'Holiday Creep' Not Sole Cause as Black Friday Malaise Mirrors Entire Month's Results
RetailNext, Inc., the worldwide leader in applied Big Data retail analytics for brick-and-mortar stores, today announced the November publication of its monthly Retail Performance Pulse, reporting a decrease in U.S. store sales of 11 percent on a 11.4 percent decline in store traffic for the retail 4-5-4 calendar month ending November 29.
"Many retailers and analysts have suggested the double-digit decreases in store traffic and sales over Black Friday and the Thanksgiving weekend were due to 'holiday creep' and the start of holiday promotions earlier in the month," said Chitra Balasubramanian, head of business analytics at RetailNext. "Store sales were down over the month, and it was more pronounced over the Thanksgiving weekend. However, the data from the monthly Pulse report indicates a more complex retail environment, as performance varied significantly by retailer type and region, and online shopping undeniably made a considerable impact on results."
"One of the prevailing Holiday retail stories this year is the online and mobile experience being delivered by retailers and brands," said Shelley E. Kohan, RetailNext's vice president of retail consulting. "Weather, convenience, and overall shopping trends have led shoppers to the web. As a result, there are fewer visits to stores; however, when those shoppers do get to their favorite retail stores, they are spending more. With the long-promised synergy across all channels finally being realized, retail's big winners are those brands delivering a consistent, relevant experience across digital and physical channels."
