Online shopping has become ridiculously easy - just a few taps on your phone and you’re sorted. 

From TikTok trends sparking impulse buys to the rise of shoppable ads, e-commerce is more convenient than ever. In fact, 15% of people admit they’re more likely to buy after watching a shoppable ad than a standard one. 

Despite the lure of digital convenience though, Gen Z are stepping away from screens and walking into physical stores.

Why are Gen Z shifting towards physical stores?

It’s all about that real-world connection.

While 95% of Gen Z enjoy online shopping, 97% still relish a trip to the mall. For this generation, it’s not just about buying, it’s about the experience.

Shopping isn’t just about buying clothes or browsing; it’s about an afternoon out with friends, catching up, buy themselves a ‘little treat’ and create some content around the whole experience.

What’s more, 39% saying they shop IRL to avoid disappointment, so they can touch, test, and try before they buy.

You might read the above and think, “well that’s nothing new, that’s what people were doing in the ‘80s and ‘90s” - and you’d be right.

But the reason this is important now is because it suggests a stark shift back to the physical store, despite the fact most people think Gen Z just do everything online.

How can brands satisfy Gen Z at retail?

By creating one-of-a-kind experiences that make leaving the house worth it.

During the pandemic, many brands raced ahead with digital experience development online, creating eCom experiences that were far superior to that of their stores.

But now, with this counter-shift, brands have to focus on bringing their in-store experience up-to-scratch, with unique reasons to visit their stores.

Many retailers are blending shopping with entertainment - pop-up events, live product demonstrations, and collaborations with local artists are all designed to turn shopping into more than just a transactional experience.

The Need for Speed (and Touch)

Gen Z has grown up with on-demand everything: streaming, same-day delivery, instant messaging.

But while online shopping offers speed, it doesn’t satisfy the tactile need to see, touch, and feel products. For 28% of Gen Z, that’s a non-negotiable.

Add in their financial savviness - 90% of Gen Z worry about their personal finances - and it’s clear why they want to avoid wasting money on something they haven’t checked out properly. 

“Affordable, immediate, and tangible: these are the three pillars driving Gen Z into stores.”

Even social media plays its part. TikTok inspires trends that push people off their phones and into shops. In the UK, grocery retailers have capitalised on this with in-store experiences inspired by viral food trends, offering customers the chance to recreate their favourite social media recipes in real-time. 

Retailers are realising they don’t need to compete with social media - they can collaborate with it, using it as a launchpad to drive foot traffic.

Blurring Online and Offline

For Gen Z, it’s never just one or the other. They are truly the omnichannel generation, researching online, then shopping in-store (or vice versa). 

Retailers who offer ‘phygital’ experiences will hit the sweetspot.

In their Beverly Hills store, fashion retailer COS have launched smart mirrors, which allow customers trying clothes on to request different products or sizes to be bought to their fitting room without having to leave and grab them themselves.

Technology like this, which makes Gen Z (and all other shoppers for that matter) feel waited on and taken care of, are a huge reasons to visit your stores when out on a shopping trip.

Rounding off

Gen Z are shopping in the real world, but are they choosing your store when they do go out?

To win over Gen Z, it’s not enough to just open your doors: you need to create spaces that feature unique experiences, tactility and fun.

Get those things right, and Gen Z will create content around your stores that will in turn bring more Gen Zers through the doors.

From social experiences to unique moments, the retail brands that deliver on Gen Z’s values and preferences are the ones thriving in this new retail era.