Don’t Sleep on These Valuable Brand-Building Tips for Attracting Gen Z and Gen Alpha

Representing 20% of the US population, Gen Z is quickly becoming a major demographic of online consumers. As a generation born in a transformative age of technology, it’s no surprise Gen Z enjoys the ease and convenience of online shopping — especially when it comes to apparel. 

A 2023 study by Statista found that clothing and shoes are Gen Z’s most preferred products to buy online. With 32% of Gen Z shoppers making an online purchase daily, ecommerce fashion brands have an opportunity to capitalize on this generation’s spending habits and integrate targeted marketing tactics designed to turn them into loyal customers.

“To truly connect with them, brands and retailers must turn to modern tools and technologies to create a rich, unified brand experience that resonates with Gen Z,” explained Melissa Dixon, Director of Brand and Content Marketing at BigCommerce, in G2’s article Reaching Gen Z: Modern Commerce and the Singular Brand Experience.

But that’s not the only opportunity fashion brands have to generate sales. Believe it or not, Gen Alpha — born between 2010 and today — has already entered the world of online shopping and is hooked. Known as the first generation to have grown up in the age of social media, iPads, and smartphones, it’s no shock these digital natives are becoming fond of all the joys ecommerce has to offer.

In fact, a recent WebPurify report discovered that the average Gen Alpha spends over two hours per week online shopping. With almost half of parents also claiming their kids shop for clothing online, it’s more important than ever for apparel brands to begin targeting this generation as more become online consumers.

While both generations are big proponents of buying clothes online, these consumers hold different values than previous generations, influencing which brands they become loyal to. To turn this new wave of shoppers into repeat customers, businesses need to understand what resonates with these consumers and apply this to their business.

Amplifying your digital presence

Establishing a strong social strategy.

As digital natives, it’s only natural that one of the best ways for fashion brands to reach Gen Z and Gen Alpha is through technology. These generations are constantly connected and consuming information, mainly through social media. 

In fact, Gen Z prefers to discover and learn about new products through TikTok and Instagram. With kids between the ages of 4 and 18 spending an average of 84 minutes a day watching YouTube, it’s clear that video content is also the key to reaching Gen Alpha.

This means fashion brands need to invest in a robust social media strategy that prioritizes creating both short- and long-form video content to get their products seen and showcase their brand identity.

Finding opportunities to partner with influencers these generations relate to and trust can also help you seem more authentic and make these young consumers more likely to grow loyal to your brand.

Building an innovative and frictionless online store.

So, you’ve gotten a Gen Z or Alpha to your online store. Now what? Once they enter your ecommerce site, these tech-savvy shoppers will expect nothing less than a frictionless experience that incorporates innovative features and tools.

When it comes to Gen Z, brands should prioritize building a seamless and unified customer journey.

“From the technology side, interacting with Gen Z equates to optimizing your tech stack to remove friction from all touchpoints. They want convenience and clear communication from the moment they land on your website until their order is fulfilled,” said Dixon.

Fashion brands can create this through personalized communication, building a robust omnichannel strategy, and optimizing the checkout experience to offer flexible payment options — like Buy Now, Pay Later and digital wallets.

Meanwhile, Gen Alpha may hold brands to a higher technical standard. As children growing up in a world of high-tech products, it makes sense that 63% of the generation values having access to the latest innovations. 

Staying at the forefront of new technology — like AI, AR, and VR — and seamlessly integrating these tools into your ecommerce store can help leave a lasting impression on Gen Alpha shoppers — making them come back for more.

Showcasing your brand values

Connecting with shoppers on a personal level is one of the best ways to build a relationship with customers and generate repeat sales. To do this, fashion brands need to understand what today’s young consumers value and find ways to incorporate this into their business models.

“Empathetic marketing creates a foundation of trust, which leads to repeat business and brand loyalty,” explained Dixon. “You have to consider their distinct set of values in a broader sense and then layer those into your marketing.”

According to eMarketer, both Gen Z and Gen Alpha favor brands that promote sustainability and inclusivity. Finding opportunities to reflect these values can help your brand appeal to these generations.

Sustainability.

Known as an environmentally conscious generation, a 2023 study by PDI Technologies showed that 91% of Gen Z consumers prefer to shop from sustainable brands.

To attract these shoppers, fashion brands need to showcase their efforts to go green through their ecommerce sites and social media. This could include incorporating secondhand clothing into their product line to reduce waste or sustainably sourcing materials.

As the children of Millennials and younger siblings to Gen Z, we’re already seeing Gen Alphas place value on the importance of buying sustainably. As more become consumers, we’ll likely see eco-conscious fashion grow in popularity among this generation.

Inclusivity.

In addition to sustainability, Gen Z looks to shop from brands that promote equality regarding race, gender, LGBTQ+, and mental health. According to eMarketer, “Gen Alphas will expect the diversity they see in their peer groups to be reflected in brand marketing as well. This also includes diverse representation in terms of age, sexual orientation, gender, and more.”

As a fashion brand, representing a variety of communities through site imagery, social media, and marketing materials is essential to attract these consumers. This not only helps shoppers feel more comfortable buying your products, but also shows that you’re a welcoming and inclusive brand.

Offering an authentic experience

Today’s young consumers want to buy from brands that show they’re more than just a business. 

“Being real, honest, and authentic is the foundation for building trust and loyalty with Gen Z,” explained Dixon.

This is also true for Gen Alpha, making it clear that offering a one-of-a-kind shopping experience and being transparent can help turn both groups of shoppers into repeat customers.

Individuality.

As a bold and passionate generation, it’s no surprise Gen Z enjoys using fashion as a way to express themselves. 

“As consumers, Gen Z also places greater value than other generations on individuality. If standing out is paramount, then personalized shopping experiences are a must,” said Dixon.

With 92% of Gen Alphas feeling it’s important to be their authentic selves, offering a unique and personalized user journey can leave a long-lasting impression on both these generations.

Tools like Klevu allow businesses to create custom product recommendations and search capabilities based on a browser’s site interaction — building a shopping experience tailored to each individual customer.

Offering shoppers the ability to customize products is another way to create a memorable shopping experience and empower these consumers to design apparel that matches their true identity.

Transparency.

Transparency is the key to building trust among Gen Z and Gen Alpha shoppers. One of the most effective ways fashion brands can gain a credible reputation among these consumers is by incorporating user-generated content throughout their website and social media.

Having real people showcase their experience with your brand and products helps you seem genuine, making shoppers more likely to purchase from you.

Enabling past shoppers to post reviews on your site along with photos and videos helps consumers better understand the look and feel of your products, making your brand seem honest. Encouraging shoppers to post reviews on social media platforms, like TikTok, can also help your brand reach and build trust with a larger pool of consumers — resulting in an influx of loyal customers.

The final word

As Gen Z and Gen Alpha continue to grow as buyers in the fashion and apparel industry, it’s more important than ever for brands to integrate strategies designed to attract these consumers. To turn these shoppers into loyal customers, it’s essential to understand what they value and expect from brands and weave this information into your business model.

“When it really comes down to it, connecting with Gen Z — and customers of all generations — means putting yourself in their shoes, being a good listener, and offering solutions that add value to their lives,” explained Dixon.

Explore our 2024 Global Ecommerce Report to learn other strategies fashion and apparel brands can use to set themselves apart.