IU Kelley professor says most consumer holiday spending is done in physical stores

The majority of holiday shopping will be done in physical stores despite the increase in online sales. That’s the message from John Talbot, IU Kelley School of Business Senior Lecturer. Talbot’s areas of expertise are retailing, relating marketing activities to financial outcomes, and new media communication. “The real inflection point was the pandemic in 2020 when we went a decade into the future with online shopping and we’ve stayed there, but still the majority of shopping will take place in physical stores right here in central Indiana,” said Talbot in an interview with Gerry Dick on Inside Indiana Business. Talbot says the impacts from tariffs are being absorbed companies and while consumers are taking a bit of a hit with price increases, it’s a little more manageable than previ