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Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Prefer Shopping In-Store Over Online Shopping According to Coldwell Banker Commercial SurveyMADISON, N.J., Nov. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The retail industry is in the midst of epic change and while some predict the end of brick and mortar stores, a recent Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates survey conducted online by Harris Poll aimed to explore current shopper preferences and trends to determine the real state of commercial real estate today. According to the survey, nearly half (47 percent) of U.S. adults surveyed prefer to make purchases in-store over shopping online. "Despite doomsday headlines about the retail industry and how e-commerce has taken over, our survey has found that Americans still enjoy and remain loyal to in-store shopping, regardless of the retail climate," noted Fred Schmidt, president and chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates. "When asked a similar question in 2016, 43 percent of Americans preferred to shop in-store over online, and this year it has ticked up to 47 percent of Americans. All in all, this shows that brick-and-mortar retail remains steady, but there is work to be done to keep the industry relevant." The survey responses also were segmented into the following generational categories: Younger Millennials (ages 18-29), Older Millennials (30-34), Gen Xers (35-49) and Baby Boomers (50-69). Retail Technology is Making an Impression As U.S. adults become more comfortable with technology in every aspect of their lives, the affinity for it seems to be spilling into their shopping preferences as well.
"Increasingly, American households are introducing more and more technology into their day-to-day routines, and it's only natural for them to expect more from their retailers," says Schmidt. "Not surprisingly, the Millennial crowd is more interested in these features than other generations and I expect these numbers to grow over time, not just as we become exposed to more tech, but also as Gen Z acquires more purchasing power as they grow older." Mom-and-Pops Remain Popular, Even Among a Younger Crowd Despite the easy availability of goods online and in big box stores, it seems Americans across all age groups still value local small businesses and often prefer to shop in boutique stores.
"Across the board, Americans prefer to support locally-owned, small businesses, whether a traditional mom-and-pop or a more refined boutique store. Naturally, one might ask, 'what will this mean for large, big box stores?', and the answer is that they too will have to adapt," added Schmidt. "In order to remain relevant, big box and department stores will need to look at their large stores and consult with their brokers about reconfiguring space to create a more appealing, boutique look to encourage more foot traffic." Full survey findings are available on the Coldwell Banker Commercial website. Methodology About Coldwell Banker Commercial Affiliates
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