by Dave Wendland, as seen in Chain Drug Review
During the height of the pandemic, it was not uncommon to hear predictions that brick-and-mortar retail could only exist in the rear-view mirror. Storefronts were shuttered, e-commerce was
booming, and convenience was winning out over experience. In fact, some naysayers were proclaiming the demise of physical retail, as a result of the pandemic, suggesting that the final curtain had fallen.
While the retail landscape has undoubtedly changed forever, and some traditional retailers — including many in our chain drug realm — have struggled or closed stores, reports of the death of brick-and-mortar may have been greatly exaggerated. Instead, there appears to be an ascending revival.
Recently released consumer research conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of Quad, featured in “The Return of Touch Report: Reimagining Consumer Engagement in 2025,” found that tactile discovery, from in-store interactions to physical mailers and catalogs, is more engaging than online shopping.
Key findings include:
• 86% of shoppers age 18 to 44 say being able to touch products is essential in deciding whether to buy.
• Over 70% report that physical store experiences help them feel more connected to brands.
• 79% noted that online shopping is efficient but lacks the magic of an in-person find.
• Nearly 80% of Gen Z and Millennials want brands to enhance physical shopping digitally rather than replace it.
Despite the convenience of online shopping, 81% of Gen Z respondents said they appreciate time away from digital devices. As the report notes, “Our lives have become so digitally entangled, ‘off-line’ has become a coveted currency of its own.” The allure of physical retail is re-emerging as consumers increasingly seek out sensory experiences that provide a break from their digital lives.
This return of touch (RoT) revealed as part of the Harris Poll study has far-reaching implications, from store design and in-store ambience to product assortment and shelf placement and from packaging to in-store messaging and overall sense of theater. HRG has seen this firsthand with its work across the beauty and cosmetics categories.
According to the NPD Group, brick-and-mortar drove growth across all beauty categories in 2021, with overall increases of 54% for physical stores versus only 4% for online. While overall prestige makeup sales rose 23%, per NPD, brick-and-mortar sales soared 45%; and online fell 8%. Similarly, NPD reported that skin care was up 18% during the same period with physical stores producing sales gains of 47% to an online decline of 4%. More recently, research cited by Packaging Corporation of America indicated that in 2024, in-store sales reached $61.8 billion, or 66% of the U.S. health and beauty market, with nearly 50% of consumers indicating a preference to shop for beauty products in person.
Further emphasizing this trend, a joint study by HRG and Persuadable Research presented at a May 2025 ECRM event sponsored by the Emerson Group revealed strong preferences for in-person shopping for home health care and diabetes-related products. Shoppers overwhelmingly preferred brick-and-mortar (84%) over online (16%) for items like mobility aids, diagnostic devices and bath safety equipment.
Looking at yet another example from outside the drug chain industry, Barnes & Noble plans to open 60 new bookstores during 2025. As recently as a decade ago, this would have been considered unimaginable. Digital fatigue is one contributing factor to this counterintuitive growth spurt in the age of technology. People appear to be returning to physical bookstores for the tactile experience, the joy of browsing and the serendipitous discovery of new titles.
Such hands-on experience is also supported by the Harris Poll/Quad research that reported respondents feeling “digitally exhausted” and suggested that they are “craving in-person, tactile brand experiences.” In Deloitte’s 2023 report “Connect Consumer Survey,” the struggle to control screen time was cited as a sign of tech fatigue. Despite that, the vast majority of respondents (about 75%) believe their connected devices have a positive impact on their lives, enhancing convenience, comfort, enjoyment and safety.
This suggests the best approach is still a seamless blend of physical and digital. According to the Harris Poll study, 84% of Gen Z and Millennials value brands that integrate both experiences. And consistency matters — Google/Ipsos research shows 85% of shoppers base purchasing decisions on accurate product information and images. Interest in HRG’s partnership with Medipim supports the shared goal between brands and retailers ensuring current, complete and consistent product information.
As the age-old saying suggests, everything old is new again. David P. Hamacher, our founder, stressed more than 45 years ago that focus should be placed on retail fundamentals while constantly striving to invent a better consumer experience. Retailers must reinforce their business foundation (right product, right place, right price, right environment) with a dose of digital connectivity.
Consumers frequenting brick-and-mortar will continue. Retailers will win by striking the right balance between digital and physical worlds.