Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

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

Placer Bytes: Burlington & Corona Big Box

by 
Ethan Chernofsky
 on 
March 17, 2020
Placer Bytes: Burlington & Corona Big Box

Big Box Retail Weathering the Storm

When discussing the impact of the Coronavirus on wider economic trends, the focus will likely center around hard-hit sectors like travel. But there are also areas of economic resilience, at least in the early days.

Walmart, a company that has managed to outperform in a very difficult period, is among those whose full strength may be on display. In a period where so many retailers are concerned or actively struggling, Walmart is seeing steady ongoing visits. Looking at the period from February 2018 through February 2020, visits for Walmart in February 2020 were 8.0% below the monthly baseline, a significant jump compared to 2019 when visits were 12.9% below. 

And this trend is holding up in the face of Coronavirus concerns. Visits the last two days of February were 7.1% and 36.1% above the baseline for Friday, February 28th and Saturday, February 29th, 2020. This is aligned directly with equivalent numbers from 2019 when the same Friday and Saturday were 7.1% and 32.6% above the baseline for daily visits during the period.

Essentially, Walmart visitors are still going, even where a drop might have been expected and understood.

And the same seems to be holding true for a company that has not seen the same market support. Target visits in February 2020 were 7.3% below the monthly baseline for the period, significantly better than February 2019 when visits were 15.2% below. 

But here, the pace is showing major year over year increases. Visits to Target on the last Friday and Saturday of February were 8.2% and 61.5% above the daily baseline for the period. This shows a massive jump from the equivalent Friday and Saturday in 2019 when visits were 2.6% below the baseline and 42.2% above respectively.

The increase is an indication of Target’s continued climb into a unique retail stratosphere. The brand succeeds consistently, even in the face of difficult periods, because of a powerful customer relationship. 

Could the wider effect of the virus still damage Target or Walmart? Of course. But are both putting their strong brand affinity on display? Absolutely.

Burlington Chooses Offline Over Online

In their quarterly earnings call, Burlington CEO Michael O’Sullivan made a strong statement to the power of offline retail saying “in our business, which is a moderate off-price business, the nature of the treasure hunt and the average price point that we operate at mean that bricks-and-mortar stores have a significant competitive and economic advantage over e-commerce.”

The comment came after the bombshell that the brand would be dropping its eCommerce effort - one which drove only 0.5% of sales - to focus solely on offline retail. And while the decision goes directly against the common thinking, there is a lot of reason to be excited by it.

Burlington is seeing consistent year-over-year growth highlighted by February 2020 traffic that rose 8.3% above the baseline for the period between January 2017 and February 2020. This is markedly higher than February 2019 when visits that were 21.7% below the baseline. Looking at that same period, March and December of 2019 were the only months in the last year that didn’t outpace the same months in 2017 and 2018 in traffic. 

The key takeaway here is that this decision isn’t happening in a vacuum. Burlington is experiencing significant offline growth and they are doubling down on a channel that is clearly working. The decision to drop eCommerce doesn’t mean the brand will never do online again, it just likely indicates that when they do venture back, it will be centered around their strongest asset - their stores. 
Can Target and Walmart continue to show strength in the face of Coronavirus concerns? Could Burlington be signaling a new retail trend? Visit Placer.ai to find out.

