London Retail Network

The Challenge

A major retailer with 6 London locations wanted to understand how footfall patterns varied across their stores and throughout the calendar year. They needed data to inform staffing decisions, promotional timing, and stock allocation — especially for peak trading periods like Black Friday and the Christmas rush.

The Solution

Data Jam sensors were installed across all 6 locations, capturing four months of continuous footfall data from September through December. The resulting dataset — over 20 million verified impressions — revealed patterns that transformed their approach to peak trading.

The Lunchtime Shopping Surge

The data revealed a clear daily rhythm. Footfall begins building from 6am with early commuters, accelerates through the morning, then peaks sharply at lunchtime between 12pm-1pm. This lunch hour delivered nearly 2 million impressions — the single most valuable trading hour of the day.

After the lunch peak, traffic gradually declines through the afternoon and evening, with approximately 70% of daily footfall occurring during weekday business hours. Weekend traffic, while lower in volume, showed higher dwell times and basket values.

The Black Friday Discovery

November 29th (Black Friday) delivered the single highest footfall day of the entire measurement period: 364,391 visitors across the network. This was 89% above the daily average — but crucially, the data showed the surge wasn't limited to a single 'doorbusters' hour.

Unlike online, where Black Friday traffic concentrates in early morning deal windows, physical store traffic remained elevated throughout the day, from 10am through 8pm. This insight informed a shift from 'flash sale' tactics to all-day promotional pricing in physical stores.

Seasonal Build-Up

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