Generation-Z shoppers might be glued to their laptops and smartphones much of the time, but they are far less likely than Millennials and GenX-ers to do their holiday shopping online, according to an NPD Group survey.
In part this is because Gen-Z consumers see shopping as an opportunity to socialize and be entertained, observes Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser at The NPD Group, as reported on CNBC.
“College students are coming home, and now they have the opportunity to shop with either family or friends,” Cohen said. “The mall isn’t just about shopping.”
The survey’s conclusion echoes that of an A.T. Kearney report last fall that also shows a heavy preference for physical stores among Gen-Z shoppers (the group typically comprises young people between the ages of 14 and 24). That survey found that roughly 80 percent of Gen-Z shoppers would rather shop in brick-and-mortar stores.
For young consumers, the act of shopping is about much more than just buying merchandise, according to Marshal Cohen, of The NPD Group
About one-third of Gen-Z consumers plan to begin their holiday shopping on Black Friday, according to NPD Group's 2019 Holiday Purchase Intentions Survey. That constitutes a larger proportion than the other age groups.
By Edmund Mander
Director, Editor-In-Chief/SCT
