For a year during which e-commerce continued to advance, the 2024 Retail Foot Traffic Recap from Placer.ai demonstrated overall store foot traffic still gained year over year by a modest 0.4%.
Foot traffic for the market researcher’s Discount & Dollar stores category was up year over year by 2.8% and Superstores category was up 1.7% to lead the way among channels tracked by Placer.ai.
Taken as a whole, 2024 traffic generation suggested consumers remain resilient despite having to endure an inflationary period and that 2025 could see gains in store visits if price gains in goods remain modest and meet consumer expectations, according to Placer.ai.
The strength in Dollar & Discount Stores and Superstores underscores consumers’ demand for value in the face of higher prices and economic uncertainty. Retailers focused on selling discretionary goods took a hit from rising prices. The Furniture & Home Furnishings category, for example, suffered negative visit trends from January to July 2024, Placer.ai reported. However, the category did finish strong with a 3.5% year-over-year increase during the fourth traffic, which Placer.ai characterized as a promising sign for 2025.
