Mall traffic soars as Black Friday nears

Twenty-nine percent of consumers plan to shop in person Black Friday at a time when malls are becoming more popular. Drive Research says department stores are most popular, followed by grocery stores and apparel retailers. At the same time, Placer.ai, which tracks foot traffic via cell phone data, says mall traffic “surged” in October in all types of formats (indoor, open-air and outlets) in both urban and suburban areas. “The strong October data suggests that consumers are starting their holiday shopping earlier,” Placer.ai says, “driving unusually strong momentum before the traditional Black Friday and December peaks.” The National Retail Federation says Americans plan to spend on average about $890 during the holidays this year.