Value channels lead US retail traffic as off-price apparel surges
Yes for Less Credits: Archive Placer.ai data for the week of May 26–June 1 reveals a retail landscape still defined by value-seeking shoppers and promotional activity. Warehouse clubs reported a 3.1 per cent year-on-year increase in visits, outpacing all other non-discretionary categories, by contrast, superstores remained under pressure (-1.2 per cent). Among discretionary segments, clothing stores posted a 5.1 per cent gain, led by off-price operators such as T.J. Maxx and Ross Dress for Less, and luxury department stores saw a 6.9 per cent uplift—largely driven by half-yearly sales at chains like Nordstrom. R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, noted that “warehouse clubs maintained their appeal to value-conscious customers, while luxury department stores benefited from ongoing sales and other promotional activities. Clothing stores also remained one of the best-performing categories…bolstered by strength in off-price retailers who have found increased opportunities to acquire inventory due to recent store closures and tariff-related disruptions.” This data underscores a broader shift in American retail towards “value” and promotional intensity. According to Deloitte, US retail executives expect mid-single-digit industry growth in 2025, citing value engagement and omnichannel enhancement as top priorities. More than six in ten retailers plan to deploy AI tools this year to optimise inventory and personalise the customer experience—a response to consumers who are “agitated by spending more to get less,” particularly in grocery and fashion categories. Off-price apparel has benefited from both domestic and international factors. Store closures among fast-fashion players and tariff disruptions have freed up merchandise for discount channels. As a result, off-price specialists have been able to replenish assortments at lower landed costs, translating into stronger foot traffic and inventory turns. In the luxury segment, promotions have underpinned traffic gains at department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, which staged mid-season markdown events to clear spring stock. Consumer behaviour remains fluid. According to Forbes, Gen Z and millennials—together projected to represent 39 per cent of retail spending by 2030—are fuelling social commerce and mobile-first purchasing, prompting traditional chains to invest in QR codes, live-shopping experiences, and shoppable video content. In fashion, this has translated to stronger online-to-store synergies: click-and-collect now accounts for an estimated 20 per cent of e-commerce sales, and brands are ramping up local-inventory-ads to capture nearby demand. Looking ahead, hybrid retail models and AI-enabled services will be critical. Seven in ten retailers plan to expand in-house delivery and micro-fulfillment centres, while 53 per cent foresee mergers and acquisitions to shore up digital capabilities and diversify revenue streams. For fashion and apparel, the imperative is clear: maintain promotional agility, optimise omnichannel fulfilment, and lean into data-driven personalisation if they are to thrive in a still-uneven recovery.
Placer.ai data for the week of May 26–June 1 reveals a retail landscape still defined by value-seeking shoppers and promotional activity. Warehouse clubs reported a 3.1 per cent year-on-year increase in visits, outpacing all other non-discretionary categories, by contrast, superstores remained under pressure (-1.2 per cent).
Among discretionary segments, clothing stores posted a 5.1 per cent gain, led by off-price operators such as T.J. Maxx and Ross Dress for Less, and luxury department stores saw a 6.9 per cent uplift—largely driven by half-yearly sales at chains like Nordstrom.
R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai, noted that “warehouse clubs maintained their appeal to value-conscious customers, while luxury department stores benefited from ongoing sales and other promotional activities. Clothing stores also remained one of the best-performing categories…bolstered by strength in off-price retailers who have found increased opportunities to acquire inventory due to recent store closures and tariff-related disruptions.”
This data underscores a broader shift in American retail towards “value” and promotional intensity. According to Deloitte, US retail executives expect mid-single-digit industry growth in 2025, citing value engagement and omnichannel enhancement as top priorities. More than six in ten retailers plan to deploy AI tools this year to optimise inventory and personalise the customer experience—a response to consumers who are “agitated by spending more to get less,” particularly in grocery and fashion categories.
Off-price apparel has benefited from both domestic and international factors. Store closures among fast-fashion players and tariff disruptions have freed up merchandise for discount channels. As a result, off-price specialists have been able to replenish assortments at lower landed costs, translating into stronger foot traffic and inventory turns. In the luxury segment, promotions have underpinned traffic gains at department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, which staged mid-season markdown events to clear spring stock.
Consumer behaviour remains fluid. According to Forbes, Gen Z and millennials—together projected to represent 39 per cent of retail spending by 2030—are fuelling social commerce and mobile-first purchasing, prompting traditional chains to invest in QR codes, live-shopping experiences, and shoppable video content. In fashion, this has translated to stronger online-to-store synergies: click-and-collect now accounts for an estimated 20 per cent of e-commerce sales, and brands are ramping up local-inventory-ads to capture nearby demand.
Looking ahead, hybrid retail models and AI-enabled services will be critical. Seven in ten retailers plan to expand in-house delivery and micro-fulfillment centres, while 53 per cent foresee mergers and acquisitions to shore up digital capabilities and diversify revenue streams. For fashion and apparel, the imperative is clear: maintain promotional agility, optimise omnichannel fulfilment, and lean into data-driven personalisation if they are to thrive in a still-uneven recovery.
