The New Generation of Shoppers: Trading their Disposable Income for Authenticity

The date range for Millennials vary depending on the source, though most will agree that these are individuals born between the early 1980s and the turn of the century. Millennials were born into a time where technology was being developed at an amazingly fast rate and becoming widely available. Generation Z is usually understood to have been born between the mid-to-late 1990s to early 2010s. Both generations are digitally fluent and are consuming content at alarming rates. 

Gone are the days of walking into a mall, seeing something for the first time and purchasing it right there and then. Millennials and Gen Z’ers have entered and continue to enter the workforce and, as our disposable income rises, we require the companies we support with our money to be authentic. 

Our grandparents may have walked into a shop looking for a set of knives for the kitchen, looked at prices, maybe looked at colors and finishes and then purchased the item. Our parents may have seen a commercial in-color of an exciting new product for the home and drove to the malls on the weekend in search of the new craze. 

Our generation can search web pages and social media pages before, during and after we visit a shop to learn more about any particular item and it’s alternatives! We can read reviews, watch a video or short clip that talks about the pros and cons. Personally, I always search for an item category that I am interested in online before going to the store. Moreover, I have combed over multiple company Instagram pages for additional photos of an item and for a glimpse into their corporate social responsibility. Whether one agrees with what they stand for or against is practically irrelevant. I, for one, can respect other people’s right to an opinion and freedom of expression. Most shoppers will, at the very least, respect a company or organization for standing in their truth and can decide where to purchase their goods and services, based on any information the company publishes on the internet.

Take for example, the companies that identify themselves as entirely owned and operated by women or members of the LGBTQ+ community. Shoppers that purchase products and services from these companies are trading their disposable income for so much more than a singular item; they are supporting an idea or a marginalized group. Individuals that support establishments that are closed during the Shabbat or during Sundays will, generally, do so with a clear understanding of what this means to the respective faiths.

The new generations of shoppers are expecting the companies they buy goods from, the restaurants they dine in and the channels they watch to express their personal mission to improve society and the planet. Separate from color, durability and even price, we value transparency. It is important that any company that wishes to stay relevant and connect with the new generation of shoppers has a social media presence that relays and embodies its underlying mission and purpose. In a diverse, multicultural, multilingual and ever-evolving world, a bland social media presence, void of any real substance, is completely unacceptable. And who defines this substance? The next generation of shoppers. Contact Heritage Writing Co. for an array of marketing services to establish your company as veracious and trustworthy; doing so will translate your company message into conversions and customer loyalty!