Forecasting the Holiday Rush: Our New Take on Top Shopping Dates

It’s a shopper behavior analytics provider’s annual rite of passage to forecast the top shopping dates for the holiday season. Typically, these predictions tend to be limited to a national aggregate, which offers useful, directionally accurate guidance for labor scheduling and event preparation. However, at StrataVision, we’ve partnered with pass _by, an AI-powered geospatial insights company for retailers, to take these insights further. By combining our expertise in consumer traffic data – both at the perimeter and interior of a store – with unmatched understanding of mobility data and shopper journeys, we’ve expanded the traditional Top Ten Dates into tailored breakdowns by retail sector.

Armed with our general top ten dates plus category-specific insights most meaningful to your business, you can make more informed holiday decisions not just for both labor and events, but also for last-minute merchandise allocation and marketing strategies. Let’s dive in.

Top 10 Shopping Dates for the 2024 Holiday Season:

1. Black Friday – November 29
2. Super Saturday – December 21
3. Second Saturday of the month – December 14
4. Boxing Day – December 26
5. First Saturday of the month – December 7
6. Last Saturday of the month – December 28
7. Monday before Christmas – December 23
8. Saturday after Black Friday – November 30
9. Friday after Christmas – December 27
10. Sunday before Christmas – December 22

But these are just the table stakes for the holidays! Let’s look at the top shopping for different retail segments:

Why Category-Specific Data is Your Secret Weapon This Holiday Season

As you can see, the top shopping days vary slightly by retail sector. While Black Friday and Super Saturday consistently top the charts, the order of other key dates can shift depending on the retail category. Understanding these nuances can be vital for stores that span multiple sectors or carry diverse product lines. By leveraging these insights, you can refine your strategies to boost customer service and maximize revenue.

Key Insights: How Christmas Day Timing Shapes Shopper Behavior

The placement of Christmas Day on a Wednesday in 2024 is crucial to understanding the flow of shopper traffic. The last time this occurred was in 2013 and 2019, meaning the traffic patterns from those years may serve as a close comparison. Expect increased traffic from December 22 to 24, as many people will likely have Monday, December 23 off instead of the previous Friday, due to the proximity to Christmas.

From a weather perspective, a storm in the South and Midwest leading up to Christmas Eve in past years may have dampened shopper traffic during those crucial days. If the weather stays clear this year, we could see stronger turnout just before Christmas Day. In 2019, the only major storm impacting the holidays hit during Black Friday weekend in the Western United States. If the West experiences favorable weather this year for the same period, we can expect better traffic on the Saturday following Black Friday as well.

Ready to Enhance Your Holiday Retail Strategy?

If you’re looking to customize your approach to the shopper journey or gain a deeper understanding of your competitive landscape, we’re here to help. Reach out to us for tailored insights and strategies.

Scott is VP of Product Management at StrataVision, delivering insights to boost customer profitability and experience. He previously directed a global product portfolio for retail solutions, focusing on enhancing the shopper journey through strategic product and partnership development.