Gen Z Omnichannel Shopping Trends

Afterpay’s latest Gen Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping report reveals Gen Z values brands with an omnichannel presence and secure data protection

As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and almost two years spent indoors, Gen Z are craving more ways to shop than ever before, preferring to have the option to shop anywhere and at any time. Based on Afterpay’s Gen Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping Report, the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) leader found that 54% of North Americans and 46% of Brits agree that they want new ways to shop, no matter where they are. With supply chain issues and inflation remaining top issues, Gen Z values flexibility in the way they shop, and omnichannel offerings have become a key channel to empower this generation of shoppers. 

Online shopping continues to reign supreme as Gen Z cites convenience and the ability to read reviews for products as key reasons to shop online. 55% of North Americans and 46% of British Gen Z also state that the ability to search for what they want online remains integral to their shopping experience. Furthermore, with Gen Z leading the charge in adoption of new technologies, half of Gen Zs surveyed have tried voice assisted shopping (e.g. Amazon’s Alexa) in the past 12 months. 

While Gen Z cites convenience and the ability to read reviews for products as key reasons to shop online, they’re not foregoing the in-store shopping experience.  In fact, Gen Z shoppers across North America and the UK say that they prefer to shop in-store to avoid shipping and delivery fees on items they want immediately. 

As the first generation to grow up in this new digital world, Gen Z expects a safe, fast, and easy shopping experience. Across omnichannel options, Gen Z shoppers cite data protection among what they value most from a brand, as over 60% of Gen Z states that this is a important consideration when deciding where to shop. 

While Gen Z shoppers are looking for merchants with omnichannel offerings, they are also looking for merchants with flexible payment options. According to Afterpay’s Coresight Report, 51%¹ of BNPL users say they’ll continue using it at the same frequency or higher over the next year – helping combat inflation while using their own money to pay over time. 

Download the North America infographic here, and the UK infographic here. 

 

For inquiries into Afterpay’s Gen Z shopping data, reach out to media@afterpay.com

 

¹Coresight Survey, March 2022