A recent study confirms that reports of retail’s demise are premature. As I’ve said for decades, in-person shopping fulfills much greater human needs than simply acquiring more stuff, including interpersonal connections, sensory engagement, stress relief, entertainment, and a sense of community. While online shopping provides many benefits, it simply cannot fulfill these deeply felt human needs to the same degree as real-world shopping experiences.

This by no means lets retailers off the hook. Most are still behind the curve when it comes to adapting to consumers’ evolving needs and expectations. However, this recent survey of 1000 16 to 26 year olds is a welcome and encouraging sign that physical retail and in-person shopping are here to stay. Among its findings, 95% said they shop online, while 97% said they shop in person.