Brick-and-Mortar Stores are Making a Comeback. Are You Ready?

Brand Advocacy Can Tip the Retail Customer Experience Scales

They’re back… Retail stores, that is.

In defiance of the vast proliferation of online marketplaces in recent years, brick-and-mortar stores are making a comeback.

According to Deloitte’s 2025 US Retail Industry Outlook, 80% of all shopping still happens in store, and shopping center vacancy is at its lowest point in two decades, at 5.4%. Meanwhile, online shopping is shrinking, finds VML’s The Future Shopper report. In 2024, 53% of spending was online, down from 58% in 2023 and 57% in 2022.

Average monthly store foot traffic has now recovered to 81% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. But thanks to intensified online shopping experiences in recent years, consumer demands and preferences have shifted entirely, as shoppers expect a potent blend of convenience, personalized offers, loyalty discounts, more product variety, and a seamless in-store experience.

To capitalize on this resurgence and the consumer behavior shifts that accompany it, retail leaders are wise to look past their short-term forecasts to build for the future. If you’re nailing the in-store customer experience, you’re ahead of the game, says Square in their US Future of Retail Report 2025.

If you’re not, we can help.

Why Brick-and-Mortar Stores are Enjoying a Resurgence

In today’s digital world, consumers still crave real-life experiences. Many product searches may start online, but most sales are still made in person. Consumers crave the experiences they can only get from in-person shopping—touching, feeling, and trying on products before they buy.

Source: Salesforce Connected Shoppers Report – March 2024

Despite its digital upbringing, Gen Z is still showing a preference for shopping in person, research from payments platform Adyen found. Almost three-quarters of Gen Z shop in person at least once a week, and most consider it an experience, says Adyen.

Gen Z wants to make the most of its physical shopping experience, as lines between online and in-store shopping blur. Adyen’s research found Gen Z favors physical stores for their in-store discounts, the ability to own items faster, and location convenience. They also see in-person shopping as a source of enjoyment.  3 in 5 Gen Z respondents will abandon an in-store purchase if the checkout line is long. If their preferred payment method isn’t available, the survey found more than one-quarter of respondents will leave their items behind

“Gen Z demands shopping experiences that reflect their digital-first mindset—effortless, flexible, and deeply integrated into their daily routines,” Davi Strazza, Adyen’s North America president, said in a statement. “Retailers that align with these expectations will define the next era of commerce.”

In response to this trend and to deliver on this demand, retailers are leveling up their service offerings, such as proactive appointment scheduling, creating space for live events, virtual try-on, and stylist services through augmented reality, and offering exclusive content that shoppers can’t find online.

Source: Salesforce Connected Shoppers Report – March 2024

Flagship stores for major brands and shopping centers exemplify this trend, offering unique, interactive experiences that enhance the shopping experience, drive foot traffic, and boost customer engagement. For example, Brookfield Place in New York City regularly hosts art exhibitions, culinary showcases, and wellness activities. Hershey’s offers visitors interactive candy experiences at its Chocolate World experience stores. And a luxury fashion house opened a five-story temporary flagship store featuring 50-foot ceilings, modern art installations, a premium chocolate bar, an haute cuisine restaurant, and a state-of-the-art library.

Despite knowing they need new lines of business to deliver the kind of retail customer experience their customers have come to expect—research by Square found that less than one-third of those same retailers said they experimented by holding events (30%), adding memberships or a club offering (28%), or adding new products and services (21%) in the last year

Forward-thinking retailers are figuring out how to capitalize on the in-person resurgence:

Source: Square’s US Future of Retail Report 2025

Brand Advocates Bring Brands to Life 

Retail TouchPoints’ 2024 Benchmark survey found that the last mile and fulfillment can be retail differentiators. But given that the omnichannel ecosystem is constantly evolving, survey respondents continue to focus on two major priorities: reacting more quickly to business and market changes (52%), and providing seamless customer experiences across all channels (40%). 

One way to achieve both these goals is with trained brand advocates who are skilled at building customer-first relationships based upon trust, authenticity, honed product knowledge, and genuine brand enthusiasm.  

Empowered, trained brand advocates, whether in-store or virtual, bring brands to life. By engaging in-store customers in ways that convert browsers to buyers, brand advocates can: 

• Increase your sales revenue and profitability 

• Enhance brand perception and awareness 

• Improve new product introduction (NPI) execution 

• Validate flooring is correct 

In addition to in-store brand advocates, you can augment your sales staff with remote, on-demand brand experts who can not only fill associate product knowledge gaps but also guide shoppers through a consultative buying experience that not only meets their unique needs but also drives more sales—right from the show floor.

Omnichannel Retailing Is No Longer a Luxury

Even as consumers have become re-enamored with in-person shopping, they don’t want to compromise on the conveniences online shopping affords them. They increasingly prioritize haste and efficiency in their shopping journey, says VML, demanding brands streamline the path from inspiration to purchase.  

While brick-and-mortar stores are gaining newfound respect and attention in an omni-channel world, for that to translate into higher sales, your in-store customer experiences must be engaging and innovative. Here’s what today’s connected customer expects: 

Source: Square’s US Future of Retail Report 2025

As the lines between physical and digital retail continue to blur, omnichannel strategies have become a necessity rather than a luxury. Retailers who create seamless transitions across on and offline channels and make it easy for customers to interact with their brands wherever and whenever they want, will enjoy greater sales

Consider allowing customers to check real-time inventory levels of specific items across various store locations through a mobile app and website. And think about adding technology that allows customers to scan items in-store to access remote, on-demand brand experts in real time. These brand experts can bridge the gap between physical and digital shopping experiences by providing detailed product information and availability, comparing products, making personalized recommendations, and closing the sale

An industry in constant motion, retailers are capitalizing on the brick-and-mortar store resurgence and redefining the customer experience in meaningful ways.  

Stores have captured consumers’ imaginations again. Are you positioned to meet the high level of customer expectation shoppers have become conditioned to? Beyond optimizing displays, how are you equipping your associates to deliver the shopping experiences that not only delight customers but keep them coming back to YOUR store?