Dennis Green, Business Insider
Curious how to get Generation Z interested in brick-and-mortar retail shopping and the differences from Millennials? We brought in a guest Generation Z writer for his thoughts on how to market to his age group:
Everything but Facebook
Both Millennials and Generation Z are highly involved in social media, but the main difference between the two is in Facebook and Snapchat. When people say Generation Z is on social media, they do not mean Facebook. Generation Z’s parents and grandparents are on Facebook and because of this, that is not where they want to be. Snapchat is the number one form of social media for the age group with Instagram in a close second.
Retailers should look to develop a relationship with this generation by using tactics such as short, attention-grabbing videos. The absolute best way to attract Generation Z is to have Snapchat “stories” and Instagram “stories” that they can see on their iPhones. Both forms of social media allow for people to scroll quickly through short videos, a visually appealing option for Gen Zers and retailers looking for a quick and easy promotional opportunity.
High-Tech Unique Experiences
To retailers’ delight and despite Amazon, Generation Z prefer brick-and-mortar stores according to ICSC. The key to attracting them is to make physical stores high-tech and all about the experience. Anything different about a store that adds a positive and cool experience to their day is what attracts Generation Z the most. A good example is stores with changing rooms that have the ability to change the color of the lighting – a simple adjustment that creates an entertaining experience for the younger shoppers.
Generation Z culture revolves around finding new fun things to do at different stores and then spreading the word through social media; so if your store is unique, they will share it. David Sutija, CEO of Thinkfim, an NFC mobile marketing solutions provider, touched on this saying, “Meet them where they’re at and create an engaging experience connecting physical and digital realms – namely, through smartphones these consumers carry with them.”
On the tech front, mobile paying like PayPal and Venmo is a major plus. A must-have for Generation Z to come to your retail stores is free Wi-fi. It highly reduces your chances of getting this age group to come to your store without free easy to connect Wi-fi. Free Wi-fi makes it easier and more likely for them to post something from your store too, spreading the word about what a great experience they had. After all, 65% of Generation Z share product reviews on social media and 80% say they are influenced by others on social media when shopping.
Make Them Feel Included
Young people do not want to be labeled or pointed out as a different group. They seem very different to older people because they have grown up with technology all around them, but from their point of view they are not different at all. Kids and young adults want to be treated like adults and feel important. Just like adults, Generation Z is always looking at the news and paying attention to current events. They are the most up-to-date generation ever because of their social media and access to the internet.
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