Black Friday Traffic Down Against Pre-Pandemic Levels

Shopper traffic at retail stores on Black Friday was down 28.3 percent against 2019 levels, according to preliminary data from Sensormatic Solutions, reports CNBC. Traffic was up 47.5 percent compared to the same time last year, when many shoppers stayed home due to fears of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s clear shoppers are shopping earlier this season, just as they did last season,” said Brian Field, senior director of global retail consulting at Sensormatic, adding that continued concerns about the pandemic as well as supply chain concerns are driving that behavior.

Despite the slower traffic, Black Friday is still expected to be the busiest shopping day of the year for physical retailers. Traffic was strongest in the South, followed by the Midwest and then the West and Northeast.