Why Brick and Mortar Retailing Will Outlast the Global Pandemic

LAS VEGAS—Since the Covid pandemic started in March 2020, the retail industry has undergone the greatest shock for decades with many stores having had to close for extended periods. So says Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director at Springboard, during the ICSC national conference here in Las Vegas. She tells GlobeSt.com that the closure of stores led to an increased migration of retail spending online, however, in large part this has been an exacerbation of behavior that was clearly evident even before Covid.  

“The key aspect to remember is that despite the increased amount of retail spending online, the majority of retail spending continues to remain in store,” she explains. “The fact that even a global pandemic has not significantly dented the extent to which consumers shop in stores demonstrates the continuing importance of in-store retailing, and reinforces its long term future.”