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We analyzed transactions for every day of the 2017 calendar year at 54,000 small, independent retailers across America. The result is a comprehensive look at when local retailers earn the most money, when they’re busiest, and which states make the most from patrons who #shoplocal.

Understanding this report

To understand the average day for retailers in America, we need to take a multidimensional look at the revenue performance on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis. To do this we break retailers’ daily revenue into the three key fundamental metrics we’ll use to identify trends:

Transactions, or how many individual payments retailers process, give us a sense of when retailers are busiest. While it is not an indication of visitors, it does tell us how many individual payments are processed during the period.

Purchase Price:, or how much patrons spend on average per transaction, is an interesting metric to track for retailers. Often, the biggest revenue days for retailers are the same days when consumers spend the least per transaction.

Revenue: is the metric that most business owners are familiar with. It’s the result of the number of transactions processed during the period and the amount consumers spent per transaction. It’s our mainsail metric and the one we used most to track the seasonal impact on local retailers.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: LOCAL RETAILERS’ AVERAGE DAY

To get started, let’s take a look at the average day for local retailers in The District: the District of Columbia. On an average day, local retailers in the District of Columbia process 14.4 transactions at $98 per purchase, which results in $1,412 in daily revenue. Compared to retailers in other states, the District of Columbia’s average daily revenue is 10.4% lower. They average 10.7% more transactions on a daily basis and their customers spend 19.1% less per purchase than consumers nationally.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S AVERAGE DAY

• REVENUE: $1,412
• TRANSACTIONS: 14.4
• PURCHASE PRICE: $98

If we were to officially rank D.C. with all 50 states it would place between Pennsylvania (24th) and Colorado (25th) for daily revenue generation.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average week

Next, let’s look beyond the daily trends to the average sales week for retailers in the District of Columbia. In 2017, local retailers in the District of Columbia typically made $9,909 each week, thanks to 101 weekly transactions at the average purchase price of $98.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S AVERAGE WEEK

• REVENUE: $9,909
• TRANSACTIONS: 101
• PURCHASE PRICE: $98

The District of Columbia’s local retailers’ average weekly revenue is 110.4% lower than the national average, and they process 11% more transactions than retailers nationally each week.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average daily revenue by day of the week

While it’s helpful to know what an average week looks like, most business owners can tell you just how different each day of the week can be for sales. To see how daily revenue changes during the week, refer to the top-center chart.

Independent retailers in the District of Columbia typically make $2,078 on Saturdays which is 47.2% better than their average day, and 24.1% higher than retailers nationally. On the flip-side, Sunday is typically the slowest day for retailers in the District of Columbia, generating only $1,016.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ daily transactions by day of the week

To see how the number of daily transactions changes from day to day, refer to the graph labeled, “transactions.”

In the District of Columbia, local retailers tend to be busiest on Saturdays. With an average of 22 daily transactions, Saturday is 53.2% better than their average day. On the other end of the spectrum, we have Tuesday, their slowest day of the week, when they only average 11.5 transactions.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ purchase price across the days of the week

Purchase price changes are quite interesting. In general, as the week goes on, the amount customers typically pay per purchase drops to the point that consumers are paying the least they pay all week on the busiest days for local retailers. To see how the District of Columbia compares to the national trend, refer to the graph labeled, “purchase price.”

In the District of Columbia, Tuesday is the day when consumers are spending the most per purchase, averaging $106 per purchase.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ weekday vs. weekend

Next, let’s see how consumer spending at local retailers in the District of Columbia varies from weekdays to weekends. In this analysis, we have grouped Monday-Thursday as “weekdays,” and Friday-Sunday as “weekends.”

Let’s look at the overall revenue contribution of weekdays and weekends. Over the the course of an average week, local retailers in the District of Columbia make about $1,281 on weekdays and $1,584 on weekends.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ top 3 weeks

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that most states have their best sales week during the holiday rush, but did you know that in 2017 the week leading up to Christmas Eve (December 17 to December 23) was the single best week for local retailers in 39 states and it was in the top-three weeks for 84% of local retailers nationally? Here’s a look at the District of Columbia’s top three weeks:

BEST WEEK

• December 17 – December 23
• 183% higher than their average week

SECOND-BEST WEEK

• December 10 – December 16
• 173% higher than their average week

THIRD-BEST WEEK

• May 7 – May 13
• 132% higher than their average week

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average month

Now, let’s look at the average sales month for retailers in the District of Columbia and how annual revenue is distributed across the months of the year, as well as how much retailers in the District of Columbia typically made each month.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S AVERAGE MONTH

• REVENUE: $42,938
• TRANSACTIONS: 437
• PURCHASE PRICE: $98

For starters, local retailers in the District of Columbia average $42,938 in revenue each month, thanks to 437 monthly transactions at an average purchase price of $98.

