J. Hottovy, said Black Friday offered “valuable insights” regarding consumer behavior for 2025.
“Strong year-over-year visitation trends at off-price retailers like HomeGoods, Marshalls, and TJMaxx demonstrate that shoppers are still focused on value but also value unique and differentiated products,” he said.
Additionally, Hottovy observes that several categories, such as athletic items and home furnishings, prospered throughout the pandemic. He projected that they are “making a comeback,” which might mean that previous purchases will be upgraded or replaced.
Apple Stores were the largest retail gainer, rising 31.1% year over year, according to Placer.ai’s Black Friday-based study on foot traffic data. Compared to Black Friday 2023, Ulta Beauty saw a 5.7% increase in traffic, while Best Buy saw a 20.8% decrease.
