How to Make Your Business More Attractive to Gen Z Customers

As a small business owner, you are no doubt aware of the latest generation to emerge: Generation Z. This generation was born from 1995 to roughly 2015, which puts them between four to 24 years old. You may be thinking of them as still too young to be consumers of your products or services. But, here are a few facts that may cause you to think twice about this up-and-coming generation:

• At around 74 million strong in the U.S., Gen Z represents about 25% of the population, and in a few years, will potentially become the largest consumer market.
• It’s estimated that Gen Z commands somewhere between $44 bill to $143 billion a year in discretionary spending.
• They have a small-business mindset and are more likely to make a purchase and spend more with a small business than Baby Boomers.

Gen Zers are a buying force to be reckoned with now rather than later. So, what are the unique characteristics of this emerging market, and how can small businesses attract them? Let’s look at some of the primary factors that drive Gen Z’s buying habits.

They’re shrewd buyers

Generation Z was born on the internet, and as expected, they are expert users. They can quickly filter through vast amounts of information from many sources to narrow down their choices. These buyers want to know everything about a product and the company before they make a purchase.

User reviews are a primary source where Gen Z consumers gather information. They’ve been trained since they were first handed a cell phone (at about eight years old, on average) to count “likes” to find the most popular products. However, it’s not just about the number of reviews that is persuasive, but also what they say. Gen Z shoppers want to learn things like what a product is made of, how it’s produced, and its origin.

They want to be part of the process

Small businesses that strive to work in partnership with Gen Zers are likely to see a big pay-off in terms of brand loyalty. Sixty percent of this generation say they want brands to listen to them and value their opinions. Offering avenues for this generation to interact and even co-create with your company will help build long-term and profitable relationships.

Invite Gen Zers to collaborate with your business and publish those outcomes. Place user-generated content and reviews on your social media channels and website. Understand also that this generation values authenticity in their buying relationships above all else. That encompasses companies who are honest enough to publish negative reviews along with the positive ones, apologize for less-than-perfect performance, and respond with how they’ll do better the next time.

They have high standards for product performance

It’s useful for business leaders to remember that Gen Zers have little to no experience with slow internet speeds, dropped cell phone calls, or other product imperfections. Technology has always worked for them! Now, as adults or soon-to-be adults, they have no patience for products that fall short.

If a product or service doesn’t work the way it should, a Gen Z customer will be gone and won’t come back. Quality control and consistent product performance are essential.

Consider your company’s mobile shopping experience. If it isn’t responsive or not intuitive to navigate, Gen Zers will move on to the next website. Likewise, if your order fulfillment process is too slow or inaccurate, you can expect Gen Z customers to lose patience. In this world of two-day shipping, order fulfillment efficiency matters!

Gen Z cares, and they want you to care, too

Similar to Millennials, Gen Z is acutely concerned about societal and environmental issues. Seventy-six percent of them reported being concerned about our impact on the planet. And, nearly all Gen Zers believe companies need to do their part to address these issues.

Many in this generation strive to only buy from companies that display these ethical qualities. Small business leaders should think about how their company culture, employees, products, or services positively impact their community. Businesses caring and doing good is an important buying decision factor for Gen Z””even more important than the value the product brings to their lives.

Ohio Valley Goodwill offers companies a socially-responsible business partner

Your present and future Generation Z customers are looking for companies that instill ethical business processes in everything they do, from product development to order fulfillment services. That’s why it pays to partner with an experienced, reputable fulfillment provider, like Ohio Valley Goodwill!

Our Industrial Services Division has decades of expertise in order fulfillment services, as well as kitting, assembly, and packaging. With a large, motivated workforce, we are the ideal partner for your growing business! We’ve worked with some of the top brands in and around Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana, helping them simplify operations and improve efficiency while lowering overhead costs.

Best of all, when you outsource order fulfillment services to Ohio Valley Goodwill, you give back to your community in a meaningful way. Your partnership supports Ohio Valley Goodwill’s non-profit mission to provide meaningful employment to individuals with disabilities. Our Industrial Services Division gives these individuals the opportunity to participate actively in the community, earn a living, and self-actualize through meaningful work. It is a unique opportunity, and it results in a dedicated workforce that can outperform any other order fulfillment service in the region.

Learn more about our fulfillment, assembly, and kitting services and put Goodwill to work for your business! Please contact us today for a free quote and a tour of our facilities.