There’s a misconception that “retail is dead.” You’ll hear this from analysts as they watch companies like Sears, Toys R Us and Payless shutter physical stores, and from e-commerce businesses that point to their ongoing growth as a sure-fire sign that times have changed.
But here’s the thing: Even as some brands nationwide board up their windows and online shopping continues to thrive, consumers haven’t given up on in-store shopping. For a variety of goods that range from groceries to pharmacy purchases, personal care and household products, good old brick-and-mortar retail is still very much a part of consumers’ lives. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 90% of transactions still happen offline.