The monthly Retail Performance Pulse, is showing a 10.4 percent year-over-year decrease in sales on a 12.5 percent decline in traffic at brick-and-mortar stores for the retail month of February.
“Winter weather was one of the big, recurring news stories in February, and it certainly made its impact felt at brick-and-mortar stores,” said Shelley E. Kohan, vice president of retail consulting at RetailNext. “While store traffic declines were more severe in the Northeast and South regions as a result of the inclement weather, it was in those two regions, however, where Sales per Shopper (SpS) was the highest, boasting increases of over five percent year-over-year.”
“Shoppers may well have been held captive by the weather for a time, but when they were able to get to the stores, they had a mindset to purchase,” added Kohan. “Customers had the time and the technology to easily research products and pricing online. Shoppers’ behaviors, and the corresponding store results, highlight the importance for retailers to allow and empower the convergence of digital and physical channels.”
Valentine’s Day, February 14, showed the highest sales, traffic and number of transactions of the month. Conversion and sales per shopper were highest the day before Valentine’s Day, which is typical from a historical perspective. The lowest sales, traffic, and number of transactions occurred during the first week of the month when Super Bowl Sunday turned into Super Storm Monday and winter weather impacted the Northeast region in particular.
Source: RetailNext
