A 2022 report by the marketing agency CM Group, now Marigold, and retail consulting group F’inn found that 47% of Gen Z respondents preferred in-store shopping over any other generation. As pandemic restrictions have ended, some malls are revived by targeting teen shoppers who want more than just a place to spend money. According to Forbes, this includes a place to hang out, eat, and make friends — then there is the loneliness factor.