Two Retailers Weigh Increasing Foot Traffic Versus Online Expansion

The contrast between Neiman Marcus and Allbirds couldn’t be steeper. The traditional retail standard Neiman Marcus fell into bankruptcy during the pandemic, while newcomer and direct-to-consumer brand Allbirds is rolling out an offline expansion. As both brands take steps to adjust to the pandemic, Placer.ai took a look at whether a focus on driving foot traffic into physical stores is the path to sustainability for either company.

Through the recession, Neiman Marcus has seen a significant decline in monthly visits year-over-year, nearing a 100% decrease in April and May, but continuing to see traffic reduction of 40% in August, according to data from Placer.ai. Allbirds, on the other hand, also had a rough April and May, but in-store visits had nearly recovered in August, down only 15.7% year-over-year. Placer.ai recently looked deeper into these two retailers and their recent strategies.