Compared to retailers nationally, the District of Columbia’s retailers’ average monthly revenue is 10.4% lower, and they process about 10.6% more transactions on a daily basis.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ percentage of annual revenue by month

In the graph above, we see the highest and lowest revenue-generating months for local retailers in the District of Columbia. This shows us that the average the District of Columbia retailer makes 11.6% of their annual revenue in December alone. In 2017, the retailers in the District of Columbia averaged $59,795 for the month. By contrast, January is typically the slowest month for retailers in the District of Columbia, as it only generates 6% of their annual revenue.

While a few percentage points may not seem that significant, there is a $28,887 difference in total monthly revenue between their best and slowest months.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average daily revenue by month

Next, we’ll take a look at the daily revenue for local retailers on a month-to-month basis. The three graphs above illustrate just how much the average daily revenue, transactions, and purchase prices fluctuate from month to month.

For example, the best month for local retailer revenues in the District of Columbia is December, when local retailers typically make $1,929 per day.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average daily transactions by month

Next, we see how the average daily transaction volume varies from month to month, revealing the ebbs and flows of shoppers visiting local retailers in the District of Columbia. We can see that in December–the month when their transaction volume is highest–local retailers average 17.7 daily transactions.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average daily purchase price by month

Which month do consumers spend the most per-purchase with local retailers in the District of Columbia? December. Consumers tend to spend $109 per purchase, compared to their usual purchase price of $98.

The District of Columbia: LOCAL RETAILERS’ AVERAGE YEAR

The graphs above give us a week-by-week look at revenue, transactions, and purchase price trends for local retailers in the District of Columbia across an entire year. Each flat line represents a full Sunday-to-Saturday week.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S AVERAGE YEAR

• REVENUE: $515,253
• TRANSACTIONS: 5,249
• PURCHASE PRICE: $98

All told, the District of Columbia retailers make about $515,253 in annual revenue over 5,249 total transactions at an average purchase price of $98. Compared to the retailers on the national level, retailers in the District of Columbia made 10.4% less in 2017 and processed 10.7% more transactions.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ year-end trends

Unsurprisingly, the closer we get to the end of the year, the higher the weeks rank for sales. The end-of-year holiday rush is, without a doubt, the single biggest money-making period for retailers across the country, as well as for retailers in the District of Columbia.

Notice the general trends of the District of Columbia’s overall revenue, transactions and purchase price as they draw closer to the end of the year. On a national level, transactions spike the closer they get to Christmas, while the average purchase price drops as consumers take advantage of holidays deals. Take a look at the revenue trends for the District of Columbia and how they compare to the national trend.

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: LOCAL RETAILERS’ KEY HOLIDAY SALES PERIODS

The holidays are high season for retail sales. In fact, many states make 1 out of every 4 dollars during this period. Let’s look at how important November and December are in terms of total annual revenue generation and what an average day during these months looks like.

The District of Columbia: local retailers during November and December

With November and December accounting for so much of the revenue generated during the course of the year, it helps to know what the “average day” during this period looks like and how it compares to the “average day” during the rest of the year.

During November and December, local retailers average $1,675 in daily revenue which is 18.6% higher than their average day. Those same retailers process 15.8 transactions on a daily basis (9.7% more than their average day). And the consumers’ average purchase price increases 8.1% to $106.

All said, the months of November and December account for 19.8% of the District of Columbia’s annual revenue generation and 18.3% of the year’s total transactions.

The District of Columbia: local retailers from Thanksgiving to Christmas

For many people, including most retailers, the holiday sales season doesn’t begin until Black Friday. In fact, the sales periods from Thanksgiving to Christmas is a four-week sprint for retailers across the country.

In the District of Columbia, local retailers typically average $1,997 in daily revenue between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s a 41.5% bump from their average day. Those same retailers process 18. transactions on a daily basis (a 25.2% lift compared to their average day), and the consumers’ average purchase price increases 13% to $111.

All told, the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas sales period accounts for 12.4% of the revenue and 11% of the year’s transactions for retailers in the District of Columbia.

The District of Columbia: LOCAL RETAILERS’ REVENUE TRENDS ON BLACK FRIDAY, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, AND CYBER MONDAY

You can’t talk about holiday sales without mentioning Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. In fact, they are some of the best revenue-generating days for local business owners across the country. Let’s closer look at each of these key sales days.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average Black Friday

On average, in 2017, Black Friday was the best sales day of the year for local retailers. When we ranked all 365 days of the year for the amount of revenue generated, Black Friday was one of the top 3 days for 40 of the 50 states. In fact, Black Friday was in the top 20 days for every state but Arkansas (where it was the 42nd-best) and Wisconsin (81st).

