Retailers relieved to see young shoppers

If millennials are killing brickand-mortar stores, then their successors might save it, according to new surveys that say some young shoppers actually like to shop in person.

A survey from analytics firm Profitect Inc. said about 42 percent of shoppers age 18-22 (the post-millennial age group) prefer to shop in-store versus online. And 34 percent of respondents said they like both equally, while only 23 percent they preferred online.

Surveys like this are a relief to brick-and-mortar retailers such as Macy’s and Gap Inc., which have been closing stores in recent years as online sales grow.

Amazon at the end of August opened a new fulfillment center south of Orlando International Airport to fuel the growing demand for online purchases in Central Florida.

It also follows a survey released last week from the National Retail Federation, which said 98 percent of Gen Z shoppers prefer to make purchases in a store versus online. The federation represents brick and mortar retailers.

However, the Profitect survey came with a caveat. It said younger shoppers demand that a retailer’s website needs an accurate count of what’s in stock at a particular store and that bad customer service can turn away those customers.

“They are killing the idea that online and offline are separate,” said a statement from NRF director of retail and consumer insights Katherine Cullen.