81% of Gen Z consumers in the U.S. would rather to shop in stores to discover new products.
Forrester Consulting conducted the study on behalf of Shopify. The survey covered consumers and businesses in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The study included 12,000 global adult consumers who have made an online purchase in the last year, and 350 commerce strategy and decision makers at consumer packaged goods and retail companies that generate at least $500,000 in annual online revenue.
The statistic matters because it challenges the perception that Gen Z consumers primarily rely on e-commerce. Despite growing up in a digital era, the preference for in-store experiences highlights the importance of physical retail spaces in capturing attention, providing tactile experiences, and fostering discovery. Understanding this preference can help businesses strategize their marketing and sales efforts to effectively target and engage this consumer segment.
