Guest post by Rose Williams. Rose is a freelance technology writer with a focus on how the Internet improves our lives, from online education and mobile streaming to ‘stuff’ minimizing and beyond. She holds a B.A. in Technical Communications and is currently working toward an MBA. You can contact Rose directly via email.
How Millennials Shop
Millennials, more so than any other generation, are known for their Internet use. And with increasingly advanced technology, more and more Millennials are getting online on their mobile devices.
Mobile shopping
According to eMarketer, 63.2% of Millennials used mobile devices to get online in 2012. They update their Facebook pages, message their friends, and watch their favorite shows. And millennials are starting to use mobile Internet for something else, too: shopping.
Millennials have always been able to buy things – from clothing to books to furniture and more – with just a few clicks of a mouse. The only difference? Now, they can do it from their phones.
Who’s involved?
Many brands have capitalized on the Millennial tendency towards mobile shopping with apps that make purchasing easy. Using mobile Internet from providers like internet.verizon.com, millennials can download apps from retailers – like Amazon, Groupon, and Walgreens – to browse items, check prices, and make purchases on their smartphones or tablets.
But major retailers aren’t the only ones getting in on the mobile shopping game. Running with Millennials’ love for all things mobile, financial services have created apps that allow users to check their bank accounts, track costs, and even pay bills. With Venmo, millennials split utilities with their roommates or pay friends back for dinners out. They use Mint to check their balances and create budgets.
How you can make the most of mobile shopping
Different ways of shopping inevitably mean different ways of marketing. So what can you do to take advantage of the mobile shopping trend?
- Use social media. According to Clickz.com, millennials have the highest rates of mobile social media use. Brands that succeed among their generation – like Starbucks and Nike – are the ones with a firm grasp on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
- Be interactive. Unlike traditional marketing channels, mobile Internet lends itself to communication. Reach out to millennials. Encourage them to make comments, contribute content, and ask questions online.
- Facilitate mobile shopping. If you don’t have a mobile app with purchasing capabilities, get one. And if you can’t get an app, make sure your mobile site design makes it easy to look up items, compare prices – and ultimately hit the checkout.
You can contact Rose Williams at rosewilliamscreative@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Eduard Titov via Flickr
