The document summarizes the results of a survey of 98 senior retail executives across five retail segments regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses. Key findings include:
- Over 80% of respondents have closed some stores due to COVID-19, with apparel retailers being most impacted.
- Respondents expect it will take several months for store traffic to return to pre-COVID levels, with apparel/department store executives being the least optimistic.
- Respondents anticipate online sales penetration will remain 6-13 percentage points higher than pre-COVID levels after the crisis ends.
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How retailers are preparing for the post-coronavirus recovery
1. McKinsey & Company 1McKinsey & Company 1
Ninety-eight senior executives across five retail segments were
surveyed.
39
16
10
14
20
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey - 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; Approximately how many stores do you operate in the USA? If your company is part of a
larger parent company, please only answer for the number of stores under your banner. What type of retailer is your company?
24
26
17
33
1 to 100 101 to 400 401 to 900 > 900
Distribution of respondents by
number of stores
% of respondents
Distribution of respondents
by segment
% of respondentsSegment Attributes
Apparel Multi-brand and vertically integrated
single-brand apparel
Department stores /
off-price
Multi-category department stores
Beauty Beauty-focused mall- and non-mall-
based retailers
Specialty – big box Non-mall-based specialty retailers,
often with stores larger than 10,000
SFT
Specialty – small box Mall-based specialty retailers, often
with stores less than 10,000 SFT
2. McKinsey & Company 2McKinsey & Company 2
More than 80 percent of respondents indicate they are facing some
level of store closures, with apparel retailers impacted most.
25%
of respondents say they have
closed stores because of
COVID-19 but are still
operating BOPIS and ship-
from-store 25 18
31 30 29
20
44
76 56 60
7
60
14
13 10
21
2018
43
Department
stores / off-
price
Overall1 Specialty -
small box
Apparel Beauty Specialty
- big box
0
100 100 100 100 100 100
5
Open Open in certain locations Closed, with BOPIS or ship-from-storeClosed; no BOPIS or ship-from-store available
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey - 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What is the status of your stores currently?
44%
of respondents indicate they
have completely shut down
their operations because of
COVID-19. Apparel has been
particularly impacted
Store-closure status by segment, % of respondents
Apparel stores are
particularly
impacted
Some players in this
category fall under
the ‘essential’
category
1. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
3. McKinsey & Company 3
Expectation for time to recovery to pre-COVID-19 store traffic
% of respondents
McKinsey & Company 3
Respondents say they expect store traffic to rebound, but not for
several months.
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey - 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; How much time do you think is required to ramp back pre-COVID-19 store traffic levels?
10 7 10
8 11
50
7
3522
29
44
30
7
40
49
47
30
57
1516
8
30
21
100
BeautyOverall1
66
Specialty -
small box
Department
stores / off-
price
5
Apparel Specialty
- big box
100 100 100 100 100
12 to 24 monthsLess than 2 months 6 to 12 months2 to 6 months Never
Less than
2 months
Never
1. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
Respondents from apparel
and department / off-price
retailers are the least
optimistic about time for
traffic recovery
Respondents from beauty
retailers are the most
optimistic about time for
traffic recovery
4. McKinsey & Company 4McKinsey & Company 4
Respondents expect the COVID-19-related shift to e-commerce to be “sticky,”
with online penetration remaining 6-13 pp above pre-COVID-19 levels.
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey - 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; About how much of your business pre COVID-19 was through e-commerce (including
BOPIS)?; what do you think will be the new e-commerce penetration for your business?
17
26
16
20
15
21
26
39
26
29
21
31
BeautyOverall3 Specialty - big boxApparel Specialty - small boxDepartment
stores / off-price
Pre-COVID-19 Post-COVID-19
Pre- and post-COVID-19 online penetration,
Online sales as a percentage of total sales,1,2
Biggest jump expected for
apparel and department stores
1. n = 91 respondents
2. Self-reported measures of the pre-COVID-19 base case of online sales
3. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
5. McKinsey & Company 5
Reopening plan readiness
% of respondents
McKinsey & Company 5
Most respondents say they are still in the process of developing the
criteria for reopening stores; few have defined plans.
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; Has your team developed specific criteria for store reopening?
This segment
includes some
‘essential’ retailers
who have not
closed their stores
14 16 19
10 14
9061
76
81
80
36
10
25
8 10
50
Overall1
100
Specialty -
small box
Department
stores / off-
price
Specialty
- big box
Apparel
100
Beauty
100 100 100 100
Plan ready In process No plan
1. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
75%
of respondents say they have
not yet developed specific
criteria for store reopening
6. McKinsey & Company 6
Besides regulation and infection rates, retailers are tracking several
financial and operational metrics to inform store reopening.
