March 2019 - 58

Consumer Trends
Young Customers
PHYSICAL STORES
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and
In the coming years, the combined population of the millennial and
Generation Z demographics - essentially people 40 and under - will
make up more than half of the United States. This is part one of a series
looking at the shopping traits of those generations and how brick-andmortar
retailers can market to them and, more importantly, create an
in-store shopping experience that will keep them coming back.
By Jasmine Glasheen
B
rick-and-mortar is back in vogue and young
consumers are leading the charge in the
resurrection of physical retail. According to the
National Retail Federation, a hefty 98 percent
of Gen Z customers make most of their purchases
in physical stores, and there is an obvious appeal to
shopping for garden center products in person.
While a lack of access to credit cards may be a
contributing factor to Gen Z's preference for brickand-mortar,
their millennial predecessors can use all
the plastic they want when making purchases, and
72 percent of them still prefer to do their shopping in
physical stores according to Forbes.
So, what's the big pull of brick-and-mortar retail, and
why are physical stores so alluring for millennial and
Gen Z customers? Let's take a look.
The Added Appeal of 'Try Before You Buy'
There are certain things intelligent smartphone apps
still can't do. Customers have to visit a physical store
to see how cosmetics will react on their skin, what a
costume will look like with their boots and hat from
home, how the fabric of a garment fits their body,
how the plant looks today and alongside other plants
they'll put in their yard or container, or just to have an
in-person sensory experience with a brand.
Maybe this is why in today's era of tech and
disruption, Forbes says 77 percent of Gen Z customers
would rather make a purchase in-store. In addition,
Gen Z is more likely to engage with store associates
than any other generation. Forbes reported, " Despite
being perpetually on their smartphone, Gen Z shoppers
are more likely to ask for help in a store. Twenty-eight
percent of them would ask for help, versus just 21
percent across all other generations. "
Judging by Gen Z's proclivity for engaging with actual
human beings, it could look like some chatbots are
58 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | MARCH 2019
going to be out of a job. It's important to note, however,
that young consumers value an omnichannel shopping
experience - meaning in-store, on smartphones, with
chatbots, etc. - and they expect to have a consistent
experience with a retailer regardless of what channel
they use to interact.
Browsing in Stores is a Social Experience
With all of the hustle and bustle of the modern
retail world, contemporary consumers have learned to
place a high premium on social experiences. A recent
study by IBM shows that 43 percent of the time Gen Z
spends online is actually spent connecting with peers,
so this idea of the younger generations as removed and
impersonal consumers is simply not true.
NRF reports that 56 percent of Gen Z-ers want the
store experience to be " fun so they won't get bored. "
Since young consumers consider in-store shopping
to be a social experience and they expect it to be
engaging, it's important for retailers marketing to
young consumers to create a dynamic physical retail
environment with events that bring them in.
Holiday-themed or trendy events or " parties " are the
perfect opportunity to bring in Gen Z customers and
millennial parents. Don't be afraid to promote your
event on social media through Facebook or Instagram
to reach new customers in your target demographic
and make sure you have an associate on-hand to
capture customers' contact info for retargeting when
you're focused on entertaining.
Online Shopping Doesn't Meet
Expectations
Millennials and Generation Z have high expectations
when it comes to the in-store experience, but the truth
of the matter is that many garden centers simply aren't
equipped to compete when it comes to technology.
Millennials are twice as likely as boomers or Gen
X to have their purchasing decisions influenced by
the knowledgeability of sales staff. However, tech is
an important part of the in-store experience for both
millennials as well as Gen Z, and more than half of
millennials find store visits more exciting when a
retailer uses tech to show how their products meet
their needs.
It's unavoidable: technology is an essential component
of the in-store experience for younger customers.
According to Vend, a whopping 66 percent of Gen Z
customers would shop at a store more often if they
could browse the inventory beforehand. " If you want to
win over these customers, " Vend reported, " you need to
make your inventory available online and ensure that it
syncs with your offline catalog. "
Bringing It All Together
It all comes down to the brand experience for young
customers. So, having fast and mobile-responsive websites
is a must for modern independent retailers ... as is training
associates to answer common customer questions.
By creating dynamic in-store parties, niche retailers
can bring millennial and Gen Z customers that they
may not have been able to reach otherwise into their
physical stores - creating a relationship and building
sales on the next generation's favorite shopping
platform - the brick-and-mortar store.
Jasmine Glasheen is recognized as a leading influencer,
writer, editor and brand rep. She provides fresh thought
leadership to trade shows and conventions, including: ASD
Market Week, National Retail Federation's Shop.org, the
Independent Retailer Conference, and Halloween & Party
Expo. She is a contributing editor to RetailWire, content
lead at Retail Minded, and is the author of numerous
ebooks and whitepapers for private clients.
http://www.Shop.org
March 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2019
