Walmart saw steady instore traffic in Q2, with same-store visits holding between +0.8% and -1.6% year over year (YoY) for the months of May through July, foot traffic research firm Placer.ai said in a new report.

“This stability suggests that Walmart is growing its digital business without significantly cannibalizing physical store traffic—supporting analyst expectations for a strong Q2 earnings report,” Placer.ai said.

Walmart’s plethora of instore items and large grocery selection “make it a prime destination for habitual, necessity-driven shopping,” Placer.ai said. In Q2, about 34.0% of shoppers visited Walmart at least four times a month.

Walmart has performed well in recent months, exceeding analyst expectations with sales growth driven largely by its profitable e-commerce segment. Last quarter, Walmart posted comparable sales growth (excluding fuel) of +4.5%, with e-commerce contributing approximately 3.5 percentage points to that growth, according to research.

“The data validates the company’s omnichannel strategy, indicating an ability to grow its digital business without materially sacrificing its foundational in-store visitor base,” the research firm said. “Walmart’s foot traffic stability combined with proven ecommerce growth positions it well to continue outperforming, especially as consumer caution favors essentials and convenience. Furthermore, the retailer’s rebranding and push into broader, discretionary categories may help attract higher-income consumers who are trading down.”

Meanwhile over at Target, the retailer continues to see modest but persistent visit declines since February 2025, a trend that “signals ongoing headwinds in discretionary categories,” Placer.ai said. “Target, for its part, faces a more difficult strategic balancing act in the months ahead. Augmenting its offerings with compelling essentials will be critical.”

In January 2025, NACS Daily reported that big box retailers’ grasp on consumers was only getting stronger. The three biggest retailers by revenue in the U.S. are Costco, Walmart and Amazon—Amazon and Walmart’s fast-growing online sales, including those from third-party sellers, help them generate high-margin profit streams such as advertising and third-party fulfillment services. This in turn gives these retailers room to cut pricing to attract more customers.