For local retailers in the District of Columbia, Black Friday was the 20th-best revenue-generating day of the year. Across the district, local retailers averaged $2,358 in daily revenue, which is 67.1% better than their average day.

BLACK FRIDAY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

• DAY RANK: 20th
• REVENUE: $2,358
• TRANSACTIONS: 18.7
• PURCHASE PRICE: $126

Compared to the national average retailer, those in the District of Columbia made 23.6% less in daily revenue on Black Friday. They averaged 18.7 transactions, which is 28.4% less than the national average. Their average purchase price of $126 is 6.7% higher than other states.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average Small Business Saturday

It’s hard to follow up Black Friday’s monumental revenue lift, but Small Business Saturday still packs a punch for local retailers’ revenue. It’s in the top 100 days of the year for 37 states and the 15th-best day of the year nationally.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

• DAY RANK: 32nd
• REVENUE: $2,182
• TRANSACTIONS: 19.7
• PURCHASE PRICE: $111

For independent retailers in the District of Columbia, Small Business Saturday was the 32nd-highest revenue generating day of the year. Across the district, local retailers averaged $2,182 in daily revenue, 19.7 transactions, and a purchase price of $111. Compared to retailers across the country, Small Business Saturday revenues were 9% above the national average in the District of Columbia.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ average Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday isn’t just for e-commerce companies like Amazon; it’s the 11th-best sales day of the year for local retailers across the United States.

For local retailers in the District of Columbia, Cyber Monday was their 128th-best day of the year. Across the district, local retailers averaged $1,541 in daily revenue, 11 transactions, and an average purchase price of $140.

CYBER MONDAY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

• DAY RANK: 128th
• REVENUE: $1,541
• TRANSACTIONS: 11
• PURCHASE PRICE: $140

Compared to the national average retailer, the District of Columbia’s local retailers made 28.5% less in daily revenue on Cyber Monday. Their transactions were 23.9% below the national average, while their average purchase price was 6% lower than other states.

The District of Columbia: local retailers’ prominent days vs. their average day

Retailers put a lot of focus and work into holidays and big-sale days. Here’s how the District of Columbia retailers’ prominent days rank compared to their average day.

DAY	RANK/365	DAILY REVENUE	CHANGE IN REVENUE	DAILY TRANSACTIONS	CHANGE IN TRANSACTIONS	AVG PURCHASE PRICE	CHANGE IN PURCHASE PRICE
MLK day	276	$ 1,013.65	-28%	10.87	-24%	$ 93.27	-5%
Valentine’s Day	162	$ 1,400.93	-1%	10.29	-28%	$ 136.09	39%
President’s Day	230	$ 1,133.19	-20%	17.38	21%	$ 65.19	-34%
St. Patrick’s Day	192	$ 1,307.51	-7%	15.04	5%	$ 86.91	-11%
Easter Sunday	362	$ 326.16	-77%	5.43	-62%	$ 60.11	-39%
Cinco de Mayo	49	$ 1,995.16	41%	18.50	29%	$ 107.85	10%
Mother’s Day	199	$ 1,284.54	-9%	14.04	-2%	$ 91.46	-7%
Memorial Day	197	$ 1,286.96	-9%	13.93	-3%	$ 92.41	-6%
Father’s Day	186	$ 1,319.96	-6%	12.51	-13%	$ 105.47	7%
July 4th	360	$ 404.32	-71%	8.40	-42%	$ 48.15	-51%
Veteran’s Day	36	$ 2,143.40	52%	21.91	52%	$ 97.82	0%
Thanksgiving	364	$ 52.60	-96%	1.10	-92%	$ 47.69	-51%
Black Friday	20	$ 2,358.22	67%	18.66	30%	$ 126.37	29%
Small Business Saturday	32	$ 2,182.10	55%	19.68	37%	$ 110.90	13%
Cyber Monday	128	$ 1,540.84	9%	11.04	-23%	$ 139.52	42%
Christmas Eve	102	$ 1,666.40	18%	18.54	29%	$ 89.86	-8%
Christmas Day	365	$ 16.54	-99%	0.50	-97%	$ 33.09	-66%
New Year’s Eve	350	$ 665.50	-53%	9.24	-36%	$ 72.06	-27%

METHODOLOGY

Womply analyzed daily revenue for 54,000 local, independent retailers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for all 365 days of the 2017 calendar year. Retailers were only qualified for the analysis if Womply had a full year of transaction history and the business recorded multiple transactions per day. Category and overall state rankings are based on a composite score of each state’s transactions, average ticket sizes, and overall daily revenue.

ABOUT WOMPLY

Womply is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider to small businesses and one of the fastest growing software companies in America. Our mission is to help small businesses thrive in a digital world. Every day we serve more than 100,000 small businesses across 400+ business verticals, in every corner of America. To learn more, visit https://www.womply.com or email info@womply.com.