10 Best Days to Shop this Holiday Season, from ShopperTrak

CHICAGO, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ShopperTrak, world's largest counter and analyzer of retail foot traffic, forecasts that certain days during this hectic holiday shopping season will be quieter than others. The "10 best days to shop" are those with the least amount of foot traffic in stores. The weekdays after the busy Thanksgiving weekend top the list.

"This holiday shopping season — November and December — will be busier than in 2011. More shoppers will visit more stores," said Bill Martin, ShopperTrak founder. "But even though consumer demand will increase, retailers still will offer plenty of specials and discounts. The 10 lightest shopping days, in terms of foot traffic, will present an opportunity for shoppers to secure the best customer service and potentially the best deals."

These best days to shop will be Monday through Thursday following Thanksgiving weekend, with Tuesday, Nov. 27, taking the top place.

During the Black Friday weekend last year, 684 million store visits resulted in $20.8 billion in retail purchases. ShopperTrak predicts this Black Friday (Nov. 23) will again be the holiday season's top-performing day for both retail foot traffic and sales.

After this burst of spending, most shoppers will temporarily reduce their shopping visits. Those who do return to stores Nov. 26-29, however, will be rewarded, as eager retailers will have more time to devote to individual customers as they inspect the sale merchandise.

"Black Friday is not for the faint of heart," said Martin. "Shoppers must brave the crowds to take advantage of good deals. If they can venture back out after just a few days, however, they'll have the full attention of store employees and plenty of remaining discounts."

Resting after a shopping spree like Black Friday may feel prudent, but don't wait too long, advises Martin. The "last-minute" crowds start to shop during the two weeks leading up to Christmas. Rounding out the 10 lightest days are Monday, Dec. 10, and Tuesday, Dec. 11. After that, the check-out lines grow and the parking lots fill. In fact, the following Saturday, Dec. 15, will be the third-busiest shopping day of the holiday season.

"Though every store's foot traffic patterns differ, most see traffic trail off during weekday business hours – even during the holidays," said Martin. "Shoppers deserve good customer service regardless of foot traffic levels, and retailers should plan for this fact. Understanding their foot traffic and shopper conversion rates will help retailers optimize their staffing and operations, enabling them to best serve their customers."

The following lists ShopperTrak's forecasted best days to shop, ranked from least to most retail foot traffic: 

About ShopperTrak
ShopperTrak is a retail technology company that anonymously counts people, analyzes data and identifies opportunities to increase revenue for retailers, mall developers and entertainment venues. Founded in 1995, ShopperTrak counts billions of shoppers annually in more than 50,000 locations across 74 countries. The Chicago-based company has more than 200 employees with offices in High Wycombe, England; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Shenzhen, China. Find out more at http://www.shoppertrak.com.

SOURCE ShopperTrak