Generation Z: What you need to know about their shopping behaviour

Young, informed, critical – That’s Generation Z! We show you what you need to know about Gen Z, their shopping behaviour, and how to use this knowledge for your marketing strategy.

Generation Z in a nutshell

Generation Z follows Generation Y – also known as Millennials – and precedes Generation Alpha. It can be said that Generation Z includes people born in the mid-1990s to the end of the 2010s. Here is an exemplary overview of the generations:

· Baby-Boomer (1946 – 1964)

· Generation X (1965 – 1980)

· Generation Y / Millennials (1981 – 1995)

· Generation Z (1996 – 2009)

· Generation Alpha (from 2010)

The Gen Z are digital natives. They have grown up with technology and internet-connected devices. In addition, this age group focuses on self-realisation and individuality. They value diversity, have a strong environmental as well as social consciousness, and expect the same from the brands.

The Customer Journey of Generation Z

The above mentioned values of Generation Z also influence their shopping behaviour. That you need to know:

The customer journey start of Generation Z

The content and recommendations of other people play an important role in the customer journey of Generation Z. In contrast to older generations, this age group often begins its customer journey on social media platforms. But it is essential to know from which source the inspiration comes. That is because Generation Z doesn’t follow brands on social media, they want recommendations from influencers and other users.

That means content in all variations – user-generated or created by media publishers – is a central factor in reaching Generation Z. This is because this age group consists of „informed consumers”. They research and gather information before making a purchase decision. Content must be authentic, entertaining as well as relevant at the same time.

Gen Z shops online, offline, and on multiple devices

The smartphone for them is device number one. With 98%, almost all persons of Generation Z have a smartphone – and they also use it for shopping. Generation Z particularly appreciates mobile apps, mobile payments, and mobile wallets. That’s why especially brands with their own app benefit. Therefore brands that have their own apps will greatly benefit and be more successful.   

Although the smartphone is number one, and this age group has grown up with the internet as digital natives, they don’t shop exclusively online. Because Generation Z frequently switches between online and offline during their customer journey. For example, they research a brand online and buy the product locally. They also frequently switch between different devices.

Anytime, anywhere: Omnichannel marketing is the solution

The insights into the shopping behaviour of Generation Z have shown that to win this age group as customers, you need a well-thought-out Omnichannel Marketing Strategy that addresses all the various touchpoints of the Gen Z customer journey.

Keep these aspects in mind:

· Generation Z needs seamless transitions during their customer journey.

· Individuality and authenticity play a crucial role: The user experience needs to be as personal and unique as possible.

· Brand loyalty is not important to Gen Z, so you need to keep reaching out to existing and new customers from this age group.

Overwhelmed? No problem! We support you in your omnichannel marketing activities with our Performance Group. We have experts in all performance marketing channels and offer you tailor-made solutions. But how do we specifically support you in winning over Generation Z?

Here are a few examples:

Our experts from Metapic, Zezam, and Onbaz help you with Influencer Marketing and live video shopping to reach Generation Z consumers at the start of their customer journey: On social media.

We create with our Premium Media Partners a Content-to-Commerce campaign to bring only the needed information from Gen Z to them for their purchase decision.

Our App Marketing experts from Appiness create the perfect App Marketing campaign for you to address new Generation Z users and increase in-app engagement.

Do you want to start now? Then get in touch with our experts here >>