Shoe store visits quickly bounced back following the first days of the pandemic when restrictions all but sidelined retail foot traffic. In an era dominated by e-commerce, it’s likely that persistent demand for brick-and-mortar footwear shopping has helped to sustain shoe store visit growth.
Placer.ai is reporting that its analysis of visits since January 2020 reportedly revealed that shoe store brands outperformed the overall apparel retail category for the majority of months during that period. In June 2023, shoe store visits were up 36.2 percent from the January 2020 baseline, ahead of visit growth to the apparel category as a whole (+8.2 percent).
Like other retail categories, shoe stores receive a significant foot traffic boost during the holiday season. But shoe stores also experience a second visit peak in July and August when the back-to-school season is in full swing. And with multiple sale events coming up at big retailers, these categories have a running start into the second half of 2023.
And while shoe stores as a whole are finding success, three leading retailers, Boot Barn, WSS and Nike, have experienced year-over-year (YoY) foot traffic growth that is indicative of the many ways to succeed in the space.
WSS, with its reputation as an affordable footwear outlet and a focus on the Hispanic consumer, is likely benefiting from a price-conscious consumer in the present inflationary climate. Boot Barn’s expansion from a solely Western & Workwear brand into the Country Lifestyle market is winning with a diverse clientele. And Nike’s growth reveals that its commitment to DTC and re-engagement with wholesale customers has helped the company stay on track to meet 2023 inventory and revenue goals. Nike may also be benefitting from sustained demand from luxury shoppers who are more insulated from the effects of inflation and a tiring of inflation-born shopping discipline among consumers in general.
Back-to-School Fuel
As retail gears up for the back-to-school season, Nike, WSS, and Boot Barn appear to be in a position to build on their recent success and drive traffic from back-to-school shoppers.
Location analytics reveals that all three brands seem particularly successful in attracting the coveted family audiences during the Back to School and holiday seasons. Between July and December 2022, WSS, Boot Barn, and Nike had a higher share of visitors from households with children than the nationwide benchmark. This suggests that these retailers will likely benefit from consumers looking to purchase shoes for kids during the 2023 Back-to-School season as well.
Since the pandemic nearly stopped footwear dead in its tracks, shoe store visits have climbed to the top of apparel retail. WSS, Boot Barn, and Nike are finding unique ways to succeed in a challenging market, and with Back to School around the corner, all three brands appear ready to hit the ground running.
For more Placer.ai insights into consumer foot traffic, go here.
Photo courtesy Boot Barn
