In 2021, ** percent of baby boomers preferred in-store shopping, while only ** percent chose online shopping as their primary method of buying. Many millennials and Generation Z shoppers also opted for in-store shopping but showed a way greater interest in hybrid buying methods, at a rate of ** and ** percent, respectively. Favorite brands among young shoppers When comparing male and female Generation Z shoppers in terms of brand preferences in the United States, it was apparent that both groups enjoyed many of the same household names. For instance, brands such as Amazon, Walmart, YouTube, and Netflix appeared on both lists, making them some of the generation’s most popular brands. That said, preferences were far from identical: more Gen Z women liked Doritos, Oreo, and KitKat, while a higher number of Gen Z men had a favorable opinion of Gatorade, PlayStation, and Nike. Sustainable considerations Climate change is a hot topic and is on many consumers’ minds in recent years. As such, a considerable share of people in the United States, and around the world, have started taking up more sustainable habits. For example, many have adapted their shopping and consumption behavior: according to a survey conducted in early 2022, more than half of consumers worldwide planned to avoid buying new goods for sustainability reasons, perhaps intending to buy secondhand or repair the goods they already owned instead.

In 2021, both Generation Z and millennial consumers in the United States and Canada said that their main influence when purchasing clothes was their friends. For Gen Z, almost half of respondents named this group as an influence, whilst it was roughly a third for millennials. This survey classed Gen Z as 13 to 20 years old, and millennials as 21 to 39. Unsurprisingly, considering the different stages of life, millennials were swayed more strongly by the recommendations of their significant others, at ** percent compared to **. Gen Z’s love of Nike When it comes to the brands that Gen Z are influenced to buy, Nike reigns supreme. It was by far the most popular footwear brand among that generation in 2021, receiving well over **** of the responses in a 2021 survey of American teenagers. In fact, in another 2021 survey, it was voted as the most popular brand, product, or service among Generation Z consumers in the United States. Online influences Gen Z tended to be influenced more by online sources than their older counterparts. Social media is an integral part of daily life for many in the younger generations, so it follows that their purchasing decisions are affected by online ads and influencers. ******* was the product category that Gen Z and millennials purchased most as a result of social media brands' posts or influencers' content in the United States.

In 2021, approximately half of consumers in the United States went shopping in physical stores on a daily or weekly basis. Gen Z and the millennial generation typically shopped near equal amounts online and offline each week, while older generations mostly favored in-store shopping.

Choosing products based on quality rather than appearance was the major shopping-related habit among Generation Z consumers as revealed in a survey conducted in Japan in December 2021. Around ** percent of respondents expressed agreement towards the statement that they place more importance on the substance of a product instead of its appearance, of which **** percent agreed very much.

From 2019 to 2021 Generation Z consumers have spent between ** and ** percent of their wallet on food. As of 2021, Gen Z consumers spent about ** percent of their wallet on food products, slightly higher than the previous year.

In a 2021 survey conducted among more than 350 U.S. Gen Z and Millennials, nearly two-thirds (62 percent) reported making a purchase on their smartphone as a result of branded social media posts and/or content shared by influencers.

A 2021 study on Generation Z and millennial shoppers in Canada revealed that ** percent of surveyed respondents shopped online for efficiency reasons. Additionally, ** percent reported that they made online purchases for availability reasons.

A 2021 survey found that a ***** of the global social media shopping spend in 2025 would be attributed to millennial consumers. Next in line are Gen Z shoppers, accounting for ** percent of social commerce spending.

Over the past couple of years in Great Britain, in-store and online have traded places as the channel where Generation Z purchased the majority of their clothing. As of March 2025, ** percent of respondents said that they bought more clothing in-store, which was slightly higher than the share who preferred online retail.

In 2021, more than half (** percent) of millennial shoppers surveyed found social media purchasing to be a fun experience. Furthermore, about ** percent of post-millennials found social commerce enjoyable, compared to ** percent of Gen Xers and ** percent of Boomers.

Ever since the Buy Now, Pay Later payment method has become mainstream; Gen Z continues to take the throne over the next four years. In 2021, **** percent of Gen Z digital buyers aged 14 and older were forecast to use BNPL services, compared with only **** percent of millennial users. Gen X is also likely to adopt the BNPL payment method, reaching a ** percent usage by 2025.

