Every generation does things a little differently than the one before, and Gen Z is no exception — even when it comes to holiday shopping. Younger people — in Gen Z’s case, those around 25 and under — are less likely to impulse buy and more likely to prize quality over affordability. Most importantly, though, they do the bulk of their shopping online.

                By                    Jordan Rosenfeld

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However, Gen Z wants a deal just as much as anyone else — they just might not be shopping at the same places as the rest of us. Here, experts suggest where Gen Zers will be looking for the best holiday deals.

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Social Media

Retailers that understand the way Gen Z uses social media will have a better chance of reaching them. Julie Ramhold, Consumer Analyst with DealNews.com, said, “TikTok may be the best go-to, as recent studies have shown that young people tend to use TikTok as a starting point for online searches more than traditional engines like Google.”

Because of that, Ramhold said there are plenty of people making recommendations and providing links to products on TikTok, as well as showing how their products work. The bonus of this approach is that it can be a lot faster to watch than sifting through a bunch of written reviews that may or may not call out pros and cons of a product.

Social Media Ads

According to Mor Pesso Eblagon, chief marketing officer at Karma, social media ads and digital marketing are essential to attract younger shoppers. “The combination of brand awareness platforms and performance-based ads drives cost-effective results,” she said.

Pesso Eblagon added that Karma sees “an ongoing increase in shoppers using our coupon scanner as peak shopping season approaches.” She said, “We see spikes in usage the closer we get to the holidays and major shopping seasons like back to school.”

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Influencers and Brand Ambassadors

Younger people take more shopping cues from influencers, Pesso Ebalgon said, and are very brand-conscious. “They are not compromising on the brands they like. They prefer waiting for the right time and the right deal.”

Discounts Don’t Drive Sales, Technology Does

A percentage off discount will not be the driving decision factor with Gen Z as with other generations, said Lauren Ross, founder of Lauren Ross Design. “Gen Z is a generation born into technology and understand how to find what they are looking for. Brands and stores must understand the needs of this generation and communicate their values and offers accordingly.”

Discount Retailers are Hit and Miss

“Gen Z knows what they want and visiting discount retailers is hit and miss for their items,” Pesso Ebalgon said. “Gen Zers are savvy, tech-enabled shoppers and to get what they want at the best price, they are turning to shopping hacks like Karma.”

Ramhold agrees, though she added, “I think it’s going to come down to personal taste more than anything. These kinds of retailers aren’t necessarily known for having current trends stocked; in fact, more often than not, it might be last year’s trends. There’s also no guarantee it’ll have items to appeal to younger crowds, but there could be gems to be found. It may just be that it takes more searching through the stores to find something that speaks to their taste than if they were to shop elsewhere.”

Depop

Another place Gen Z can find great deals is Depop, a clothing app that specializes in used and vintage clothes, according to James Green, owner of Cardboard Cutouts. “It utilizes hashtags to help with searching and has a similar feel to Instagram. If Gen Z are buying clothes, this is most likely the app they’ll use.”

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