Brick and mortar retail shopping here to stay, experts say

SALT LAKE CITY — Despite online shopping becoming more commonplace, retail experts say in-person shopping is still at the heart of consumer spending.

Younger generations might say the tradition of hitting the malls and shopping centers is dead and gone, but experts say it’s alive and well. They say there’s more to going somewhere like City Creek than just buying stuff.

“Online shopping is great for acquiring products, but it’s not an experience,” says Downtown Alliance Executive Director Dee Brewer.

According to City Creek Center General Manager Linda Wardell, the downtown mall gives shoppers the chance to carry on the tradition of gathering up the family and spending an afternoon doing all things holiday-related.

“At the heart of their purchasing experience, brick and mortar is right smack in the middle of what is going on in retail today,” Wardell says.

Brewer understands that people want the best deal out there.

“While there’s a lot of online shopping, Cyber Monday is one way to do that, people are gathering together and shopping together in the real world,” explains Brewer.

In 2017, Americans spent nearly $20-billion online from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday.