Retail Store Visits Fell 2% When Gas Hit $4 as Tariffs Drove Value Shopping
Updated
Updated · talkbusiness.net · Aug 6
Retail Store Visits Fell 2% When Gas Hit $4 as Tariffs Drove Value Shopping
3 articles · Updated · talkbusiness.net · Aug 6
Summary
$4-a-gallon gasoline in early February marked a clear break in shopping patterns, with visits across top retailers swinging from 4% growth to a 2% year-over-year decline, Placer.ai said.
Higher fuel costs and shifting tariff deadlines made shoppers more price-sensitive, pushing more spending toward Walmart, Costco and online channels; visits to e-commerce distribution centers rose about 15% in mid-March and nearly 25% through April and May.
Tax refunds briefly lifted traffic in April, but gains faded as gas stayed elevated through May; visits improved again in June as fuel prices eased and summer sales events, including an earlier Amazon Prime promotion, drew shoppers back.
Off-price chains still outperformed the broader slowdown, with Ross traffic up 17.2% in the first half, while analysts said lower-income consumers were making sharper trade-offs as gas prices rose again in mid- to late-July.