An unprecedented study details the customer journey of 15-25 year olds in France and shows that, even for this generation, shopping and online shopping are not mutually exclusive … While in the United States and in several European countries, studies have been conducted to identify the customer journeys of Generation Z and to support brands...
An unprecedented study details the customer journey of 15-25 year olds in France and shows that, even for this generation, shopping and online shopping are not mutually exclusive …
While in the United States and in several European countries, studies have been conducted to identify the customer journeys of Generation Z and to support brands in their strategies, in France no comparable source of analysis existed.
For this reason, the chatbot Jam and Intuiti, a digital marketing agency, worked together to develop a study of the customer journey of this demanding and complicated target audience.
This unprecedented study reveals that, contrary to popular belief, stores and online shopping are not mutually exclusive. They simply fulfill different functions in the life of the young person and their customer journey, which is marked by multiple points of contact.
Stores remain this generations favorite place for pleasure and shopping, (47%) and represent a real point of attachment for nearly one in two young people. Next are e-commerce sites (18%) and Instagram (13%).
E-commerce sites are nevertheless praised for the diversity of products, recurring promotions as well as the absence of displacement specific to them.
A conservative generation?
Surprisingly, we learned that young people consult brands website before purchase anything, even before viewing its social networks (Instagram and Facebook). This trend is all the more true for the 15-18 age group.
Moreover, contrary to what one might think, young people, do not buy compulsively. The simple customer journey (intention and then purchase) is actually quite rare as 58% of young people choose to procrastinate, sometimes with the expectation of a promotion.
And moreover, this form of conservatism is expressed even in their privileged relationship channels since three-quarters of 15-25 year olds want to receive information by mail (38%), then by SMS (26%).
The many advantages of e-commerce
The key strengths of e-commerce are proving to be its availability, ease and abundant offers, it is no surprise that Amazon is quoted by 34% of young people as the website on which they prefer to do their purchases.
If Amazon is more cited by young men (38%, against 30% among women), Asos, conversely, seduced more women (21% of them against 15% of men).
It should also be noted that it is also important for this generation to live an online experience, just as it can be experienced in stores.
One of the most common uses in the customer journey for young people aged 15 to 25 is to seek advice online: 68% of young people in this target group often or always consult online reviews.
And indeed, when we ask young people what characterizes a good app or a good e-commerce site, one of the first points that emerge is the content of the reviews, followed by transparency, and sales and the promotions diversity.
What is that strongly unties Generation Z’s favorite e-commercants?
- These are mostly multi-brand marketplaces.
- Affordable low prices are also an important point for this young generation.
- Not to mention optimized delivery, very important in the displacement perspective.
Stores are resisting
Throughout the customer journey, in-store visits are very much so an opportunity to live an experience.
30% of young people go to stores during outings with friends and 33% test products.
This outing with friends then becomes an additional argument in favor of physical stores, and for the experience happening in the moment.
And logically, testing products becomes more of an asset to the stores for residents of Paris and the Paris region (41%) than for those living in the provinces (31%).
Trying out articles of clothing is in the eyes of young people the main asset of the physical stores. If the shops were to disappear, the impossibility of trying an article is what most young people would miss the most.
If showrooming, the practice of finding an article in a shop to finally order it online, is well in vogue among the 15-25 years old, its magnitude should be considered as relative.
43% of them have already made use of, but only 12% have become accustomed.
For the 57% who say they have never used this technique, online shopping is also an option in case of the unavailability of a product in a shop.