Consumers Value Physical Retail, Tactile Experiences & Digital Detoxes, Study Finds
From consumers’ appreciating print marketing, like catalogs, to valuing brands that add digital touchpoints to enhance physical shopping, a report from The Harris Poll and Quad highlights how consumers are actively seeking ways to experience and enjoy brands in person with a better blend of online and physical touchpoints.
Released earlier this month, the report, titled “The Return of Touch,” shares findings from a survey conducted by consumer research company The Harris Poll, on behalf of Quad, from Jan. 16 to Feb. 5 among a cross-generational sample of 2,068 U.S. adults.
Working with The Harris Poll was a bit of a gut check of sorts for Quad, a marketing experience company that works with 2,100 brands, including hundreds of retailers and CPG marketers.
"We tend to see where the marketplace is heading in advance," Heidi Waldusky told the Path to Purchase Institute. "We were internally gathering a lot of insights about rising consumer interest in tangible media and in-real-life, or IRL, experiences — everything from the print catalog boom to the launch or relaunch of magazine brands to retailers doubling down on creating immersive, engaging experiences that draw consumers into their brick-and-mortar stores.
"We decided to work with The Harris Poll … to explore these trends and to get their POV on what we at Quad were seeing. To be clear, this is The Harris Poll’s research — their independently conducted, demographically balanced survey of U.S. consumers — but what they found really ended up validating what Quad has been seeing firsthand in the marketplace."
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81% of Gen Z wish they could disconnect from digital devices more easily.
Notably, among those surveyed:
- 81% said digital detoxes should be routine;
- 79% noted that online shopping is efficient but lacks the magic of an in-person find;
- 76% shared physical retail experiences help them connect more deeply with people and brands; and
- 65% pointed to looking forward to receiving catalogs from brands.
“Honestly, one surprising thing was the extent to which younger generations — Gen Zers and Millennials — are at the forefront of what The Harris Poll calls the ‘Return of Touch’ trend,” Waldusky said. “This phenomenon isn’t about boomer nostalgia. Rather, it’s younger generations — digital-native generations — that are saying they’re feeling particularly screen-weary and are thus craving IRL experiences and media they can touch and feel.”
Specifically, among Gen Z and Millennial survey takers:
- 84% noted that they value brands that seamlessly blend technology and physical experiences;
- 78% shared they appreciate brands that add digital touchpoints to enhance physical shopping rather than replace it;
- 72% said they wish more brands focused on surprising them through mail; and
- 78% shared that physical mail has prompted them to visit a physical store.
If there is one thing Waldusky hopes marketers walk away with from this report, it's the importance of omnichannel marketing that bridges online and offline campaigns and activations.
“It’s not about replacing digital campaigns with, say, direct mail,” Waldusky said. “Instead, it’s about marketers finding the right, data-driven mix of channels that include some touchpoints that are actually touchable."
To access the full report, visit Quad.com.
