Personalization in Retail: The Myth of the Average Shopper In 2026, personalization in retail has moved beyond a digital trend to become a survival mandate for the physical store. Increasingly, leading retailers are discovering how personalized in-store advertising...
The Forgotten Generation Retail Can’t Ignore
How Data and In-Store Media Unlock Gen X Loyalty
Retailers are missing their best customers. While brands focus marketing budgets on boomers and millennials, Gen X — shoppers born between 1965 and 1980 — account for 31% of total retail spending despite making up only 19% of the U.S. population. They spend more per transaction than any other generation across nearly every category, from home furnishings and fitness to apparel.
Yet only 5% of brand influencer spending targets them. Recent coverage in Forbes called them the “forgotten generation,” despite driving nearly a third of retail spending amid minimal marketing attention. Retailers have built entire strategies around demographic groups with less spending power, overlooking the actual shoppers driving their bottom lines.
This oversight is expensive. Gen X doesn’t just spend on themselves. They’re household decision-makers influencing purchases for aging parents and children simultaneously. Their loyalty, once earned, shapes family spending patterns for years. And the right in-store media approach, from music to digital displays to scent, can turn that preference for brick-and-mortar into lasting brand relationships.
The Emotional Loyalty Retail Data Reveals
Gen X gets characterized as pragmatic, even detached, but the reality is much different. ICSC reported that 81% of Gen X shoppers say they’re loyal to brands they trust, with 51% saying that loyalty has only grown over the past five years. They’re emotional decision-makers who express it through consistent spending instead of social media posts.
Their loyalty comes from trust, recognition, and emotional familiarity. Not hype. Not what’s trending. They return to brands that made them feel something years ago and continue to deliver on that promise today.
Gen X’s spending can also guide and influence that of their aging parents and children. When a brand resonates with a Gen X shopper, it often wins the entire household’s wallet. That adds up to three generations shopping at the same grocery store, buying from the same home goods retailer, and trusting the same pharmacy.
%
of Gen X shoppers say that music, scents and digital signage made them feel nostalgic or sentimental while shopping
Sensory cues matter more to this generation than most retailers realize. In our 2025 holiday survey, 82% of Gen X shoppers noticed holiday music in stores, and 51% said that music, scents, and signage made them feel nostalgic or sentimental during their shopping trip. These memory triggers are what connect present-day shopping to positive experiences from the distant past, reigniting emotional connections that translate directly into spending.
Some strategies retailers can take to create more of these sensory cues could be:
A playlist with familiar but not dated songs to create warmth without feeling stuck in time.
Subtle scent profiles like pine or vanilla to evoke comfort.
Digital signage that references a brand’s heritage rather than chasing every micro-trend to signal consistency.
These elements activate the emotional loyalty that keeps Gen X and their families coming back.
Digitally Fluent, Not Digitally Native (That Distinction Matters)
Most coverage paints Gen X as analog shoppers stuck in the past. But ICSC data says 92% of them use social media daily, and 68% have purchased products directly through social platforms. Gen X is active on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram; they’re just less vocal about it. Marketers often mistake quiet participation for absence.
Gen X evolved alongside technology’s biggest transformations and adapted at every turn. They expect digital tools to work intuitively and make their lives easier, just like younger generations do. The same ICSC research shows 68% use mobile apps for shopping and payments, and 76% use self-checkout kiosks, showing that they’re not technologically hesitant. They just won’t tolerate tools that waste their time.
They also shop differently across channels. Gen X shoppers are the most likely to purchase in-store immediately after seeing a product on social media. They browse online, then buy in person. They research on their phones while standing in the aisle. They use technology as a tool for efficiency.
In-store digital displays should reflect this mindset. Gen X wants product information, customer reviews, and real-time inventory availability. According to our digital signage survey, 55% of shoppers prioritize seeing sales and promotions on screens, while 35% prefer product demos and 37% desire real-time inventory information. A screen showing whether an item is in stock in their size matters more to them than flashy videos do. Interactive digital media that helps them decide faster respects their time and meets them where they already are.
That’s why managing digital content is equally important as choosing what to display. Gen X notices when screens show outdated promotions or irrelevant messaging. Keeping displays current with accurate inventory information and timely offers reinforces the trust this generation values.
Creating Confidence Through Calm — The In-Store Experience Gen X Actually Wants
Gen X walks into stores already managing more than most retailers realize. Seventy-four percent of respondents in ICSC’s survey are caregivers for children, aging parents, or both, and they report feeling stretched in multiple directions. They’re financially powerful but emotionally stretched thin. The last thing they need is a store that adds to that stress.
Their complaints reflect these pressures. Sixty-two percent cite long checkout lines as their top frustration, and 48% point to inventory shortages. When asked what would improve their experience, they want:
More open checkouts
More ADA accessibility
Wider spaces between racks
Benches to sit or rest on
Friendly staff who offer quick checkout options.
Creating confidence through store flow, curated sound, and clear messaging will win this generation over. Gen X seeks calm, not chaos. They need to feel that their shopping experience is making their lives easier and more enjoyable.
The same Mood holiday survey found 41% of shoppers spend more time browsing when surrounded by thoughtful atmospheres. For time-starved Gen X, this only happens when the environment feels welcoming, not busy or demanding. Clear wayfinding respects their time, and comfortable seating acknowledges their caregiving responsibilities. These are just a few ways that brands can cater to this generation’s needs and convert them into fans.
The Untold In-Store Storytelling Opportunity
Most Gen X coverage focuses on e-commerce strategies or loyalty programs. That misses that major opportunity to capture what actually resonates with this generation. Gen X grew up shopping in person. Physical retail represents nostalgia, socialization, and trust, experiences that online shopping can’t replicate in the same way.
They also have significant financial power, holding $42 trillion in wealth, nearly three times the wealth of millennials. According to ICSC, Gen Xers are planning to spend around $308 billion annually on home upgrades or personal splurges, including home upgrades, travel, and retail experiences.
This creates an opening for retailers willing to meet Gen X where their memories and their spending power intersect. Retail data analytics help identify shopping patterns and preferences, allowing retailers to modernize positive memories with today’s capabilities. This data-driven retail approach can reignite emotional connections that drive both immediate spending and long-term loyalty.
The formula isn’t complicated. Gen X doesn’t need Instagram-worthy installations. They need functional comfort — places to sit, clear sightlines to products, and staff who can answer questions. Layer those basics with the sensory details already proven to work, and retailers capture more than Gen X spending. They build relationships that influence entire households for years to come.
While brands battle for boomer loyalty and millennial mindshare, Gen X is quietly powering the bottom line. The retailers who act on this reality won’t just win market share. They’ll secure the most loyal, highest-spending customers in retail.
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