Considerations for store reopening, % of respondents ranking the consideration as the top 3 most important
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; Aside from regulation and infection rates, what are top KPIs/trends (up to 3) that you will track to determine which stores to re-open and when?
55%
44%
42%
41%
24%
21%
9%
8%
45%
42%
66%
47%
13%
24%
18%
3%
75%
56%
50%
31%
25%
13%
13%
0%
70%
50%
30%
40%
40%
20%
10%
10%
57%
43%
21%
36%
29%
21%
14%
0%
50%
30%
50%
60%
35%
15%
10%
10%
1. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
Actions of 1-2 specific
co-tenants
Field workforce availability
Store manager availability
Store performance prior to
COVID-19
Pre-COVID-19 e-commerce
performance
Actions of competitors
Current e-commerce sales
Financial breakeven to
open store(s)
Consideration Overall1 Apparel
Department
stores/off-
price Beauty
Specialty –
big box
Specialty –
small box
Workforce
availability, store
performance,
and actions of
competitors
emerge as the
top 3
considerations
across
segments
7. McKinsey & Company 7
Retailers are considering a range of different measures to promote
customer and employee safety.
Actions to ensure employee and customer safety,1 % of respondents
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What short-term actions will you take to ensure employee / customer safety when you reopen stores?
Action Overall2 Apparel
Department
stores/off-
price Beauty
Specialty –
Big box
Specialty -
Small box
90%
54%
49%
34%
24%
22%
21%
15%
14%
11%
4%
3%
Limit # of customers in stores
Product testing / try on only if
assisted by an associate
Increased store cleanings
Sneeze guards / plexi-glass
at checkout
Mandatory distance
between customers
Limited fitting room availability
Mandating employees wear personal
protective equipment (e.g., gloves, masks)
Temperature check for associates
Dedicated hours for seniors and
at-risk customers
Fixed batch store associate
scheduling
No product testing / no try-on
Temperature check for customers
92%
50%
74%
45%
24%
21%
29%
13%
8%
5%
8%
0%
100%
50%
31%
25%
25%
31%
19%
13%
25%
19%
6%
0%
90%
20%
30%
30%
10%
40%
10%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
86%
71%
36%
29%
29%
29%
21%
21%
21%
7%
7%
0%
95%
20%
40%
25%
20%
10%
15%
5%
5%
0%
0%
0%
40% of respondents
from beauty retailers
are considering
limiting product
testing
Increased store
cleanings and in-
store customer
management
emerge as top
safety initiatives
1. Respondents could select multiple options
2. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
8. McKinsey & Company 8
Many respondents expect to modify returns policies and handling
processes to improve customer convenience and safety.
Changes in returns-management policies and processes,1 % of respondents
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What changes if any are you planning to institute around returns management?
40%
25%
19%
14%
10%
7%
4%
2%
Not allowing returns on any
products purchased
Extending window for
returns
Not allowing returns on any
products purchased
Discarding returned
products with infection risk
Limiting returns to mail-only
No change in return policy
Limiting window for returns
Cleaning / disinfecting
returned products
21%
34%
32%
18%
18%
3%
5%
0%
31%
25%
38%
13%
6%
6%
6%
0%
20%
10%
50%
20%
0%
0%
0%
0%
64%
21%
7%
7%
7%
7%
0%
0%
45%
35%
20%
10%
5%
5%
5%
5%
1. Respondents could select multiple options
2. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
Changes Overall2 Apparel
Department
stores/off-
price Beauty
Specialty –
big box
Specialty –
small box30%+ of
respondents from
apparel and
specialty small-
box retailers say
they are
considering
options for
disinfecting
returned
products
Respondents
from beauty
retailers indicate
a preference to
discard returned
products with an
infection risk
9. McKinsey & Company 9
A majority of respondents expect to initially reopen stores with
reduced hours and lower staffing levels.
Short-term operating-model changes,1 % of respondents
59%
55%
20%
20%
16%
16%
63%
63%
37%
34%
8%
13%
94%
75%
19%
19%
6%
13%
50%
50%
20%
30%
10%
0%
50%
43%
7%
14%
21%
21%
65%
70%
15%
15%
10%
10%
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What short-term changes in store operating model will you make when you reopen stores?
