{"id":70801,"date":"2019-01-30T00:00:42","date_gmt":"2019-01-30T06:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?p=70801"},"modified":"2025-05-14T13:33:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T18:33:57","slug":"reality-bytes-second-annual-generational-study-reveals-how-gen-z-behaves-buys-builds-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/reality-bytes-second-annual-generational-study-reveals-how-gen-z-behaves-buys-builds-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Reality Bytes: Second Annual Generational Study Reveals How Gen Z Behaves, Buys & Builds Online"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gen Z Prefers Internet Leaders Over Politicians, Trusts Online Stores As Much As Physical Ones And Has The Highest Aspiration To Entrepreneurship Of Any Generation<\/span><\/p>\n

AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 <\/b>Jan. 30, 2019<\/b> \u2013 \u00a0A groundbreaking international study conducted <\/span>by <\/span>The Center for Generational Kinetics<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>commissioned by <\/span>WP Engine<\/span><\/a> reveals that Generation Z, born between 1996-2010, is fueled by technology in all facets of their life, and expects the Internet to connect them, entertain them, sell to them and build their digital brand. It\u2019s a generation whose relationship with technology can be summed up by Steve Jobs\u2019 famous quote when launching the iPhone in 2007 – \u201cyour life in your pocket.\u201d The survey, a follow up to one conducted in 2017, explores three key aspects of Gen Z\u2019s relationship with digital: Being Online, Buying Online and Building Online. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGen Z is well on its way to becoming the largest generation of consumers by the year 2020,\u201d said Mary Ellen Dugan, Chief Marketing Officer at WP Engine. \u201cThis will have profound implications for marketers and brands who, to effectively engage Gen Z, must embrace new technologies, experiment with new forms of communication and internalize the nuances in how Gen Z seamlessly blends the analog and digital worlds.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Being Online<\/b><\/h2>\n

According to the study, Gen Z continues to be the most Internet-dependent generation – 55% of Gen Z can\u2019t comfortably go more than four hours without the Internet, while 22% of Baby Boomers can go a week or more. Gen Z, which has never known a world without the Internet, not only expects 24\/7 digital access but expects that within five years everything – <\/span>clocks, refrigerators, vacuums, dishwashers and other appliances – will be connected online. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gen Z has grown up in the hyper-personalized world of targeted advertisements and social platforms. As a result, <\/span>they are willing to trade privacy for personalized experiences – <\/span>44% will provide their personal data to enable a more personalized experience over an anonymous one. Additionally, 44% of Gen Z would stop visiting a website if it didn\u2019t anticipate what they needed, liked, or wanted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Buying Online<\/b><\/h2>\n

Given Gen Z\u2019s dependence on the Internet, it\u2019s fitting that merely being online is no barrier when it comes to earning their trust as consumers. When asked if an online-only company was less trustworthy than a solely brick-and-mortar business, 75% of Gen Z say no. Gen Z also prefers businesses to have an online presence <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> a physical storefront, a clear reflection of the \u201cclicks-to-bricks\u201d opportunity brands such as Warby Parker and Bonobos have identified and are capitalizing on today. <\/span><\/p>\n

As shoppers, Gen Z demands that brands be both socially accountable and imbued with a sense of authenticity in their interactions. 69% of Gen Z are more likely to buy from a company that contributes to social causes; nearly the polar opposite of Baby Boomers, of which only 23% are more likely to buy from companies that contribute to causes with which they agree.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another interesting digital note: despite Gen Z\u2019s eagerness to access the web using new methods and different devices, they still show a clear preference for a company\u2019s website over a mobile app when making purchases. This fact held true across all generations, with Baby Boomers leading the pack at 85%, followed by Gen X (82%), Millennials (68%), and Gen Z (61%). <\/span><\/p>\n

Building Online<\/b><\/h2>\n

When it comes to building their career, Gen Z is much more entrepreneurial than their predecessors – 64% plan to start their own business. They are also the first generation to express an interest in building a tech business over retail, the first preference of all other generations. 66% of all Americans would start their business online first, proving that most new companies will be a tech company at heart. <\/span><\/p>\n

For Gen Z, building a personal brand is also highly instinctive, but they are much more purposeful and conscientious about it than their Millennial counterparts. <\/span>72% of Gen Z worry that their online actions, including social media posts and past purchases, will affect job offers. 53% believe their online reputation will determine their dating options. Perhaps that\u2019s why Gen Z is fiercely committed to authenticity when considering the brands they use and buy. 79% of Gen Z trust a company more if the images they use are not photoshopped and 84% trust a company more if they use actual customers in their ads.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following are key findings from the study. <\/span><\/p>\n