eCommerce is growing steadily, as shown by the data of the B2c eCommerce Observatory of the Milan Polytechnic presented last week in the framework of the Netcomm Forum 2022 and which we will present next week on this blog with an interview with Valentina Pontiggia, Director of the B2c eCommerce Observatories and Digital Innovation in Retail.
There is, however, a further element to take into consideration: online shopping is not only continuing to grow, but is evolving ever more rapidly, and it is above all the new generations that are driving this change.
The Generation Z, in fact, which includes those born between 1995 and 2010, is dictating rules and trends for the future of the sector, as reported in the Samy Alliance’s Consumer Trends 2022 Report.
New sales tools: social commerce
We have already reported the growing phenomenon of social commerce, which is especially widespread among the young and very young. Suffice it to say that in Italy the main users of Facebook and Instagram are under 35 years old, while for TikTok the average age is between 10 and 29.
According to the data presented at the Netcomm Forum, more than half of Italians (51.8%) are aware of the Live Streaming Commerce phenomenon – which we have also discussed here – and 11% of users have purchased products or services online thanks to this tool. The phenomenon also varies significantly by age and gender: it is women and younger people who are more familiar with this new online sales technique.
Moreover, according to the Samy Alliance Report, 60% of consumers belonging to Generation Z and Millennials (born between the early 1980s and the late 1990s) will shift their online purchases from eCommerce sites to social platforms by 2026.
New sales methods: Shoppertainment
In order to govern the change and manage these new sales methods, however, it is also important to know the expectations of the new online consumers.
As we have also reported in this article on quick-commerce, the pace of eCommerce is speeding up and consumers are less and less willing to wait for information or the product they have purchased.
In the world of ‘shoppertainment‘ where shopping and entertainment go hand in hand, more than half of users say they prefer short-form content, i.e. not longer than 10 minutes. Time in which as much and as accurate information as possible must be conveyed about prices, product quality, the purchasing process and possible returns; without forgetting to convey all the brand values, including inclusiveness and sustainability, to which the new generations are increasingly paying attention and relevance in their purchasing choices.
Five useful tips for selling online to the younger generation
1. Rethink the entire buying experience
To make the purchase journey as simple, enriching and stimulating as possible for the end user, it is essential to rethink the entire customer experience. In the world of the metaverse, experiences, even more than the products themselves, play a central role: 72% of Gen Z consumers already say they prefer them to physical products, so much so that they would be willing to spend even more.
2. Publish quality content
While it is true that social pages will play an increasingly important role in the eCommerce sales process, increasing the quality of the content published by providing genuinely useful information that meets customers’ needs is a key ingredient for successful social commerce.
3. Make information and reviews available
As mentioned above, sharing information is playing an increasingly crucial role, so much so that 96 per cent of young consumers say they inform themselves via online reviews before making a purchase. Displaying reviews on your website therefore gives potential customers more confidence in their purchasing decisions and reduces doubt, leading to a higher conversion rate.
4. Choose the right products
Some products lend themselves more than others to these new online sales techniques. To date, the most successful product categories in this context are consumer electronics, fashion and cosmetics.
5. Tell your values
The new generations are increasingly attentive to the values that brands convey, carefully choosing the brands that most reflect them. Inclusivity and sustainability in particular are two trends that can no longer be ignored. In fact, 19% of consumers find brands with inclusive content and attentive to issues such as gender differences and diversity in a general sense more authentic. Product catalogues should therefore increasingly feature products that are neutral with respect to gender, age, religion or origin. On the other hand, from the point of view of conscious consumption, 62% of users belonging to the ‘Generation Z’ category are more inclined to buy products from sustainable brands, both environmentally and socially.
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Keep following our blog, next week we will analyse together with Valentina Pontiggia, Director of eCommerce B2c Observatories and Digital Innovation in Retail, all the B2c eCommerce trends in Italy in 2022.
