Consumer Behavior

Gen Z consumers want technology-enabled, self-service options

Adobe Stock

July 21, 2023

The plugged-in Gen Z consumer demographic is the most likely to seek tech-enabled self-service solutions compared to other consumers and seem to prioritize the tech over more traditional shopping preferences such as a convenient location or neat store.

That's a top finding from a Creative Realities survey conducted by third-party survey platform Pollfish. The survey polled 1,000 U.S. adults in May 2023 regarding preferred consumer experiences across several categories

A full half (50%) of their parent's generation, Gen X, expressed that a pleasant physical environment is a must-have for a positive shopping experience, according to a press release on the data. In comparison, roughly only one in four (29%) of younger pollsters expressed a strong preference for a well-organized physical store as a must-have part of a positive shopping experience.

A third of Gen Z shoppers said self-checkout technology was a must-have part of the modern shopping experience, compared to just 16% of Gen X shoppers saying the same thing. That was also true for self-serve kiosks, with twice as many Gen Z shoppers (13%) saying they were something they had to have as Gen X shoppers (7%).

"We've had an anecdotal awareness of the generational differences present in shopper preferences, but this survey puts that reality into hard numbers," Beth Warren, Creative Realities SVP of marketing, said in the release. "Younger shoppers are compelled more by convenience and autonomy, whereas their older counterparts still place a high value on various contextual elements, things like pleasant human interactions with knowledgeable employees and well-designed store layouts. That doesn't mean younger shoppers don't want those things, but it was surprising where they fell on their list of priorities."

Additional findings include:

• More than 75% feel that technology makes shopping better, but there is some variance between the types of shoppers.
• While clean stores, friendly employees, low prices, and a convenient location continue to be important factors in why someone picks where they shop, the modern shopping experience is becoming more technology-driven for all shoppers.
• 67% of Convenience-minded shoppers say technology makes shopping better compared to 80% of bargain hunters who feel the same. It is worth noting that 3.4x as many shoppers identified themselves as bargain hunters as compared to convenience-focused shoppers.

"U.S. shoppers are undeniably receptive to the presence of technology in their shopping journey," said Warren in the release. "However, what truly makes them enthusiastic about technology is when it seamlessly melds into their shopping experience. U.S. consumers want technology to enhance and support their shopping experiences without being intrusive or confusing. Companies who start implementing technology into the shopping experience now can differentiate themselves to attract the younger consumers who are expecting a modern, technology-assisted shopping experience as well as satisfy those other shoppers who are looking for the same thing."