During a 2021 survey, more than 350 U.S. Gen Z and Millennial were asked about the products they bought more of thanks to social media brands' posts and/or influencers' content, over 40 percent cited apparel. Beauty and make-up items followed, with an increase in purchase according to almost 23 percent of those surveyed in the North American country.

In 2021, roughly half of millennial consumers in Germany believed that Black Friday was the leading sales event that offered the best bargains. Approximately *** percent of the country's millennials felt that Cyber Monday or Amazon Prime Day were the leading occasions for finding great deals.

During a 2021 survey carried out in the United States, ** percent of female-presenting respondents aged 17 to 23 stated that recommendations from friends and family were most likely to influence their purchasing decisions. While this was the most popular answer given in the survey, ** percent of respondents also said they were most likely to buy a product after seeing it on TikTok. Gen Z is fueling social media advertising spending Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with the internet. This affinity for the online world also has an impact on shopping behavior, as young consumers are likely to search for product recommendations and reviews online and directly purchase items via the internet as well. Social media plays a particularly essential part in this consumer journey, as millions of Gen Zers browse their social media feeds for inspiration and brand discovery each day. In 2021, social media advertising spending in the United States amounted to nearly ** billion U.S. dollars, and while ads on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok do not focus on Gen Z users exclusively, they are becoming an increasingly appealing target group. The world of TikTok marketing TikTok is evolving into a highly attractive advertising destination due to its impressive user base and its focus on short-form video. While some brands have yet to embrace the power of TikTok marketing, others are already leveraging the platform to raise brand awareness, stay up to date with the latest trends, and unlock new audiences. Seeing that Gen Z users represent the largest age group on TikTok, marketers trying to reach young audiences will likely flock to the app in even larger numbers in the future.

China’s Generation Z has become the primary driver of the country’s e-commerce growth in recent years. In November 2021, more than ** percent of China’s new e-commerce users were Generation Z.
China’s Gen-Z online population A generation born as digital natives, Gen Z in China showed a strong attachment to the internet from an early age. As of September 2021, the monthly active Gen-Z mobile internet users surpassed *** million. The internet has become a significant means for expressing themselves and making connections. In a 2020 survey, more than ** percent of Gen-Z respondents named online shopping and online gaming as their hobbies.

Gen-Z online shoppers When it comes to shopping, e-commerce had overtaken brick-and-mortar stores to be Gen-Z’s favorite in China. Nearly ** percent of China’s Gen-Z shopped primarily online, and another ** percent used hybrid channels. Mobile Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo were the leading online shopping platforms for China’s Gen-Z consumers.

According to an August 2021 study, seven in ten U.S. consumers said they use at least one social network as a source of inspiration for their holiday shopping. Among younger shoppers, namely Gen Z and millennials, more than ** percent reported using social media platforms for inspiration when buying holiday gifts.

As of March 2021, **** percent of students from Generation-Z in China stated that their average monthly spending amounted to 1,000 yuan or below. In comparison, only around **** percent of non-students from Generation-Z said they spent 1,000 yuan or less per month.

A 2021 survey revealed that nearly a quarter of millennial shoppers in the Netherlands were more likely to visit an apparel store if it offered click-and-collect and returns services. Gen Z consumers showed the second-highest interest in this purchase option, with ** percent of respondents. Meanwhile, boomers were more inclined to visit an apparel stores with free click-and-collect than Gen X respondents.

In July 2021, over one-third (** percent) of Millennial internet users stated they were likely to continue shopping via e-commerce subscription services in the United States. A year earlier, this percentage stood at only ** percent. Other generations of internet users also showed an increased intention to keep using subscription e-commerce in the U.S., for instance, ** percent of Gen X respondents in 2021, albeit with a lesser year-on-year growth than Millennials.

When asked if they thought social platforms were a better place to find out about new products than online searches, some ** percent of Gen Z shoppers gave an affirmative answer, as compared to ** percent of Millennials. The survey, which was conducted in the United States in May 2021, included more than ***** consumers from across the country.