Retail news that keeps industry pros in the know
Retail Brew delivers the latest retail industry news and insights surrounding marketing, DTC, and e-commerce to keep leaders and decision-makers up to date.
Online shopping can’t replace the feeling of trying on 536 tops and buying none. As some states eased COVID-19 restrictions on retail stores last week, shoppers trickled back for the experience.
The national view: Daily U.S. retail visits averaged 192 million for the week ending May 3, a nearly 15% increase from the prior week, according to data firm Unacast. Visits to clothing retailers rose 21%.
- We’re nowhere near normal levels yet: Last week’s visits were more than 40% lower than overall estimates from the same period in 2019, and more than 80% down for apparel retailers.
The state-by-state view: Half the U.S. has at least partially reopened. The other half has residents who really miss stores. So shoppers from states under lockdown are increasingly crossing nearby borders to access open businesses in others.
- After Georgia allowed some retailers to open on April 24, out-of-state excursions increased 13%, per University of Maryland researchers. 92% of Georgia’s visitors came from neighboring states where stores were still closed.
Wet blanket time
Experts say staggered state reopenings could prolong the coronavirus’s stay like my lease on my parents’ guest room: way longer than anyone wants. As shoppers cross state lines for a haircut, they’re coming into contact with more people and raising the risk of transmission.