In RetailNext’s latest “Retail Vibe Check Report,” researchers at the in-store analytics platform provider zeroed in on Generation Z and found some startling behaviour patterns. The big standout was that Gen Z expects the same experience in a physical store as when they shop online.

“Gen Z lives at the intersection of digital and physical worlds — they’re not abandoning in-store shopping — instead, they’re demanding it evolve,” RetailNext said in the report. “Their frustrations with long lines, crowded spaces, and out-of-stock items reflect a deeper need: they want stores to work for them like the digital world does — instant, personalized and frictionless.”

There’s a lot at stake if retailers can meet these demands. Authors of the report estimate Gen Z’s spending power in the U.S. at $360 billion. “Gen Z has grown up in an age where everything is on demand, and yet, when they walk into stores, they feel stuck in a system that hasn’t caught up,” the report’s authors said. “Retailers who can’t adapt risk losing this generation to the more fluid and responsive e-commerce spaces they trust. Gen Z isn’t just a consumer group — they’re a force pushing brick-and-mortar stores to become smarter, faster and more intuitive.