Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

Sign Up
Already have a Placer.ai account? Log In

Citi Trends on the Rise

by 
Ezra Carmel
 on 
September 27, 2022
Citi Trends on the Rise

Citi Trends is a rising star in the off-price retail sector and has big plans for expansion and remodeling. We dove into the foot traffic data to analyze Citi Trends’ visit growth and see how the chain stacks up against other top retailers in the off-price space.

Citi Trends vs. Off-Price Competition 

Citi Trends owes much of its success to an aggressive expansion and remodeling strategy. According to CEO David Makuen, the remodels – dubbed CTx – highlight curated product assortments and enhance the customer experience. In 2021 the chain opened 27 new stores and remodeled 25 others. And in 2022, Citi Trends plans for approximately 15 new stores and 50 remodels

To assess how this strategy is impacting foot traffic, we compared the monthly visit growth of Citi Trends and other off-price retail chains to a January 2021 visit baseline. Between January 2021 and August 2022 – including a rebound from the Omicron wave in January 2022 – Citi Trends’ monthly visits have grown 71.1%, surpassing the 33.8% growth of the other off-price chains. It’s likely that new strategy contributed to the chain’s ability to bounce back and outpace competitors’ foot traffic. 

A Strong 2021, an Even Stronger 2022

Citi Trends’ impressive foot traffic in 2021 makes the positive year-over-year (YoY) comparison all the more noteworthy. Since April 2022 the chain has maintained positive monthly YoY foot traffic with growth of 6.5% in August. 

The company attributes at least part of this success to a “compelling shopping experience” in-store, but Citi Trends’ ability to win over local shoppers and cultivate loyalty is likely contributing growth. According to the company, 70% of stores are the primary apparel and home goods destination for its customers, with 50% living within three miles of the store.

The chain’s YoY foot traffic is particularly significant when considering the prevailing economic pressures in 2022. According to Citi Trends, 50% of its customers have an annual household income of $25K or less, and their discretionary spending has been most affected by the current financial climate. Yet Citi Trends’ customers continue to find value at the chain during this period of economic headwinds, and the company has posted positive YoY monthly foot traffic trends since April 2022. 

Fleet and Visit Growth

Citi Trends’ positive visit growth is also due to its three-year store growth and remodeling plan which kicked off in late 2019. The chain reports that its current CTx stores are doing better than stores in previous remodel campaigns and plans to remodel another 50 stores by the end of next year.

Year-over-three-year (Yo3Y) data shows positive monthly foot traffic since March 2022. Citi Trends experienced a back-to-school boost in August as Yo3Y visits per venue grew by 11.5%, the largest Yo3Y increase of the past six months, and overall visits grew by 16.9%. 

Given the increase in the number of Citi Trends locations, monthly visits per venue paints a striking picture of foot traffic growth. The fact that the brand grew its fleet and continued to attract more customers to each store is a very positive sign for Citi Trends. 

Crossing the T’s, Dotting the I’s

Citi Trends boasts impressive YoY and Yo3Y foot traffic growth, positioning itself ahead of the off-price retail pack. The chain’s success is due in large part to store growth, effective remodels, and the ability to attract consumers in challenging economic times. 

Visit us here for more data-driven retail insights. 

Get 3 brand & industry
breakdowns every week

Subscribe to the newsletter

Great! Prepare your inbox for data-driven insights...
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Get a Demo

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please provide a valid email
Please enter your email
Please enter company name

Thanks for reaching out!

