Generation Z&Y: Opportunities for local traders
According to the results of the joint project, local dealers and service providers have good opportunities to score points with customers aged 14-40, especially in the area of digital services.
Inner cities as part of leisure activities
According to this, the so-called Gen Y (26-40 years) and Gen Z (14-25 years) enjoy going “to the city” in their free time, meeting friends and shopping there. The approximately 1,200 respondents basically agree: the best possible digital infrastructure is important to them. Contrary to the cliché that these generations are long-term digital users, they use these offers pragmatically and only if they generate effective added value.
“With generations Y and Z, the next household consumers with purchasing power are pushing onto the market. Meeting their expectations is a real challenge for cities and local commercial providers,” explains Dirk Schulte, Managing Director of Das Telefonbuch Servicegesellschaft mbH.
Higher demand due to digital offers
As the survey of 250 interviewees in this age group shows, retailers can generate greater demand here with attractive digital offers: Services such as information pages on the web or digital appointment booking tools are fundamentally important to younger customers – but they are also used more frequently and intensively if they are offered across the board. At this point, the respondents would like a much stronger online presence and better availability of web shops of local trading companies as well as uncomplicated integration of online and offline through features such as Click & Collect.
Digital payment and WiFi
The survey participants would like to find out more about what is available locally on the Internet beforehand and during the shopping trip – online reviews of retailers are correspondingly important to them. The younger generations also increasingly want to use digital payment options when shopping in stores. According to the project, not only traders, but also cities and their administrations are asked to make their contribution to making inner cities more attractive, especially for Gen Y and Gen Z.
The demand for city apps with information about events and events as well as news and information about the respective city is high among those surveyed. Last but not least, comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage via free hotspots for Gen Y and Gen Z is part of the basic digital supply – this is where the respondents see the greatest need to catch up with regard to the infrastructure of cities and communities.
About the research project
The phone book and the University of Koblenz have jointly examined the inner-city behavior of young consumers in large (Mainz), medium-sized (Koblenz) and small towns (Mayen), which are exemplary for the whole of Germany. For this purpose, around 250 qualitative interviews with city center visitors in the age groups 14-25 years (Gen Z) and 26-40 years (Gen Y) were conducted and analyzed. The evaluations provide an insight into the usage behavior of Generations Y and Z. Their expectations and preferences in inner cities were also translated into user profiles and recommendations for action. The author of the study is Prof. Dr. Andreas Hesse from the Koblenz University of Applied Sciences.
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