Despite the constant flow of visitors to Russian shopping centers, traffic to stores in the main product categories in the first half of the year decreased by 3–12% compared to the previous year, the Kommersant newspaper reports.
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This trend is associated with increased competition from relatively unknown brands, the increasing influence of online trading and the partial transition of consumers to savings. Experts suggest that negative dynamics may lead to forced closure of unprofitable stores by retailers.
Thus, the number of buyers in comparable stores of perfumes and cosmetics in shopping centers in Russia in the first half of the year decreased by 3% year-on-year, DIY – by 8%, clothing and footwear – by 10%, goods for children – by 12%, according to Focus Technologies. . The decline can be seen while maintaining stable traffic in shopping centers in general. Consumers continue to actively go to them to visit entertainment areas and catering establishments: the number of orders in the latter in the first half of the year increased by 1% year-on-year, Focus Technologies says. A similar trend is recorded in NF Group.
Mikhail Vasiliev, head of research and consulting at Focus Technologies, attributes the decline in store traffic to increased competition: new stores are actively opening in place of departed foreign brands. Nikoliers notes that in the first half of the year, 16 foreign brands from China, Italy, Turkey, Germany, etc. entered the market. By the end of the year, 17 more chains are planning to open, consultants note.
65% of exits are now formed by fashion retailers, 15% by electronics chains, 10% by sportswear sellers, said Evgenia Khakberdieva, regional director of the retail real estate department of NF Group . She clarified that in 2023, tenants were actively introducing new store formats to the market: at first they attracted new visitors, and now they have become familiar.
Increasing competition with marketplaces is putting additional pressure on the market. According to Fashion Consulting Group, three quarters of consumers now look for information on the Internet before purchasing clothes.
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