Shopper Traffic Spiked on Black Friday 2023, According to Data From Sensormatic Solutions

• In-store traffic on Nov. 24 was up 4.6% from last year and up seven points from 2023’s average, according to the brand’s data

• Black Friday 2023 had the strongest year-over-year traffic performance in recent years, compared to pre-pandemic norms

Sensormatic Solutions, the leading global retail solutions portfolio of Johnson Controls, today shared its initial shopper traffic data from U.S. brick-and-mortar retail stores and shopping centers on Black Friday. The brand’s analytics revealed that shopper visits increased 4.6% this Black Friday, Nov. 24, compared to the previous year. These results represent a positive deviation from overall year-over-year performance, as traffic has been down 2.4% on average throughout 2023 to date.

“This is an excellent result for retailers,” said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions. “Though we anticipated an increase, in-store shopper traffic outperformed our expectations. Consumers are again finding joy in brick-and-mortar shopping, seeing it as an experience to be shared with loved ones. It’s a testament to the hard work retailers have done to streamline journeys and deliver satisfying experiences.”

In further detail, Sensormatic Solutions data showed that shoppers head into stores in the early afternoon, as they usually do. The brand’s data showed that 2–3 p.m. was the peak time for in-store shopping on Black Friday 2023.

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“Our main takeaway from these results is their strength compared to previous years,” Gustafson continued. “This is the most significant Black Friday increase we’ve seen in recent memory. It’s great news for retailers and consumers as we head into the remaining days of the holiday season.”

Looking Ahead

With Christmas falling on a Monday this year, the company’s predicted busiest days—[nine] of which are still to come—are more concentrated toward the end of the year than usual. The top 10 busiest days of 2023’s holiday season are likely to account for 40% of all holiday traffic. Though Sensormatic Solutions anticipates Black Friday will be the busiest shopping day of the year, there are still plenty of opportunities for retailers to capture some holiday magic.

“After falling to third place on our list in 2022, Super Saturday — which is the day before Christmas Eve this year — is again the second-busiest day for retailers in 2023 and is expected to be the final rush of the 2023 holiday season,” Gustafson continued. “However, it’s important that retailers remember that our data is designed to apply broadly, to the American retail industry as a whole. Retailers should also look at their own data from their traffic solutions in 2017 — the last time Christmas fell on a Monday — for a more granular view of their store when building and tailoring promotional and operational plans this December. These deeper levels of insights will help them see how things played out for them the last time Christmas fell on a Monday.”

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