In-Person Shopping To Increase This Holiday Season

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This holiday season, Americans are planning to shop like it's 2019, according to a consumer survey released today by ICSC.

ICSC, the trade group representing the real estate side of the retail industry - the owners of shopping centers, malls, and other retail marketplaces - is reporting that 92% of consumers surveyed plan to shop in a physical store during the holiday season, up from 87% last year.

That is the highest percentage of consumers planning to shop in-person that the ICSC surveys have seen since 2019.

Tom McGee, ICSC president and CEO, views that jump not simply as a sign that pandemic fears have faded, but also as evidence of the growing synergy between in-store and online shopping.

"The lines have really begun to blur between online and physical shopping," McGee said in an interview. "Stores are increasingly not used just for traditional shopping. They're mini fulfillment centers. They're an opportunity to build a relationship with your customer as well as sell goods," he said.

ICSC kicked off the year by declaring 2024 the "year of the store", saying omnichannel initiatives have reached the point where the integral role the store plays is fully being recognized.