Placer.ai: Summer traffic went cold for outlet malls in Q3
Foot traffic this summer was at a slow pace at outlet centers, which attract a higher share of lower-to-middle-income consumers than enclosed malls and open-air shopping centers, according to Placer.ai’s September Mall Index Report.
Except for enclosed malls, which posted slight year-over-year traffic increases in July and August, all mall classifications experienced downturns in visit totals in 2025’s third quarter. Dips at outlet centers, however, were particularly deep.
Placer.ai’s year-over-year traffic comparisons in September charted near-2% declines at enclosed malls and open-air centers. Outlet centers, meanwhile, suffered a customer decline of nearly 7%.
Some of this fall-off could be attributed to a whim of the 2025 calendar. September 2025 had one fewer Sunday than September 2024, and 18.2% of outlet center visits so far this year occurred on Sunday at outlet centers.
Still, the foot traffic analytics provider noted that quarterly visitation patterns show that year-over-year changes in traffic have remained relatively modest across mall types since the start of 2025.
In Q3 2025, visits to indoor malls were down just 0.1% compared to 2024, while visits to open-air shopping centers and outlet malls dipped just 1.1% and 2.8%, respectively.
“Given the macroeconomic headwinds that have challenged retail this year, including persistent inflation, tariffs, and higher living costs, these are mild declines,” said Maytal Cohen, senior director of marketing insights at Placer.ai.
Outlet malls’ traffic drop could also be attributed to the fact that the attract a higher share of lower-to-middle-income consumers than other mall formats.
According to STI: PopStats, 43.8% of households within outlet malls captured markets earned less than $75,000 annually, compared to 40.8% for indoor malls and 37.8% for open-air centers.
“These shoppers are more likely to be watching their budgets and choosing more convenient off-price alternatives such as T.J. Maxx, Burlington, Ross Dress for Less, and HomeGoods, all of which saw consistently steady YoY visits throughout the summer and early fall,” Cohen noted.
Outlet malls also tend to have fewer dining and entertainment brands on their tenant lists—uses that have helped other mall types regain momentum.
Placer.ai’s outlook for the upcoming holiday season?
“Although September capped off a sluggish summer, the broader picture offers reason for cautious optimism,” Cohen said. “Year-to-date performance has remained relatively stable, suggesting that underlying consumer demand remains intact, even if somewhat restrained.”
