Generation Z, also commonly referred to as Zoomers, is the demographic cohort born between the mid-to-late 90s and the early 2010s. The majority are the children of Gen X, born between the mid-60s and the late 70s, and it is expected that many will be the parents of Generation Beta, the cohort born between 2025 and 2039. Gen Z were the first to grow up with technology as an established commodity, with the majority having had access to online videos and content since they were young, while many of them played online games such as Minecraft and Club Penguin as well. They were dubbed the “digital natives”, but many of them end up struggling in digital workplaces.
Gen Z has been described as less hedonistic on average than the generations that preceded them, consuming less alcohol and being more focused on school and job prospects. They are better at delaying gratification compared to teenagers who lived in the 60s, have greater awareness when it comes to mental health issues, but are also dealing with the negative effects of excessive screen time and sleep deprivation. Generation Alpha are the children and teenagers born between the early 2010s and the mid-2020s. They are the first group that has never experienced a world without smartphones and social media.
They also experienced the effects of the pandemic as young children, and many of them have been defined by their perceived addiction to screens, earning them the somewhat pejorative nickname “iPad kids”. Streaming, social media, and portable digital technology have increasingly dominated children’s entertainment in the 2020s, while some studies suggest that obesity and allergies have also become increasingly prevalent since the late 2010s. As these generations come of age, studies and research begin to focus on their shopping habits and the ways in which they want to spend their money, as well as the manner in which their choice makes them different from Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers.
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Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a big deal for Gen Z. Many of them seem to yearn for a time when they weren’t even born, an idealized era when today’s challenges and complex pressures (including the looming threat of climate change that is paired with economic struggles and the rise of technologies such as AI) either didn’t exist or weren’t so pressing. 80s and 90s styles are popular among the Zoomers, but the enduring trend is for 2000s styles, many of them dating back to the days when Gen Z members were young children themselves, and therefore more carefree.
You may have noticed a lot of Harry Potter, Lego, and Miffy references on clothing and accessories. Early 2000s Disney is also a source of comfort for many. The renewed popularity of Lilo and Stitch following the 2025 remake of the 2002 classic animation led many to want to add some cute items to their wardrobes, such as mini backpacks, crossbody bags, pins, and t-shirts. This nostalgia also extends to capturing personal memories, with many turning to photo books as a creative way to preserve favorite moments and aesthetic snapshots from their childhood and teen years. After all, who doesn’t love Lilo and Stitch? Buying apparel depicting these characters as a young adult is a fairly new phenomenon, and one that shows Zoomers are prepared to spend money on things that make them happy.
Algorithms
Online shopping has become increasingly popular since the days of the pandemic, and the younger generations love the accessibility and wide range of options it provides. About 50% of the Gen Z respondents who participated in a recent study revealed that online algorithms based on their preferences had a positive impact on their shopping experiences. Consuming more content allows their algorithms to become increasingly personalized so that they come in contact with even more items, creating a symbiotic cycle. Younger shoppers also report that they’re quite likely to purchase the goods recommended by their algorithms, in contrast with Millennials and Gen X.
However, some have also become increasingly aware of the fact that algorithms can lure them into compulsive shopping, especially since social media posts create the impression that you absolutely need and want an item that you end up not being that keen on after it is delivered. The fear of missing out is also a huge driver for many, but those who are interested in sustainability also point out that excessive shopping can impact the environment (through the creation of excessive waste and emissions), financial well-being, and the concept of personal style itself, as everyone seeks to replicate a certain look instead of branching out.
The landmark generation
Born exclusively in the 21st generation, Gen Alpha is known as the landmark generation. However, researchers have noted that there are few retail spaces dedicated exclusively to them. This is odd since they’re expected to be the largest generation in history, with more than 2 billion people born between 2010 and 2024. Many of them went directly for grown-up brands like Lululemon, Sephora, Target, and Walmart. The influence of their Millennial parents is felt here, as these are the brands that Generation Y are known to love and enjoy.
The younger Gen Alpha kids, whose parents still shop for them, end up with products for which their parents did quite a lot of research beforehand. The nostalgia factor is important here as well, with Nintendo, Disney, Lego, and Fisher-Price being among the favorites. Apple and Amazon are also among the generation’s favorites, also because of their parents. Most of those who have Gen Alpha kids, approximately 60% according to recent data, say that their children consume shopping content online. The kids themselves are guided by the influencers they follow in about 30% of cases, fueling the interest companies show for influencer partnerships.
To sum up, while Gen Z and Gen Alpha are just entering the world of retail shopping, with the latter still having their parents shop for them more often than not due to their young ages, analysts and experts have already recorded the presence of several trends and specific approaches that they have. To remain competitive, business owners will have to come up with strategies that attract these demographics, but focusing on sustainability and avoiding shopping for items you don’t need and don’t even want in the long term needs to become more important as well.
