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Black Friday weekend shopper traffic increased by 34.2% compared to 2020, showing a progressively favorable outlook for retailers
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Shopper traffic data indicates that visits to physical stores during the 2021 Black Friday weekend decreased by -21.7% compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year
Sensormatic Solutions, the leading global retail solutions portfolio of Johnson Controls, today released a comprehensive recap of U.S. shopper traffic during the extended 2021 Black Friday weekend, from Black Friday, November 26, through Sunday, November 28, 2021. These results are informed by retail traffic data analytics within the company’s intelligent operating platform, Sensormatic IQ.
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Sensormatic Solutions found that store traffic for the 2021 Black Friday weekend was down -21.7% compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. Store traffic on Saturday, November 27, decreased by -17.6% and traffic on Sunday, November 28, resulted in a -8.1% decrease from two years ago. Compared to 2020, Black Friday weekend shopper traffic increased by 34.2%.
“Just as 2020 was a year like no other, 2021 also brings unique opportunities and challenges for retailers as we officially kick off the holiday season. Shoppers are returning to stores, but there are still lingering health and safety concerns making some cautious of traditionally crowded shopping days,” said Brian Field, senior director of global retail consulting, Sensormatic Solutions. “With a data-driven understanding of customer concerns, retailers can implement processes to help make shoppers feel comfortable in stores – via occupancy monitoring, temperature checks, extended hours and a seamless contactless shopping experience.”
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Traffic on Cyber Monday
Sensormatic Solutions also looked at the effect of Cyber Monday on brick-and-mortar retail traffic on Monday, November 29, and found that this year’s foot traffic decreased -9.9% compared to 2019. Cyber Monday traffic levels were similar to typical fall 2021 numbers. In the week leading up to Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend, in-store traffic was down -11.4% compared to 2019.
“Though the mix of weekday shopping had been on the rise throughout the pandemic as shoppers take advantage of more flexible work schedules and try to avoid weekend crowds, Cyber Monday typically has no impact on in-store traffic and the same was true of this year,” said Field. “Over the past month, in-store traffic has progressively improved as consumers have started their holiday shopping early. Retailers are seeing positive change year over year, and the Black Friday weekend data shows an upward trajectory toward pre-pandemic levels.”
Sensormatic Solutions also analyzed traffic on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. After all data was tallied, the results show that store traffic on Thanksgiving Day decreased -90.4% from 2019, as most retailers closed their locations for the holiday, and store traffic on Black Friday decreased -28.3% compared to 2019.