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.
The CAVA Craze: A Location Intelligence Perspective on the Mediterranean Marvel
How Will Primark’s US Expansion Impact Target?
All Eyes on Eyewear
Northwestern U.S. Grocery Dive
Return of the Lunch: Salad Chains Are Thriving
Retail Media Networks – Off the Beaten Track
Bet Your Bottom Dollar: Discount and Dollar Stores Drive Foot Traffic
Ulta & Lululemon: Discretionary Spending On The Up
The Score After Q1: Sporting Goods Chains
Who Uses NYC Airports: Biting Into The Big Apple’s Main Transport Hubs
Off Price: Strength in The Face of Retail Challenges
Visits Improve for Home Improvement
Walmart, Target & Wholesalers in Q1 2023 – The Return of Mission-Driven Shopping?
Department Store Roundup: Q1 2023
Placer.ai Office Index: April 2023 Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index, April 2023 – A Rebound on the Horizon?
How Will Bed Bath & Beyond’s Bankruptcy Impact the Retail Space?
Buffet Restaurants: Filling Up on Foot Traffic
Thrift Stores: Vintage Visits Drive New Age in Apparel
The Windy City: A Hub of Post-Pandemic Opportunity
Diving into Dining Traffic - Q1 2023
Bring On The Joe
A Dollar (or more) For Your Thoughts: Five Below and pOpshelf
Dining Out With The Cheesecake Factory
Retail Foot Traffic Recap – March 2023
Digging Into 2023: McDonald’s and Chipotle Update
Placer.ai Office Index: March 2023 Recap
How Did Key Retail Categories Perform in Q1 2023?
Northeastern USA Grocery Dive
Movie Theaters Storylines for 2023
Ollie's Bargain Outlet: Discounters are Evolving
Leveraging Brick-and-Mortar Retail in 2023
America’s Evolving Work Patterns: A Deep-Dive into New York and Chicago
Placer.ai Mall Index March 2023
Tuning Into Record Stores
Five Franchises To Watch in 2023
What’s Next For Domestic Tourism?
It’s Showtime! Movie Theaters in the Spotlight
5 Limited Time Offers (LTOs) Driving Restaurant Traffic
Department Store Deep-Dive: Belk
Regional Grocery Chains Staying Ahead of the Competition
Five Chains that Rightsized for Success
Unlocking the Potential of Offline Retail Media Networks
Dining Out With Darden
What’s in Store for Self-Storage?
Nike & lululemon Update: Strong Performance Amid Expansion Plans
Many Ways to Win: Midwest Grocery Deep Dive
Retail, Reinvented: The Rise of the Pop-Up Shop
Navigating a New Normal in Business Travel & Commutes
Placer.ai Office Index: February 2023 Recap
Retail Categories Staying Strong in Volatile Environment
Ulta Beauty: Poised for Success into 2023
Placer.ai Mall Index February 2023: Reasons for Continued Optimism
Catching Up With DICK’s & Hibbett
The Miami-Dade Arena: An Advertising Slam Dunk
Car Washes Revving Up Visits
Tuesday Morning and Sunrises in Home Furnishing
Dining & Valentine’s Day Recap
2023: The Year of the Discount Store
Aldi’s Success Highlights Growing Demand for Value Groceries
5 Retail & Service Categories Holding onto Pandemic Gains in 2023
Visitor Insights from Super Bowl 2023
2023 First Look: Home Improvement Update
How Are Target, Walmart, and Wholesale Clubs Faring in 2023?
Department Store Deep-Dive: Nordstrom
Off-Price: Taking Off in Uncertain Times
Checking in On Middle-Class Hubs
Who Attends the Super Bowl?
Placer.ai Office Index: January 2023 Recap
Focusing On Fitness: Q4 and January Recap
Placer.ai Mall Index: January 2023 – Returning Mall Normalcy?
Location Intelligence Insights Into Concert Attendance
Winning Dining Strategies for 2023
In-N-Out Burger: What to Expect as the Brand Moves East
Location Intelligence Breakdown: Coffee Caps-Off 2022
Digitally Native Brands Lean Into Brick & Mortar
Washington, D.C. Population Changes & Migration Trends
A Location Intelligence Perspective on Macy’s Rightsizing
Amazon-Powered Shopping: The Future of Brick-and-Mortar Grocery?
Cold Weather, Hot Visits: Diving into Winter Resorts
Wawa and 7-Eleven: Leaning Into the “Slurpee Effect”
2022 and Beyond: Catching Up With McDonald’s & Chipotle
Let’s Have Some Fun! Going Out Is In
Placer.ai’s Q4 2022 Quarterly Index
Placer.ai Adds Industry Executives to Leadership Team To Drive Company's Next Phase of Growth
5 Emerging Retail Formats: 2023’s Brick-and-Mortar Evolution
Grocery Update: Zooming in on the Lone Star State
2022 Office Recap: The Year of the TGIF Work Week
What Lies Ahead for Brick-and-Mortar Luxury in 2023
Placer.ai Mall Indexes: December 2022 Recap
Looking Back on 2022’s Holiday Shopping Season
Post-Pandemic Migration Trends in New York
Top Retailers for 2023
The Live Sports Advertising Opportunity
Domestic Migration to the Mountain States: Small Shifts with Big Implications
New Year, New Food: 5 Dining Trends For 2023
Announcing Placer.ai’s COVID RECOVERY DASHBOARD
This is Why Shop-in-Shops Are Everywhere
Super Saturday 2022 Recap
The San Francisco Shift