Today millennial shoppers are digitally savvy, they’re a generation that wants instant gratification and expect it in all facets in their life. This is no different when it comes to their shopping habits.
Multichannel Merchant’s Content Manager Daniela Forte talked with James Brooke, CEO and Founder of Amplience as he provided an inside look into the mind of the millennial shopper this holiday season and beyond.
What are the expectations of millennial shoppers this holiday season?
The holiday season has changed drastically in the past few years. From the decline of Black Friday and rise of Cyber Monday, retailers have had to up the ante when it comes to holiday shopping expectations – especially with millennial shoppers. Consumers in this demographic want and expect to shop when is convenient for them. Known for being a tech savvy generation, millennials are looking for brands to provide them with a personalized in-store experience without having to step foot in a store.
Always on the go, millennials are actively seeking the best deals, but are doing so by scrolling through retailers’ ecommerce sites at their leisure. It is vital that retailers know that millennials expect the best price and will compare retailers until they find it.
With customer expectations changing rapidly, retailers have adapted to encourage a personalized shopping experience. This includes providing features on their ecommerce site that enable the shopper to really view the item before purchase. With 360 spin views, deep zooms, and mobile optimized product media, consumers can shop just about anywhere.
Why do millennials expect social channels to provide an integrated ecommerce experience?
Millennials are a busy generation and don’t have the time—or the desire—to fight the lines in a crowded store. This demographic prefers to shop online – when it is most convenient for them. This can be just about anywhere, thanks to the hyper-connected world in which we live. Attached at the hip to their iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices, millennials want the ability to scroll through their Pinterest or Instagram feeds, see an item they want and purchase it using their mobile devices. This is a revolutionary new form of commerce, doesn’t involve searching the brand’s website for the item in question, but instead brings the ecommerce experience into the social channel.
Why has mobile become a preferred shopping channel for millennials?
Mobile has become a preferred shopping channel for millennials because they are never without their beloved smartphone. Always connected, mobile provides a convenience that a traditional computer cannot. Smartphones allow millennials to shop anywhere, whether on a train, at a restaurant or from their cubical.
Another important reason why mobile is a preferred method for shopping is because millennials tend to be obsessed with social media. In recent years, social media has become an extremely popular platform for brands and consumers to connect. Retailers who are active on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter will find themselves with a higher number of millennial consumers. Social media posts also serve as great channels for shoppers to shop a brand. Through buy-buttons and linkable posts brands can help consumers shop as they scroll through their social feed.
What are the brands that millennials associate with and why?
Millennials associate themselves with innovative brands. The Honest Company, Amazon and Fitbit are a few that millennials tend to gravitate towards. Each brand has a platform which most millennials align with – health, convenience and “cool.” These retailers in particular know what motivates millennials and how to make the shopping experience painless. One thing all of these brands have in common is that they are largely ecommerce focused. If there is one thing millennials like, it’s a good online shopping spree. Having the opportunity to purchase via the touch of a button is what makes millennials continually shop a brand. As such, providing an intuitive, mobile responsive ecommerce experience benefits companies immensely when it comes to targeting millennials. Nine times out of ten, a brand that is centered around convenience will draw a strong millennial fan base.