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18 March, 2023
Who is Gen Z? How Gen Z shops online
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Who is Gen Z?
Gen Z (Generation Z) refers to people born between about 1995 and 2012. Besides Gen Z, this young generation, which came of age in the second decade of the 21st century, also goes by other names such as Gen Tech, Plurals, Zoomers, Net Gen, the Internet generation, Generation Z, iGeneration, iGen, Gen Wii, Digital Natives, Neo-Digital Natives, Founders, Homeland Generation and Post-Millennials.- Some sources still say Gen Z is people born between 1997 and 2015.
- Worldwide there are about 2.6 billion people in Gen Z, around a third of the population. In Vietnam, Gen Z numbers about 15 million, 25% of the national workforce.
- Generation Z follows the Millennials (Gen Y) and comes before Generation Alpha (α). They are often the children of Gen X (people born between 1965 and 1979).
- So they are comfortable with technology, mobile, the Internet and social media such as Facebook, Google, YouTube and Instagram, and pick them up easily.
- Gen Z can search for and use information skillfully without much effort, but that does not necessarily mean a high level of digital expertise.
- Unlike Gen Y, where people who understand digital technology tend to be highly skilled professionals.
Online shopping behavior of Gen Z today
Gen Z will soon make up 30% of consumers. Their behavior differs in many ways, though, and they are expected to pose big challenges for marketers trying to reach them, engage them and win their hearts.
Gen Z is spending more and more on shopping
Some studies show that the main purpose of Gen Z shopping is mostly not the use and benefit of the product but self-expression, affirming who they are and shaping a lifestyle in front of others. They treat this short-term enjoyment as the main goal.Ready to try new items and products, with little loyalty
- Gen Z loves to experience and explore new things, and is seen as a consumer group that puts little value on loyalty and long-term attachment to a company's brands.
- This is a challenge for businesses, since their potential customers keep switching products and exploring new features. Businesses must keep up with trends and update constantly.
- They need to keep changing, diversifying their product range to adapt to what consumers want. Businesses need to “listen” to and “understand” this customer group.
Likes buying on installments
Statistics show more and more businesses accept Gen Z's buy-now-pay-later way of shopping, in line with Gen Z's growing preference for buying now and paying in installments.
Many experts explain that the biggest reason Gen Z is willing to spend first is the pull of new products. They do not want to miss out on the newest, most modern items, and do not want to be seen as “outdated”, so they always need to keep up with trends.
Businesses should keep this in mind too. If a product matches expectations, keeps up with current trends and satisfies Gen Z, they will be ready to spend regardless of their current finances.
The trend of buying over the Internet is booming
With “digital transformation” on the rise, businesses are moving to digital formats to keep up with market trends.- Consumers also prefer to buy online more and more, and young Gen Z increasingly “prefer” not to go out.
- This is a real challenge for businesses, which have to change to suit Gen Z's needs better.
- Gen Z is ready to ignore and mark down websites that run slowly or have unattractive product design.
- Businesses should invest in both the product and the buying experience; these will be decisive in whether Gen Z decides to buy.
- Gen Z likes modern technology and good service experiences. They do not like waiting and do not like slow delivery.
What shapes Gen Z shopping behavior
Gen Z is a group that is very easily influenced by outside factors in its shopping behavior.
- With reach as wide as it is today, once they see a celebrity or a reviewer they admire introduce a product, Gen Z can easily develop a need to own it, even if they do not really need it.
- They are strongly influenced by online comments and reviews before deciding to order. Gen Z can spend a whole day just reading other people's comments and reviews of the products they want to buy.
- Not many Gen Z shoppers really care about what a product actually does.
How to build a brand that wins over Gen Z
To win Gen Z over, running an ad or two on Facebook now and then is nowhere near enough. You need to create trending content that keeps up with the times and explains clearly why your product delivers the value they want.Their attention is on the phone
According to Think With Google, Gen Z spends a lot of its Internet time on mobile. About 71% of Gen Z teens use mobile devices to watch video, and 51% use their phones to browse social networks and shop online. If you really want to catch Gen Z's attention, make sure your mobile website or phone-based experience is simple and easy to use. Optimize for mobile first. The website also needs to carry all the useful information. As mentioned, Gen Z spends a lot of time researching products online and draws conclusions from both suppliers and independent reviewers. The website must be easy to navigate, hold everything shoppers want to find, and reach a certain level of visual polish.Sell the experience, not the product
Having been online since they were small, Gen Z is more “clear-headed” about advertising and marketing from brands. Ads that are too blatant, too boastful or untrue rarely sway their buying behavior and can even put these young people off.
Gen Z seems inseparable from social media. It may look virtual, but Gen Z actually looks for very real values, sometimes raw and sometimes ugly. Only ads with close, deep insight that portray life honestly and bring new community value can really move them.
Do not just talk, get to work. Gen Z will always spot a marketing message that strays from its original promise. Always be honest with yourself, your brand and your customers.
Email and social media: promising ground
For Gen Z, email is a place where you can advertise your business or share news. In practice they tend to wait for valuable emails sent on a regular schedule, but not so many that you spam their inbox. Think of email as a digestive system: they can take it in, but slowly, on a set schedule, and what you send has to be useful to the reader. Social media is where you can put interesting behind-the-scenes content and daily updates. Keep in mind that trying to pull customers onto your social pages does not work. So focus on the platforms where Gen Z spends most of its time. See also: 10 social networks you should be onCreate interesting video
Another content trend is video. Video content is a very effective way to catch Gen Z's attention. A Decision Lab survey found that YouTube is the first site Gen Z visits when they want entertainment or fun. But YouTube is not the only place for video content. Instagram is promising too, with Instagram Stories. And then there is TikTok, which has stood out a lot lately. If you are aiming at Gen Z customers, give TikTok marketing plenty of attention.Connect and engage
Gen Z internet users tend to be independent and have their own voice. Letting them share their thoughts on your company's channels is therefore a sound way to build a relationship with them. Join in promptly with lively discussions, questions or fun contests. In fact, 76% of Gen Z say they want brands to reply to comments, and see a brand's ability to respond as the key to whether it is authentic. 41% of this generation read at least 5 online reviews before deciding to buy, and they share twice as much positive feedback as negative. We hope this article, Mona Media has answered your questions about who Gen Z is and Gen Z buying trends. We also hope it helps your business define its strategy more clearly and choose products that suit the age of the Gen Z consumer. You may also be interested in:- How to analyze customer behavior most effectively
- How to analyze customer insight: what business owners should not skip
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About the author
CEO & Founder · The MONA
Founder of The MONA, who built a services company of 200+ staff with 14,000+ projects delivered. Khánh Hùng shares how he thinks about building systems that run themselves, automating a business, and the real lessons from delivering projects at MONA.
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