Younger generations are not purchasing in the same way as their parents or grandparents. From Baby Boomers to Generation Z - every generation has its own set of characteristics and attributes that influence their shopping behaviours and payment preferences.
From marketing approaches to choosing your offerings and services, it is crucial to understand and cater to the needs of your consumer base. Having explored the shopping habits and payment trends of each generation in depth throughout our last series of articles we summed up the key results in a comprehensive infographic.
See full infographic
Generation Z (Since 1996) - The influencer generation
Gen Z is the first truly digital generation that grew up using the internet, social media, and smartphones. Being over 2,6 billion strong, they’ll shape the future of shopping. Different from other generations, Gen Z consumers prefer alternative, flexible payment methods, such as digital wallets and “buy now - pay-later” methods like Pay After Delivery over cards and cash.
Gen Z consumers demand fast and effortless checkouts. To reach this generation, omnichannel strategies ensuring seamless shopping via different channels and devices, particularly social media, are key.
How Gen Z is shaping the future of payments
Millennials (1981-1996) - The omnichannel shoppers
This generation currently makes up the largest part of the labour force and population. Most of them are at the start or middle of their career and therefore at a stage of life where they purchase a lot.
For Millennials, shopping via various channels and devices is of significant importance. Valuing convenience above all, fast deliveries and easy returns are more important than prices. Most of them use debit cards but are also open to new payment methods such as digital wallets.
The millennial generation - shopping habits and payment trends
Generation X (1965-1980) - The careful spender
Gen X is the generational group with the highest average income currently. For Gen X consumers, safety and security are of the highest priority; they want to make smart and informed decisions that benefit their family.
Gen X consumers still rely heavily on credit- and debit cards when it comes to payment methods. Facebook and email should be the main component of your marketing outings to reach this generation.
Baby Boomers (1946-1964) - The traditional shopper
Often forgotten and underestimated for ecommerce are the Baby Boomers. Being the second-largest generational group, they are big spenders in the consumer economy. The Baby Boomer generation significantly prefers traditional payment methods - cash over cards over digital solutions.
To reach consumers of this generation, it is worth thinking about adding more traditional marketing campaigns - traditional print and direct mailing such as newsletters, postcards - as well as payment methods.
Baby Boomers - Shopping habits and trends
With 20 years of experience in ecommerce and an extensive range of payment solutions and tools, MultiSafepay can help you adapt to each consumer generation’s demands.
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