Gen Z apparel shopping: What sets the younger generation apart from the overall population?

Gen Z, surrounded by a world of ecommerce, mobile apps, and algorithm-driven recommendations, has often been touted as the first digitally native generation. But when it comes to shopping for apparel, they are actually more likely to consider offline routes than the average American.

To explore how Gen Z shops for apparel compared to the general population, we analyzed data in YouGov Profiles – an ever-growing source of consumer data, with 2+ million data variables from YouGov’s 30 million registered global panel members.

The results offer a clearer picture of what sets Gen Z apart in their apparel purchase journey, as well as where their behavior aligns with the broader population.

Gen Z apparel shopping trends: Strong relative preference for physical stores

If there is one clear distinction in the apparel journey, it’s Gen Z’s stronger tilt toward physical retail.

More than one in five Gen Z consumers (22%) say they shop in a clothing store at least once a month, double the proportion of the general population (11%). At a time when ecommerce maturity might suggest a steady drift away from stores, younger shoppers appear to be keeping physical retail firmly in their rotation.

That offline inclination shows up in browsing behavior, too. Around half of Gen Z (51%) say they browse in stores to see what’s available, compared to 42% of all U.S. adults.

Online browsing looks almost identical across generations, with half of Gen Z (50%) and 51% of all U.S. adults saying they browse online to see what’s available. The difference is in what happens next – Gen Z is more likely to carry that digital discovery into a physical store, with 15% saying they saw something online and then bought it in-store, compared to 10% of the general population.

At the same time, behaviors such as seeing something online and buying it online (31% vs. 32%) or using an app to purchase (14% vs. 16%) indicate that Gen Z is not lagging when it comes to online purchases either.

The factors that drive Gen Z clothing choices

Price and value are leading influences for both Gen Z and the overall population, even if Gen Z is slightly less likely to emphasize these factors. Price tops the list for both groups, cited by 66% of Gen Z and 69% of all U.S. adults, while value for money ranks within the top three for both groups (56% vs 62%).

The preference for a good fit is nearly identical, at 56% among Gen Z and 57% among the broader population.

Design, including color and style, is among the factors where Gen Z over-indexes most clearly. Two in five say design is an important factor, compared to a third of all U.S. adults (41% vs 33%). Fashionable clothing (26% vs 19%) and sustainability (18% vs 13%) are also markedly likelier to appeal to Gen Z than to the broader population.

Product quality is nearly even across groups, selected by 50% of Gen Z and 51% of the general population. Gen Z consumers are less likely than the average American to emphasize factors like convenient returns (18% vs 23%) and customer service (14% vs 18%).

Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. The figures used in this analysis are drawn from responses collected between February 2025 and February 2026. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in the U.S. and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.