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**Black Friday Shopping Shows Success, Despite Ongoing Inflation**
Despite ongoing inflation and rising prices, U.S. consumers turned out in strong numbers for Black Friday 2025. According to data from Placer.ai, foot traffic increased year-over-year across various retail sectors, underscoring a surprising resilience among shoppers.
Leading the charge were retailers such as:
– Sam’s Club: up 9.7%
– Nordstrom: up 2.4%
– The Gap: up 12.5%
– Lowe’s: up 9.7%
– Barnes & Noble: up 5.8%
– Bath & Body Works: up 23.7%
Elizabeth Lafontaine, Director of Research at Placer.ai, explained that the positive figures stemmed from stronger-than-expected consumer behavior earlier in the season. “The stronger performance of traffic to retailers in October signaled that consumers were more resilient than anticipated, and the trend continued with visits on Black Friday across many retailers,” she noted.
Lafontaine also observed that consumers were more promotionally driven in 2025, seeking out deals and making strategic purchases—bringing Black Friday back into focus as an essential shopping event.
### Understanding the Standouts
While significant traffic at discount retailers like Sam’s Club was expected, brands such as Nordstrom, The Gap, and Barnes & Noble were standout performers for notable reasons.
Nordstrom and The Gap have focused on building customer loyalty and sticking to their core strengths—Nordstrom by emphasizing elevated customer service, and The Gap by providing trend-forward merchandise at accessible prices. Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble’s evolution into an experiential destination is helping reinvigorate interest in physical bookstores. “These retailers stand out to shoppers among the countless choices, keeping them top of mind during major shopping seasons,” said Lafontaine.
### Malls Make a Comeback
Once considered on the decline, malls—especially indoor ones—showed a resurgence this Black Friday. Placer.ai’s Mall Index noted year-over-year gains in foot traffic, marking a reversal in recent trends.
Lafontaine attributed this to the evolution of malls into “third spaces”—multipurpose destinations that combine retail with dining, entertainment, and social experiences. This transformation is resonating particularly well with younger shoppers. “For shoppers looking to browse specialty retailers, malls still offer a good cross-section of stores and categories,” she added.
### Shifts in Consumer Behavior
Even amid economic challenges and shifts in consumer sentiment, the holiday season remains a key period for discretionary spending. While many shoppers are being more cautious with their money—spending less overall—they are still choosing to shop during major events.
“There’s been a shift toward promotional shopping,” Lafontaine explained, noting that consumers are planning strategically rather than cutting back entirely on retail outings.
One important trend: higher-income households have largely maintained their shopping habits, while lower- and middle-income consumers are becoming more conservative, seeking discounts or reducing their spending. Lafontaine predicts this economic divide will characterize the remainder of the holiday season, with a possible uptick in last-minute purchases closer to Christmas.
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