How Each Generation Shops in 2024 [New Data from Our State of Consumer Trends Report]

Discover data from thousands of consumers that highlights the how, where, and why of each age group's purchasing decisions.

Written by: Jenny Romanchuk
Cover Consumer Trends Report-2

U.S. STATE OF CONSUMER TRENDS REPORT

Discover the preferences, behaviors, and buying motivations of 1000+ consumers, as well as the trends they're following.

Download the Free Report
women from different generations share shopping habits

Updated:

Published:

Understanding your audience is a hard job, but decoding the Gen Z, Gen X, Boomers, and Millennial shopping habits is where the real challenge lies. All generations shop differently, so you need to do some deep research to find out how things function in their “worlds.”

Download Now: The State of U.S. Consumer Trends [Free Report]

To help you determine where to meet audiences where they are, we surveyed thousands of U.S. consumers of all generations to learn about their shopping habits, media consumption, and the latest trends they're following.

For those in a rush, we've put a quick generation-by-generation overview below with links to the deep dive of each age group. To see a broader side-by-side comparison of how all generations handle each stage of product discovery and purchases differently, jump to our comparison section.

Millennial Shopping Habits

Gen Z Shopping Habits (ages 18-24)

  • Social media, searching on the internet, and word-of-mouth are the top ways Gen Z discover new products.
  • Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are the top social media apps among Gen Z.
  • Of Gen Z, 37% have bought a product based on an influencer’s recommendation in the past three months, and 43% have bought through an in-app shop.
  • One in two Gen Zers want companies to take a stance on social issues, specifically racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, gender inequality, and climate change. When companies advocate for these issues, it has a strong impact on Gen Z purchase decisions.
  • Ads on streaming services beat cable TV for reaching Gen Z. Retail discovery is still relevant but less frequent than digital channels.

Jump to our Gen Z deep dive >>

Millennial Shopping Habits (ages 25-35)

  • Social media, internet search, and YouTube ads are also the top ways Millennials discover new products.
  • Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok are the top social media apps among Millennials.
  • Of Millennials, 43% have bought a product through an in-app shop in the past three months, and 36% have bought based on an...

Want the full article?

Unlock HubSpot's Exclusive Research & Content Library - Free Access

Please in order to proceed

    Want the full article?

    Unlock HubSpot's Exclusive Research & Content Library - Free Access

    Related Articles

    Learn how consumers act, how they think, and what they expect this year.

    DOWNLOAD THE FREE REPORT

    The weekly email to help take your career to the next level. No fluff, only first-hand expert advice & useful marketing trends.

    Must enter a valid email

    We're committed to your privacy. HubSpot uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, check out our privacy policy.

    This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.