Black Friday weekend 2024 revealed divergent trends between the furniture and mattress industries. The furniture sector faced declining foot traffic (-9.4%) and revenue (-8.2%), while the mattress industry showed growth in both metrics (traffic +13.9%, revenue +6.2%). These contrasting performances highlight the varying dynamics within the home goods retail market during this key shopping period.
Both industries experienced significant shifts in consumer behavior, with furniture seeing improved conversion rates despite lower traffic and the mattress industry showing stronger weekend performance with notable gains in both traffic and sales. While furniture retailers struggled with declining average tickets, the mattress sector successfully shifted its sales pattern, particularly with stronger Sunday performance, suggesting different consumer responses to promotional strategies between the two sectors.
Furniture Industry
Foot Traffic
The furniture industry experienced a notable decline in foot traffic during Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023, with decreases observed across all three days. Black Friday itself saw a 6.4% drop from 44.85 to 42.00, followed by a more substantial decrease on Saturday of 13.3% (from 30.92 to 26.80), and concluding with a 10.2% decline on Sunday (from 19.69 to 17.68). The consistent pattern of decline across both years suggests that while fundamental shopping behaviors remain unchanged, there’s an overall shift away from in-store furniture shopping during this traditionally busy weekend.
Average Ticket
The furniture industry experienced a mixed performance in average ticket values during Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023. Black Friday itself saw a concerning decline, with average tickets dropping from $2,272.50 to $2,131.55, representing a 6.2% decrease. However, Saturday showed resilience with a slight improvement from $2,360.90 to $2,377.38, marking a 0.7% increase. This upward momentum didn’t carry through to Sunday, which experienced a decrease from $2,576.65 to $2,349.62, an 8.8% reduction in average ticket value.
Daily Revenue
The furniture industry experienced a notable decline in daily revenue across Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023. Black Friday itself saw revenues drop from $53,915.53 to $50,860.63, representing a 5.7% decrease. This downward trend continued more sharply into Saturday, where revenues fell from $37,742.24 to $34,380.92, marking a 8.9% decline. Sunday followed with the steepest relative drop, falling from $23,849.45 to $20,756.58, a significant 13% decrease. The total weekend revenue declined from $115,507.22 in 2023 to $105,998.13 in 2024, an overall decrease of 8.2%.
Sales Conversion
Despite an industry-wide decrease in foot traffic, the furniture sector saw a remarkable improvement in conversion rates during Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023. Black Friday itself experienced the most substantial increase, jumping from 52.99% to 57.63%, representing a 4.63 percentage point improvement. This trend continued through Saturday, where conversion rates rose from 48.13% to 54.27%, marking a significant 6.14 percentage point increase. Sunday maintained this positive momentum, with rates increasing from 51.28% to 53.67%, showing a 2.39 percentage point gain.
Mattress Industry
Foot Traffic
The mattress industry demonstrated positive growth in foot traffic during Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023, showing resilience in brick-and-mortar retail performance. Black Friday saw a modest increase from 7.9 to 8.1 visitors, representing a 2.5% improvement. Saturday showed the most significant growth, with traffic increasing from 5.4 to 6.7 visitors, marking a substantial 24.1% gain. This upward trend continued into Sunday, where traffic rose from 2.9 to 3.65 visitors, reflecting a robust 25.9% increase. The strong performance suggests a renewed consumer interest in in-store mattress shopping during the promotional weekend.
Average Ticket
The mattress industry experienced a significant shift in average ticket values during Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023, with notable declines during the first two days but a surprising surge on Sunday. Black Friday saw a substantial drop in average ticket value from $2,279.20 to $1,780.05, representing a concerning 21.9% decrease. This downward trend continued into Saturday, where the average ticket fell from $2,258.30 to $1,716.25, marking an even steeper 24% decline. However, Sunday broke this pattern dramatically, with average tickets increasing from $2,164.30 to $2,441.20, showing a remarkable 12.8% improvement.
Daily Revenue
The mattress industry showed mixed revenue performance during Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023, marked by a decline on Friday but growth on both Saturday and Sunday. Black Friday revenue decreased from $10,592.20 to $9,600.85, representing a 9.4% decline. However, this was offset by stronger weekend performance, with Saturday revenue increasing from $7,585.70 to $8,036.35, a 5.9% improvement, and Sunday showing the most dramatic growth from $3,879.40 to $5,779.05, a substantial 49% increase. The total weekend revenue grew from $22,057.30 in 2023 to $23,416.25 in 2024, representing a 6.2% overall increase.
Conversion Rate
The mattress industry demonstrated improved conversion rates across Black Friday weekend 2024 compared to 2023, with gains observed on all three days. Black Friday saw a modest increase from 73.15% to 73.97%, representing a 0.82 percentage point improvement. Saturday showed the most significant growth, with conversion rates jumping from 65.21% to 71.82%, marking a substantial 6.60 percentage point increase. This upward trend continued into Sunday, where rates improved from 57.17% to 61.71%, reflecting a strong 4.54 percentage point gain. The consistent improvement suggests enhanced effectiveness in converting store visits into sales.
Conclusion
The Black Friday weekend performance of 2024 reveals a home goods retail landscape in transition, with traditional shopping patterns evolving differently across sectors. While the furniture industry’s declining traffic but improved conversion rates suggest a shift toward more purposeful shopping behavior, the mattress industry’s growth in both traffic and revenue indicates successful adaptation to changing consumer preferences. These trends point to an increasing need for sector-specific strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all approach to Black Friday promotions.
The contrasting performances between these two related but distinct industries highlight the importance of understanding and responding to unique consumer behaviors within each sector. As retailers look toward future holiday seasons, the success of the mattress industry in spreading sales across the weekend, combined with the furniture industry’s ability to convert at higher rates despite lower traffic, provides valuable insights for developing more effective promotional and operational strategies in the evolving retail landscape.
