New York – Just three chains among HTT’s Top 50 home textiles retailers drove double-digit gains in store traffic during the official kick-off to the holiday season.
HomeGoods’ Black Friday store traffic was the leader among the three, according to Placer.ai. The home furnishings specialty store saw traffic jump 17.0% compared to last year’s event. In addition, visits were up 105.0% compared the average daily traffic during the pre-holiday period from Nov. 4-24 daily.
Target’s store traffic was up 16.8% compared to Black Friday 2023 and up a whopping 176.4% compared the average daily traffic during the pre-holiday period from Nov. 4-24 daily.
Marshalls’ traffic was up 11.1% on Nov. 29 compared to Black Friday 2023 and up 112.8% compared the average daily traffic during the pre-holiday period from Nov. 4-24 daily.
The chain’s off-price peers also saw a bump in year-over-year Black Friday traffic, though it was modest for most of them:
- TJMaxx: +5.3%
- Nordstrom Rack: +3.1%
- Burlington Stores: +1.7%
- Ross Dress for Less: +1.3%
In the big box discount channel, Walmart’s Black Friday store traffic fell 1.3%, although it was up 55.0% compared the average daily traffic during the pre-holiday period from Nov. 4-24 daily.
In the department store sector, mid-tier retailers had a tough time of it. Macy’s Black Friday traffic was down 7.7% year over year and Kohl’s was down 6.9%. Higher-end department stores fared better, with Nodstrom up 4.0% and Dillard’s up 3.0%.
Black Friday provided “valuable insights” into consumer behavior looking ahead to 2025, according to R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai.
“Shoppers remain focused on value but also prioritize unique and differentiated products, as evidenced by strong year-over-year visitation trends at off-price retailers like HomeGoods, Marshalls and TJMaxx,” he said.
Hottovy also sees categories that thrived during the pandemic, including home furnishings and sporting goods. They are “making a comeback,” he predicted, “signaling potential upgrades or replacements of earlier purchases.”
The biggest retail gainer in Placer.ai’s Black Friday report based on foot traffic analytics was Apple Stores, up 31.1% year over year. Ulta Beauty’s traffic was up 5.7%, while Best Buy’s dropped 20.8% compared to Black Friday 2023.
See also:
- HomeGoods gets cracking on Holiday 2025 with decorating kick-off & NYC pop-up
- Black Friday recap: Fewer shoppers hit the stores