Reduced hours
Start with only BOPIS /
ship-from-store
Reduced staffing levels
No change; business as
usual
Reduced # of open days /
week
Parts of the store blocked
off
1. Respondents could select multiple options
2. 'Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
Operating-model
changes Overall2 Apparel
Department
stores/off-
price Beauty
Specialty –
big box
Specialty –
small box
Reduced
operating hours
and reduced
staffing levels
emerge as the
top 2 operating-
model changes
across
segments
10. McKinsey & Company 10McKinsey & Company 10
Respondents across segments expect to reopen stores with fewer
store associates.
22%
Average expected
reduction in the number of
store associates across
segments
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What was the average # of store associates / store before COVID-19?, What do you think will be the average # of store
associates / store when you reopen?
1. Based on mean reported values before and after COVID-19
2. Due to survey flow, 44% of respondents answered this question
3. ‘Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
22
26 25
27
17
22
Overall3 Apparel Specialty –
small box
Specialty
– big box
BeautyDepartment
stores / off-price
Respondents from beauty
retailers expect the most
reduction and specialty big-
box retailers expect the
least reduction in associate
count
Expected reduction1 in the number of store associates post-COVID-19
% reduction in number of store associates per store2
11. McKinsey & Company 11
The retailers surveyed expect the need to retrain a portion of their
workforce when they reopen stores.
29 26 25
10
36 30
27
16
31
20
36 50
21
18
25
30
21 1010
13 20
10
10
21 13 10 10
Overall1
0
Specialty -
small box
5
0 3
0
Apparel
0
6
0
Department
stores / off-price
0
0
Specialty
- big box
0
0
Beauty
0
7 0
Only new hires will need training 10% to 30%Less than 10% 60% to 75%40% to 60% 75% to 90% 100%
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What % of store associates will need retraining when you reopen?, How many hours of
training do you think is needed to re-onboard store associates when you re-open?
Apparel retailers expect the
need to retrain the highest
percentage of their
workforce
Retailers expect 8 hours of
retraining per associate on
average
1. ‘Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
Need for store associate retraining
% of respondents
XX Average hours of training per associate
8 6 6 9 11 6
12. McKinsey & Company 12McKinsey & Company 12
Respondents say they are considering not reopening
underperforming stores and pausing plans for new store openings.
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What actions are you considering with respect to your store network footprint?
32
53
38
50
7
40
Specialty
retailer -
small box
Specialty
retailer -
big box
ApparelOverall1 BeautyDepartment
stores / off-
price
34 37 38
50
29
15
Specialty
retailer -
big box
Overall1 Apparel BeautyDepartment
stores / off-
price
Specialty
retailer -
small box
Respondents considering closing
underperforming stores, % of respondents
Respondents considering pausing store
openings, % of respondents
1. ‘Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
32%
of respondents are considering closing underperforming stores
34%
of respondents are considering pausing new store opening plans
13. McKinsey & Company 13
While most respondents are not considering format changes due to
COVID-19, apparel retailers aim to improve online integration.
Long-term changes in store format,1 % of respondents
Source: COVID-19 retail recovery survey – 04/06/2020 to 04/08/2020; What long-term changes in store format do you think you will see or are you planning for the store/some stores when you re-open?
13%
76%
29%
24%
13%
3%
50%
45%
5%
5%
0%
0%
69%
31%
13%
6%
6%
13%
80%
10%
10%
0%
0%
0%
71%
29%
7%
0%
0%
0%
Better online integration
(e.g., designated area for
BOPIS)
Dark stores focused on
omni fulfillment
Featuring 3rd party brands
in store (leasing space to
them)
Stores converted
to clearance/outlets
Experiential retail
(showroom only, no/low
inventory)
No change; business as
usual
50%
45%
13%
12%
5%
2%
1. Respondents could select multiple options
2. ‘Overall' values calculated as an average of segments weighted by their US market size in 2019
Service Overall2 Apparel
Department
stores/off-
price Beauty
Specialty –
big box
Specialty –
small box
Most players in
non-apparel
segments do not
foresee any long-
term changes in
store format
14. McKinsey does not provide legal, medical, or other regulated advice or
guarantee results. These materials reflect general insight and best practice
based on information currently available and do not contain all of the
information needed to determine a future course of action. Such
information has not been generated or independently verified by McKinsey
and is inherently uncertain and subject to change. McKinsey has no
obligation to update these materials and makes no representation or
warranty and expressly disclaims any liability with respect thereto.