Black Friday and Cyber Monday are evolving, thanks in large part to the growing influence of the digital generation: Gen Z. As the U.S.’s third-largest generation, they’re not just shaping trends — they’re setting them.

While many Gen Zers are still in their teens, the oldest are 27 years old and making significant purchasing decisions. For brands looking to target younger generations, it’s crucial to understand their unique preferences during the biggest shopping season of the year.

We’re following Gen Z’s shopping habits to find the best way to reach this population that’s steadily growing into adulthood. We recently surveyed 1,161 consumers in the U.S. and put it all together in our 2024 BFCM Consumer Trends Report. But now, we’re pulling out Gen Z and comparing them to other generations to see what makes them tick — and how their preferences should influence your holiday shopping strategies.

Let’s get to know Gen Zers by taking a deeper look into their BFCM shopping habits and dive into these tips on how to vibe with their digital-native proclivities.

‍

How do Gen Z shoppers feel about BFCM shopping?

Our survey confirms what we all suspected — Gen Zers LOVE to shop. Nearly half of those surveyed agreed, which is significantly higher than other generations. Another 41% were a little less enthusiastic, and said they “like shopping.”

BFCM shopping often gives Gen Zers more high highs and low lows than other generations. The majority (56%) are excited by the rush or thrill they get around BFCM. And 44% feel satisfied and accomplished when hunting down the best deals or most exclusive items. 

Yet, they’re also significantly more likely to experience stress and overwhelm. 28% of Gen Zers report feeling stressed or anxious, compared to 19% across all generations, and 22% feel overwhelmed, compared to 17% overall.

Is it FOMO, budget woes, or the sheer number of options available giving Gen Z these mixed emotions? Maybe they like the hunt but are quickly overwhelmed. Whatever the case, tailor your marketing messages around this duality. 

Capitalize on their anticipation with promotions, like:

• Exclusive sneak peeks to enhance the feeling of inclusivity and reduce FOMO-induced stressed
• Social media countdowns leading to BFCM with daily showcases of top deals so they can plan ahead
• Flexible payment options like buy now pay later (BNPL) to lessen financial stress

In the survey, we noted that many respondents plan on starting their holiday shopping before BFCM, but that’s not the case for Gen Z. Gen Z shoppers are the least likely to plan their shopping a week or more before BFCM and the most likely to have no plan at all. 

Brands can capitalize on Gen Z’s spontaneous shopping habits with strategies that cater to last-minute decision-making and impulse buying, like:

• Real-time promotions: Create time-sensitive offers and flash sales during BFCM. Use push notifications and social media ads to alert consumers in real time to create a sense of urgency.
• Limited-edition products: Appeal to Gen Z’s FOMO with limited edition products and exclusive items only available during BFCM. 
• An optimized mobile app experience: Optimize your app for a seamless mobile experience, ensuring fast load times and a smooth checkout process. 

‍

Where are Gen Zers shopping?

While overwhelmingly more survey respondents across generations plan on shopping on a mobile app this year than in 2023 (81% compared to 68%), Gen Z is surprisingly more likely to do their holiday shopping in-store this year than older generations. 

Unlike their neighboring generation, Millennials, 40% of Gen Zers plan to shop in person. LA Times notes that Gen Z wants a sense of community, so they often browse online and then meet up in person to shop.

Gen Z is proving that even though they love the convenience of online shopping, brick-and-mortar isn’t going anywhere. The sweet spot? Let customers buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS) for free. They get their hands on products faster, with more product transparency, and savings, keeping the in-store experience alive.

Try amping up the hybrid experience with in-store QR codes. Brands like Gorjana and Aviator Nation place QR code signage at checkout, making it easy for shoppers to continue their journey in the app. Capture Kit simplifies creating these codes so you can direct in-store shoppers to download your mobile app or unlock special offers.

Pairing your in-store and mobile experience creates a seamless omnichannel journey that fits the young generation’s shopping habits.

‍

Gen Z’s mobile app usage is on the rise

This doesn’t mean Gen Z consumers are saying “no” to online shopping. A whopping 89% view mobile apps as a shopping method they would at least like to have as an option if not a necessity, and 1 in 5 say it’s a must-have. When Gen Zers shop online, 84% plan on using mobile apps.

When shopping on mobile, consumers are slightly more likely to prefer apps (30%) over a mobile browser (24%), and more than half have no preference for or prefer both options. That number is slightly higher for Gen Z, with 32% preferring to shop via a mobile app.

A mobile app also gives brands more legitimacy. About half of the survey respondents feel an app lends more trust and legitimacy to a brand, and this attitude is much stronger among Gen Z. Just over 7 in 10 Gen Z consumers (71%) view a brand as more trustworthy and legitimate if they offer a mobile app.

Gen Z prefer push notifications for brand updates

Push notifications are a key driver behind Gen Z’s mobile purchasing behavior. They’re more likely to report they’ve purchased directly from a push notification at 49%. This outpaces other generations, with Millennials at 38%, Gen X at 43%, and Baby Boomers at 31%.

Push notifications also outperform SMS for Gen Z, Millennial, and Gen X generations for eliciting a purchase. It’s also important to note that we don’t see the same stratification across generations with SMS, a far more established communication channel. 

