Thanks for Visiting!

Register for free to get the full story.

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

Placer Bytes: Under Armour, Dunkin', Levi's

by 
Ethan Chernofsky
 on 
February 11, 2020
Placer Bytes: Under Armour, Dunkin', Levi's

Chip on Under Armour’s Shoulder

Nothing ignites the competitive retail spirits like some good, old-fashioned industry insults. In a recent interview, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson said that Under Armour “lost it many years ago” attributing much of the company’s decline to the focus on wholesale. Instead, he opined that the future of the U.S. athleisure space belonged to Lululemon, Nike and Adidas

The slight to Under Armour could actually indicate an ideal strategy for a sweat-proof rise. Many brands have been increasingly utilizing an owned brick-and-mortar presence to buttress, if not fully replace, a wholesale mindset. Data indicates that Under Armour could potentially benefit from this as well. 

The brand has seen strong offline growth, with nearly every month in 2019 outperforming the same period in 2018. This includes peaks in the back-to-school and holiday periods. 2019 visits in July and august of 2019 rose 48.3% and 64.6% above the baseline for the period from January 2018 through December 2019, besting the 27.3% and 30.7% rises in 2018. The same growth was seen during the holidays, when visits jumped 24.1% and 36.7% above the baseline in November and December, outperforming 2018’s 1.8% and 34.8%. 

Could Wilson’s insult be the recipe for success? Early indications would suggest so. 

Dunkin’s Winter Opportunity

Dunkin’ Donuts is testing out a range of new concepts including a heavier focus on deliveries and store remodeling programs. Yet, the biggest value may come from figuring out a way to better handle the winter months.  

Looking at the two year period from 2018 through 2019, Dunkin’ sees a seasonal trend where traffic declines in the winter and annual high points come in May and June with another recurring peak in October. But this ignores the opportunity in the colder months.

Starbucks, Dunkin’s chief rival, sees a different distribution, with annual peaks coming in November and December, supported heavily by the boon that is Black Friday. This reality points to a potentially massive opportunity for Dunkin’ to better orient itself to take advantage of consumer needs for a hot drink during the coldest times of the year. By better aligning itself for this, whether through winter-based promotions or new products, Dunkin’ could reach its fullest potential in 2020.

Levi’s Retail Expansion Continues

Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh said in an earnings call that the company would be using a new store format to enable “smaller footprint, more profitable, more capital-efficient stores in better locations.” 

Why is this so important? Because the company is seeing a powerful combination of in-store retail growth and a decline in its wholesale business. The last week of December 2019 brought in visits that were 81.9% above the baseline for the two year period from January 2018 through December 2019. That’s far higher than the 60.8% mark above the baseline the brand enjoyed in 2018.  

Small format stores not only signal an ability to more efficiently expand, they allow brands to get into higher-income areas where real estate costs are equivalently more expensive. The Levi’s audience during that same period had an average income that was inline with other top tier retailers. Meaning the brand has confidence that these audiences will certainly take advantage of the new locations. 

Can Under Armour prove its critics wrong? Will Dunkin’ figure out how to dominate the winter? What will the impact of Levi’s expansion be? 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.
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
Moving the Market: The Impact of Domestic Migration on Housing Costs
Post-Pandemic Museum Update
The Darden-est Things
The Enduring Demand for Urban and Suburban Retail