Despite the older generations’ claims that Millennials are lazy and entitled, it would seem that the young people of today are pushing the boundaries of what it means to have a good shopping experience. They are doing their best to be smart consumers with good awareness of the market as the need for quality products arises, and they demand to be involved is present.

So, what are their habits, and what do they want from companies? Let’s break it down right here.

They care about the price

More than the brand name, availability, and even quality, Millennials seem to place more importance on price than anything else. The job market being what it is, coupled with the fact that a lot of younger people have student loan debts to pay off, this isn’t all that surprising.

But the current state of economy isn’t even the only reason; Millennials simply have a good habit of checking everything before they buy and comparing prices with other stores and retailers. They’ll do their research and compare, and settle for the best deal.

They don’t shy away from second-hand

Gently-used clothing and second-hand stores are experiencing a lot of support from this generation. Fashion is no longer defined just by high-class brands on the runways; now it’s more approachable. People of colour are gaining a lot of power as trendsetters as well, because the industry is becoming more inclusive slowly.

Finding second-hand shirts and more in the stores is something to brag about, and a lot of bloggers and other media influencers are embracing this and creating their own unique twists on popular trends.

They use social media

Given that advertising has been around for a long while now, Millennials have grown savvy and are slow to trust companies with unfounded claims. Their preferred method of checking whether something’s the real deal? Social media. They love reading reviews, and Instagram, Facebook and YouTube seems to be the preferred methods. If they want to buy something, they’ll google it first and see what other people have to say about it before they buy.

They also seem to be adept at spotting fake reviews. Millennials care very much about the company policy and seek transparency in all. They are concerned about social issues and prefer brands that don’t test on animals, and that put morality as high as their own monetary gain.

They love online shopping and use mostly smartphones

The claim that Millennials spend most of their time with their noses buried in their phones? Absolutely true. They buy online more than any other generation, with clothes and jewellery being some of the most popular things. Having a good online shop and a smartphone app is very important for any brand, because Millennials like to stay connected and they enjoy the benefits of having good online customer support.

They like personalized marketing

Not very fond of dehumanizing, corporate bureaucracy, this generation wants to feel like the brands care about their needs and their satisfaction. Strategies, like using niche blogs and relying on particular influencers, have been shown to work very well. Millennials want to know that the brand cares about its consumers, and if they feel that, they’ll become very loyal. Stores like Sephora, that have special VIP loyalty programs, seem to be very successful at drawing them in because they feel like their purchases matter, and that the store wants to treat them well.

This generation varies a lot when it comes to interests, but there’s one thing that they all want – a vision. Companies that care about their own brand, that tell a story, they want someone who’s proud of what they sell and has a friendly, approachable manner. This is a very tech-oriented generation, so using the internet and social media will have a great response, as well. All in all, times are slowly changing and it’s fun to see what new challenges will arise in advertising.