TJMaxx wallops the competition for ’23 traffic, but Ross busts out with the strongest start in ’24

2024.02.23

New York – Off-price retailers are still riding the wave of positive foot traffic they generated throughout last year, according to a new report.

Each of the 4 major off-price chains saw in-store visits increase quarter by quarter last year, per the  Hats Off for Off-Price report from the foot traffic analytics firm Placer.ai.

TJMaxx stores led the charge with year-over-year double-digit increases in 3 out of 4 quarters. Its lower YOY increase occurred in Q4, when it just missed hitting 10%.

The Ross Dress for Less chain generated double-digit increases in 2 out of the 4 quarters. Burlington’s increases held steady around 7% in each quarter of last year.

The third quarter saw the lowest increases for all bur Burlington, which received its lowest traffic bump in Q2.

How are things looking in 2024?

Ross Dress for Less burst out of the gate with the beefiest year-over-year traffic gains in January – up 5.5%. Store visits were also up at Burlington nor TJMaxx, each by less than 1%. Marshalls was the only one of the 4 to see traffic slip year-over-year in January.

As a group, however, they had a better flow of in-store traffic than other mass market retailers, according to Placer.ai’s recap on visits to superstores and warehouse clubs.

Costco was the only retailer in the comparison group to see a bump in traffic in January 2024. Target fared the worst, with the month’s store visits down nearly 5% compared to 2023.