Report: Foot Traffic Falls 16.7% in November

Chicago ShopperTrak’s Retail Traffic Index reported that total U.S. foot traffic for the month of November fell a dramatic 16.7%, while the company’s National Retail Sales Estimate (NRSE) reported that retail sales dipped a slight 0.7% for the same period.

While consumers spent $10.6 billion on Black Friday, up 3% from last year, daily foot traffic fell 18.1% vs. Black Friday 2007.

For the Saturday after Thanksgiving, retail sales declined 0.8% ($6.0 billion spent), with a 16.8% drop in total U.S. foot traffic. Meanwhile, for the Sunday after Thanksgiving, retail sales declined 2.3% ($3.5 billion), with a 23.1% drop in total U.S. foot traffic.

Overall, Black Friday weekend showed a 0.9% retail sales increase ($20.1 billion) with a 19.3% total U.S. foot-traffic decline.