For Gen Z, online starts the shopping journey, stores finish it: survey

Sponsored by

Partnerships, now with receipts. Retailers need trust and data. impact.com helps brands discover, manage, and scale partnerships in one platform, then measures what moves shoppers to buy. With brands that combine influencer and affiliate programs seeing 46% higher sales, the “growth engine” of 2026 is already here. The new State of Affiliate Marketing report reveals how top retailers are driving measurable, long-term growth. Download the report.

TikTok and Instagram will have you believe that Gen Z truly is the forever online generation. But a new study by YouGov finds that might not be the whole truth.

While online shopping is definitely huge, younger consumers prefer somewhat of a balance between the digital and the IRL.

• In fact, 50% of Gen Z actually discover new products through friends, family, or colleagues, while 46% find them browsing in stores.
• Likewise, 29% spot an item online but purchase it in-store, while 21% do the reverse.

In other words, retailers can’t afford to pick a side: Omnichannel is where the action is.

While 69% of Gen Z did begin their “decision-making” process online, 53% still went to browse in stores.

Of course, the findings do not diminish the importance of digital retail as Gen Z primarily still uses social media to look for products (64%) as opposed to 44% of older American adults.

• In the same vein, 31% of Gen Z opt for email for customer service related concerns compared to 21% of older generations.

Ultimately, while younger US consumers prefer the ease and convenience of the online world, the shopping journey is filled with a series of different platforms, with physical retail still being an integral part of it.