Sensormatic Solutions, a portfolio brand of Johnson Controls, an international leader in security solutions, has released the data relating to five days that are estimated to be of greatest shopping in Italy, in view of the seasonal peaks at the end of 2019.
The forecasts were developed by ShopperTrak, brand part of the Johnson Controls portfolio and leader in solutions for the Retail market, which records 40 billion consumer visits every year through the use of 1.5 million devices for data collection in the retail sector.
In line with the trends recorded in Italian shops in the last 3 years, Epiphany (6 January), which in many Italian regions will also be the second day of the winter sales, is in first place among the busiest shopping days expected for the Christmas period. In 2018, shopping on January 6th increased by 45% compared to the average for any other Sunday of the same year.
The so-called ''halo effect ' relating to turnout is also found on the Sunday before and after the Epiphany: January 5th and 12th are in fact ranked in 2nd and 3rd place respectively among the busiest shopping days of the holiday period. This data confirms the importance of holidays in terms of increased traffic and greater sales opportunities for merchants during these peak periods.
In Italy, Sunday continues to be the busiest shopping day of the week. In particular, the one before Christmas (22 December), currently in 4th place, is confirmed to be fundamental for shopkeepers. Last year, during this Sunday, there was a 57% increase in footfall in shops, compared to the daily average.
Nicola Fagnoni, Regional Director Italy at ShopperTrak, underlined: "As the ranking shows, the busiest Christmas days represent an important sales opportunity for Italian retailers. And it is clear that the physical point of sale remains a fundamental element for gaining success from the period of maximum attendance. This means that it is essential that on these days retailers favor in-store engagement and effective ways to promote sales, customer loyalty and sentiment towards their brand".
By taking advantage of insights into footfall trends, retailers can plan effective marketing and sales campaigns, optimally arrange products, channel sales opportunities on the busiest days and try to prevent any theft. Additionally, they can use the data provided by ShopperTrak to organize their staffing and capitalize on potential sales, offering consumers an unprecedented shopping experience.
Predicting "peak hours" can help identify the best times to restock shelves, renovate shop windows and manage other methods of fulfilling orders, with particular attention to those placed via e-commerce. The possibility of organizing in advance when to carry out the essential activities that a shop requires, for example during less busy hours, allows, on the one hand, to carry them out more quickly, and on the other, to allow shop assistants to have more time to dedicate to customers during the busiest moments.
“This time of year typically brings an increase in theft cases, given the high volume of purchases,” added Fagnoni. “Traffic insights can and should be used to better prepare staff to prevent possible thefts, in order to reduce them, especially those relating to high-end items and in key categories, preventing cases of shoplifting and organized crime.”
