When it comes to shoe shopping, Gen Z and millennials still prefer to shop at retail stores. That’s according to a new study from Collage Group, which surveyed the shopping habits of more than 3,000 consumers across multiple generations.
Across all Gen Z, millennial, Gen X and boomer respondents, big box stores (like Target and Walmart) and shoe retailers (such as Shoe Carnival, Famous Footwear and Foot Locker) were voted the number one place people enjoy buying their shoes. Among the two younger generations, people were more in favor of shoe retail stores. Meanwhile, older generations like Gen X and Boomers are more evenly distributed across a variety of channels, such as big box stores, online channels and department stores.
The survey also found that most consumers enjoy a clothing and shoe shopping experience that blends online and physical stores. 55 percent of millennials said they shop online and in stores, the highest percentage across all generation groups. Across all generations, the percentages of consumers who like only shopping online was the lowest.
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The data also found that a third of millennials like window shopping in stores and then making purchases online. Only 14 percent of boomers said they would do that.
The results come as retailers across the board remain bullish on physical retail, after a period in the pandemic of outsized e-commerce demand. As the retail industry recovers, companies like Academy Sports + Outdoors, Dollar General and Belk are rolling out ambitious store expansion plans. Meanwhile, other retailers are honing in on robust in-store strategies that excite consumers and offer unique experiences.
“Tenant demand is excellent, and brick-and-mortar stores are where shoppers want to be,” said president and CEO of Simon Property Group David Simon in an early May call with analysts.
The Collage Group survey also found that nearly half of consumers (46 percent) have or would enroll in a footwear or apparel rewards program, with millennials, at 51 percent, being the most likely to enroll. Boomers, on the other hand, were the generation with the least interest in rewards, at 37 percent.
