Try it Here, Buy it There: How Proof-First Shopping is Reshaping the Holidays

2026 shopping trends have already started shaping consumer behavior.

There’s nostalgia shopping, an emotion-driven trend where a consumer buys products that let them tap into their inner child.

Then came backwards shopping, where consumers use products they already have instead of blindly wandering aisles at stores.

Now, proof-first shopping has entered the chat.

A term coined by leading online shopping rewards app Smarty, proof-first shopping reveals that consumers are increasingly using physical stores as showrooms before securing better deals online.

That behavior could become even more pronounced during the holiday shopping season, when consumers are juggling crowded stores and tight budgets. The holidays are a particularly opportune time to turn in-store discovery into a purchase, even if that purchase ultimately happens online.

So what will this mean for retailers as the holidays approach, and what role will malls play?

Malls Are So Back … for Browsing, Not Buying

The rise of e-commerce and online marketplaces wreaked havoc on brick-and-mortar stores.

Customers were over driving to the mall and navigating through swarms of people to maybe find what they were looking for. Online shopping was more convenient in comparison. This resulted in mall closures across the U.S., with an average of 40 shopping malls closing every year between 2017 and 2022.

But now malls are quietly making a comeback. During the past holiday season, mall foot traffic increased by 2.8 percent nationwide. Smarty research revealed that 20 percent of holiday shoppers planned to purchase gifts primarily in-store from big-box or chain retailers in 2025, a number that’s expected to increase this year.

It’s not older generations driving this resurgence. Nearly two in three shoppers ages 18–34 now frequent malls regularly, more than any other generation. Among Gen Z specifically, 64 percent prefer to shop in-store when discovering new products.

Younger consumers want hands-on validation before buying. According to Vogue, 68 percent of Gen Z and 61 percent of millennial shoppers prefer to “try before they buy.”

These numbers prove that the mall isn’t dead. Its role is evolving.

Physical stores are now discovery hubs for generations raised on digital convenience and shaped by economic uncertainty. During the holidays, that discovery-first behavior takes on new significance. They’re now a place to assess a potential gift’s quality, test fit and explore products before completing a purchase online for a better deal.

Retailers must adapt their strategies to this emerging trend of proof-first shopping to remain relevant in an era where the mall is now the first step in customers’ purchase decisions.

These tips can help retailers make that shift ahead of the busy holiday season:

1. Encourage conversions on owned channels.

With consumers comparison shopping for holiday gifts, retailers have a narrow window to turn in-store discovery into a purchase. If shoppers are using stores for validation, retailers must optimize the experience to encourage conversions, whether the purchase happens later or elsewhere.

One way is by training associates to guide customers toward the retailer’s app or loyalty programs before they leave. To further entice conversion, offer additional savings through the app or loyalty program as customers are looking for deals on holiday gifts without breaking the bank. If the customer is interested in the item, they can continue their shopping journey within the retailer’s digital ecosystem, turning a potential lost sale into an owned lead.

Another method is using QR codes on product tags that link directly to the retailer’s e-commerce site, giving shoppers immediate access to the item they discovered and verified in-store.

The goal is to capture the shopper’s online purchase through the retailer’s owned channels so they don’t default to a competitor’s instead.

2. Turn validation into exclusivity.

With malls becoming a place to try out products before committing to a purchase, shoppers now need a financially and emotionally compelling reason to complete an on-site transaction. Retailers can offer exclusive in-store deals to get shoppers to buy before leaving.

The holidays are a particularly opportune time to deploy this strategy. Limited-time promotions or Black Friday-style offers can motivate shoppers to act fast and buy now. For example, a 24-hour flash sale creates a sense of urgency and drives sales. If consumers wait to make the purchase online, they’ll miss out on savings.

Providing immediate, in-store-only holiday perks (e.g., gift wrapping, product customization, free alterations, same-day fulfillment) can also get shoppers over the purchase finish line, offering instant gratification that online shopping can't compete with.

Proof-first shopping will shape how consumers engage with physical stores during the holidays and beyond, relying on them for hands-on research to validate a potential purchase. It’s up to retailers to follow consumers’ lead and adjust their strategies to account for this trend, encouraging conversions on owned channels and turning validation into in-store exclusivity. Because for holiday shoppers, the mall isn’t the final step in the buying journey; it’s now the beginning.

Vipin Porwal is the CEO and founder of Smarty, a premiere shopping destination that makes online shopping “smart.”