Afterpay Report Finds Gen Z Prefers Omnichannel Brands & Data Protection

Afterpay has found that as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and almost two years spent indoors, Gen Z is craving more ways to shop than ever before, preferring to have the option to shop anywhere and at any time.

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Based on Afterpay’s Gen Z: Shaping the Future of Shopping Report, the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) leader found that 54% of North Americans and 46% of Brits agree that they want new ways to shop, no matter where they are. With supply chain issues and inflation remaining top issues, Gen Z values flexibility in the way they shop, and omnichannel offerings have become a key channel to empower this generation of shoppers. 

Gen Z Leading The Way With New Tech Adoption According To Afterpay

Online shopping continues to reign supreme as Gen Z cites convenience and the ability to read reviews for products as key reasons to shop online. 55% of North Americans and 46% of British Gen Z also state that the ability to search for what they want online remains integral to their shopping experience. Furthermore, while leading the charge in the adoption of new technologies, half of Gen Zs surveyed have tried voice-assisted shopping (e.g. Amazon’s Alexa) in the past 12 months. 

While Gen Z cites convenience and the ability to read reviews for products as key reasons to shop online, they’re not foregoing the in-store shopping experience.  In fact, Generation Z shoppers across North America and the UK say that they prefer to shop in-store to avoid shipping and delivery fees on items they want immediately. 

As the first generation to grow up in this new digital world, Gen Z expects a safe, fast, and easy shopping experience. Across omnichannel options, these shoppers cite data protection among what they value most from a brand, as over 60% of this demographic state that this is an important consideration when deciding where to shop. 

While younger shoppers are looking for merchants with omnichannel offerings, they are also looking for merchants with flexible payment options. According to Afterpay’s Coresight Report, 51%¹ of BNPL users say they’ll continue using it at the same frequency or higher over the next year – helping combat inflation while using their own money to pay over time. 

You can view the Afterpay North America infographic here.