One of our experts will be in touch soon

Try Placer.ai Free
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Text Link
Off-Price
Text Link
Apparel
Text Link
Citi Trends
Small Coffee Chains Brewing Big Success
Placer.ai White Paper Recap – November 2023
Thanksgiving Travel 2023 Recap
Checking in With Nike and Lululemon
Black Friday 2023 Retail Recap
Starbucks’ 2023 Holiday Menu & Red Cup Day Performance
Turkey Wednesday 2023
Who Attended the 2023 Pickleball Championship? 
Three Surprising Holiday Shopping Trends
What’s in Store for Ulta Beauty This Holiday Season?
Best Buy and Department Stores: A Holiday Deep Dive
Discount & Dollar Stores: Strength Toward The End of the Year
The State of Off-Price Retail: Discounts Seal The Deal
Placer Mall Index Recap: October 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: October 2023 Recap
Retail Corridors Ahead of the 2023 Holiday Season
California, Here Gap Comes
Checking in With Home Improvement
Getting Into the Glasses Game: Warby Parker Takes Over
Fitness Positioned for a Strong 2023 Finish
White Paper Recap: October 2023
Coffee Giants Brewing Up Business
Popeyes and Burger King Lead the Way
Diving into Yum!
Looking Ahead to Black Friday 2023
Blockbusters Drive Movie Theater Comeback
Crocs and Boot Barn: Shoe-Ins for Success
McDonald’s and Chipotle's Winning Recipe
The State Of Steak: Checking in With Texas Roadhouse
Pleasant Pastimes: Pickleball Potential Proves Potent
Who’s Driving Downtown Manhattan’s Weekend Revival?
Diving into Downtown Manhattan Foot Traffic Trends
Rite Aid: Rightsizing Right
Major League Soccer: Its Die-Hard and Casual Fans
The Anchor Recap: September 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: September 2023 Recap
Placer Mall Index Recap: September 2023
September White Paper Recap
The Consumer Habits of College Students
JCPenney: Rightsizing and Revitalizing
Pent-Up Demand Ahead of October Sales Events
4 Strategies Retailers are Using to Drive Traffic to Their Venues
5 Key Regional Grocery Players Impressing in 2023
Upscale Kitchenware Trending Up
Costco Finds More Room for Growth
Four C-Store Chains Making an A-Grade
National Parks + Outdoor Summer Activities
Diving Into Darden: Summer 2023 Update
The Summer Event Effect
Messi: Massive in Miami
Looking Back on Back to School 2023
The Anchor Recap: August 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: August 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: August 2023 Recap
Placer.ai White Paper Recap: August 2023
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Strikes Again
Big Scoop: We All Scream For Ice Cream
Sports Away: Lululemon & Nike’s Momentum Continues
Summer Visits Heat Up For Recreation and Outdoor Gear Chains
No CSS overwrite - July 2023 Office Index Recap
Staging - August 2023 Mall Indec
Mid-Atlantic Grocery Deep Dive
Experiential Chains Heating Up This Summer
Petco Goes Big by Going Small
Ulta Beauty: Leading the Discretionary Pack
Discount and Dollar Chains Continue to Thrive
Summer of Sports: DICK’s Sporting Goods and Hibbett Sports
Off-Price: Succeeding Into Summer
The Anchor Recap: July 2023
Superstores Maintaining Pandemic Gains Amidst Economic Headwinds
2023: Home Improvement at the Halfway Point
July 2023 Office Index Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: July 2023 Recap
The Taylor Swift Visit Lift
Southwestern Grocery Dive
July 2023 White Paper Recap: Halfway Point Review & Quarterly Index
Yum! Brands: Driving Dining Visits
Slurpees and Summer Movies Stimulate Consumer Foot Traffic
Cool Beans: Summer Coffee Update
Checking In on Back to School 2023
Crocs and New Balance Tip The Scales
Burger Bliss: Shake Shack and In-N-Out Stacking Visits
Chipotle & McDonald's Continue to Reign Supreme
Vibenomics and Placer.ai Partner to Enhance Retail Media In-Store Measurement
California Grocers Here We Come!
Marriott’s Different Audiences
Bonchon and Kura Sushi Thrive in the Fast-Casual Scene
A Shoe In: Footwear Climbs to the Top
Cheers! Raising a Glass to Beverage Retail
Placer.ai Office Index: June 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index June 2023 Recap – A Turn of the Tide and a Dive into Open-Air Lifestyle Centers
Local Kitchens: Redefining the Restaurant
Unlocking Urban Insights: The Value in Manhattan’s Employees
Ohio State Parks On The Rise
How is Inflation Impacting the High-Income Shoppers?
Five Fast-Growing Dining Chains
What To Expect From Prime Day and July Sales Events in 2023
The State Of Fashion: How Are Apparel Retailers Faring in 2023?
2023’s Latest Dining Success Story: GEN Korean BBQ House
The NBA Finals: A Location Intelligence Perspective