What’s more, push notifications also give Gen Z the best shopping experience outside social media. This is likely due to the easy path to purchase from push messaging to in-app checkout. 

To capitalize on push notifications’ appeal to younger buyers, brands should focus on sending them at optimal times to avoid overwhelming users while tailoring the messages to match user preferences and behaviors. As more of Gen Z’s favorite ecommerce brands embrace mobile apps, push notifications are likely to grow even further. 

‍

Gen Z’s message sensitivity during BFCM

Gen Z is a unique audience when it comes to brand messaging during BFCM. They are the generation most likely to find BFCM appealing, with 32% expressing a positive response. At the same time, 35% of Gen Z says they feel somewhat annoyed by BFCM ads. And 66% say they’ll unsubscribe if they receive too many messages—the highest of any generation. “Too many messages” is also their #1 reason for unsubscribing. 

Despite this high sensitivity, only 7% of Gen Z is likely to unsubscribe during BFCM, the lowest of all generations. While Gen Z might be vocal about not wanting to be bombarded with messages, the promise of discounts and exclusive deals may outweigh their annoyance. This might be why we see a large gap between their intent to unsubscribe with too many messages and their low tendency to do it during BFCM, a period of high-volume messaging. 

There could also be a discrepancy between how many messages are “too many” for the young generation. Their definition of too many messages may have a higher threshold. The takeaway? Gen Zers like the deals, so keep sending those messages — as long as they’re relevant.

Whether for push or text, personalization is extremely important for your messages to resonate across generations. According to Yotpo, nearly 40% of customers of all generations are unhappy with impersonal text messages. Be intentional about what you share to ensure your campaign’s value.

Discounts are the clear favorite promotional offer for all generations. And most Gen Z shoppers (17%) report wanting a minimum discount of 30–35%, higher than the other generations. If a blanket discount is too steep, apply it to specific products or collections or offer a limited quantity at the discounted rate to create urgency.

Although, Klaviyo’s 2023 data shows that higher discounts do not necessarily equate to higher conversions. They share that although consumers love and take advantage of discounts, too many discounts can squeeze margins. Brands are wary of using too many or discounting too steeply, lest they lose sight of profitability. 

Klaviyo’s BFCM data suggests that the optimal discount brack is 20–29%, which converts best for verticals like sporting goods, jewelry, home and garden, and hardware and home improvement.

Advertising strategies to improve reach to Gen Z

As a digitally native generation, Gen Z responds to a strong mix of advertising channels, with TV ads, social media ads, and influencer content. Unsurprisingly, 52% of Gen Z respondents are also particularly motivated by push notifications, beating out print, SMS, and even influencer content. Gen Z is also increasingly learning about sales through TikTok, a rising social media app brands should note.

Last year, brands spent roughly 70% more on Meta and Google during the week of BFCM compared to prior weeks, according to Triple Whale. Nik Sharma recommended spending at least that through the entire week of BFCM — and more if it’s profitable and converting. Triple Whale’s advice is to focus on running campaigns highlighting your core products — those that customers are already familiar with and likely to purchase once BFCM discounts kick in. 

‍

Takeaway BFCM strategies for brands targeting Gen Z shoppers

Gen Z is emerging as a purchasing powerhouse and will only continue to grow as more and more age into adulthood. While they’re still a new and emerging generation, now’s the time to develop winning strategies for current and future success. 

Here are some quick hit strategies to keep in mind this holiday season to personalize your shopping experience to Gen Z:

• Capitalize on BFCM by launching your mobile app: If your brand appeals to younger generations, BFCM is an ideal time to launch a mobile app. It no longer takes a team of developers to get up and running — you can launch and manage an app that seamlessly syncs to your Shopify backend. That way, you can capitalize on the holiday season’s prime opportunity to capture the attention of Gen Z shoppers, drive app downloads, and build your push notification subscriber list. You can also capture that momentum and build a strategy to retain those holiday shoppers.
• Maximize app engagement: If you already have a mobile app, use BFCM to ramp up engagement through exclusive app-only deals and promotions. Focusing on in-app experiences can drive higher app usage rates and deepen customer loyalty during the most crucial shopping period of the year. Take a note from Sunday Swagger. They rolled out an app-exclusive campaign 10 days before Black Friday, sparking a surge in new app downloads. The campaign’s impact went far beyond immediate sales, leading to an 82% surge in daily active users, a 107% uptick in sessions since the sale began, and a 25% increase in the app conversion rate. 
• Personalize the shopping experience: Gen Z values personalized shopping experiences. Tailor your BFCM messaging and offers to reflect the generations' (and individual’s) preferences and shopping behaviors. Impersonal or irrelevant messages can quickly lead to disengagement, so focus on making every interaction meaningful.
• Balance message frequency with relevance: While Gen Z shoppers appreciate BFCM deals, they’re also sensitive to message overload. Avoid bombarding them with too many notifications or emails. Instead, focus on sending well-timed, relevant messages that add value, keeping them engaged but not overwhelmed. 

‍

For more Gen Z data and other generational insights into this year’s BFCM, grab our full report: 2024 BFCM Consumer Trends Report.

‍

‍