5 myths about the weather's impact on retail

The weather influences the decisions people make every day, from what they wear to what they eat and drink, from home mantainance tasks to leisure activities. These daily decisions alter the overall flow of commerce and influence performance across the retail industry. The conditions outside will often determine if consumers are heading inside to stores or visiting websites, and how they shift their spending among certain products, services or entertainment options. However, weather’s influence on consumers is complex and nuanced; temperature or precipitation data is easily misinterpreted and misused.

To help retailers better understand and plan for weather’s influence, NRF and business weather intelligence firm Planalytics have identified five myths about the weather's impact on retail.

Myth 1: You can’t plan for the weather.

Myth 2: It all evens out in the end.

Myth 3: Consumers will shop during the holidays, regardless of the weather.

Myth 4: My products aren’t seasonal, so the weather doesn’t affect me.

Myth 5: I’m an online retailer — the weather doesn’t impact me.

For more information on how weather affects retail business planning, listen to NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast episode with Planalytic's Evan Gold.