In 2015, the millennial consumer is one that marketers are pushing hard to connect with, as they should, because they’re awesome (Full disclosure: I’m a millennial). What makes this group awesome for marketers is that this highly coveted audience is beginning to shape their shopping behavior, and they have real spending power.
WE’RE A UNIQUE GROUP
Millennials, myself included, have lived through an interesting change in the dynamics of the marketplace. Growing up, we had rotary dial phones. Then, there were beepers, which led to walkie-talkie Nextel bleep phones, and finally the current smartphone’s everything-at-your-fingertips world. Similarly, the internet started as Prodigy, which led to America On Line (and their “free minutes” CDs), which gave you access to the World Wide Web, and eventually into the instant connection, online marketplace that now exists. You can get anything you want, anytime you want. How dope/phat is that? (I told you I’m a millennial.)
This drastic technology shift, over the last twenty years or so, greatly influenced our shopping patterns. I purchase online, but I prefer in-store. In fact, I made my first shoe purchase online this past weekend, and now I have to return them (which I’ll do in-store).
SHOWROOMING SUPERSTARS
My favorite part of the modern age though, and it has drastically influenced my consumption patterns, is having the ability to price compare at the ready. I have literally gone into Target, found an item I wanted, gone online to see if I could get it cheaper—which I could—and then purchased the product from my phone via Amazon. All while standing in front of that exact item—sorry Target.
I could go on and on about what makes millennials unique, but like LeVar would say, “You don’t have to take my word for it.” CHECK OUT THIS LINK TO A CUSTOM-DESIGNED, RESEARCH DECK that will shed some light on the all-powerful millennial consumer.
And when you’re ready to find out how to target them, check out our website, and contact an MNI Account Executive in your area.
