How Social Commerce Is Shaping the Shopping Habits of Every Generation — From Gen Z to Baby Boomers

Social commerce, also known as social shopping, has permeated the fabric of social media, permanently changing the originally intended “social” element of each app. 

Now, no visit to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook — or even Pinterest — is without targeted ads, influencer promotions, and product placement. 

Brands have a unique opportunity to engage with their audiences on a new level, create more authentic customer relationships — and show off a little personality — all while promoting their products. However, each generation interacts with social commerce differently, making it more challenging for brands to target specific audiences. 

Here’s how social commerce shopping habits vary across generations, and how brands can adapt to meet consumers where they are and have fun with the process.

Social Commerce: The Three Stages of the Buying Journey  

Each generation may approach social commerce differently, but they all follow the same path to purchase. According to Salsify’s “2024 Consumer Research” report, there are three stages in the modern shopping journey: awareness, consideration, and purchase.

The Awareness Stage

The nature of social media platforms allows for incredible brand awareness. Targeted ads, word of mouth, influencer marketing, taggable items, campaigns, and so much more allow shoppers to constantly discover brands and products that interest them. 

According to a 2024 Salsify survey of more than 1,000 shoppers from the U.S. and U.K. focused on how social commerce shapes each generation’s shopping habits, 37% of shoppers find new products or brands on social media. Still, it's even more nuanced than that. 

Here’s the percentage of each generation that discovers new products or brands on social media, according to Salsify research: 

• 49% of Generation Z (Gen Zers) 
• 48% of millennials 
• 39% of Generation X (Gen Xers) 
• 16% of baby boomers 

If your brand doesn’t already have social media profiles, now’s the time to get social on the apps. 

The Consideration Stage

Consumers are now familiar with your brand — but they need some time to think about their potential purchases. And they’ll scour the internet for clues as to whether or not your products are worth their pennies. 

They’ll look for user-generated content (UGC) on TikTok and YouTube for honest reviews of your products. They’ll search Reddit threads because the anonymity allows for people to freely speak their minds. They’ll read Google reviews and Instagram comments.

Every generation turns into private investigators when researching products on social media, as 31% of shoppers research products or brands on social media before making a purchase decision.

Here’s the percentage of each generation that researches products or brands on social media before making a purchase, according to Salsify research: 

• 35% of Gen Zers 
• 40% of millennials
• 30% of Gen Xers 
• 15% of baby boomers 

Hint: If they see comments saying that your product quality is “janky” and your customer service “sucks,” they’re going to leave you in the dust and never look back. 

If you want consumers to move to the purchase decision stage, you need to offer an airtight social commerce experience that satisfies all of their questions and promotes your product quality. 

The Purchase Decision Stage 

Before social media, shoppers could really only engage with your brand in brick-and-mortar stores or by flipping through catalogs. Now, shoppers can get their fix whenever they want. 

Every week, 58% of shoppers shop online, and 15% of Gen Xers shop daily according to Salsify consumer research. 

What convinces shoppers to take the plunge and make a purchase? Pricing and discounts (79%), product images (78%), and product descriptions (78%) are the top three deciding factors in convincing shoppers to buy, per Salsify consumer research.

If your social media profiles promote discounts, beautiful imagery and videos, and detailed product information, shoppers might make an impulse purchase, as 30% make spontaneous purchases directly on social media platforms, according to Salsify research.

Here’s the percentage of each generation that makes spontaneous purchases directly on social media, according to Salsify research: 

• 39% of Gen Zers
• 43% of millennials 
• 30% of Gen Xers
• 7% of baby boomers 

Brands can lure shoppers in with free bonus perks, free shipping, and limited-time-only sales.

Why Is Brand Trust Critical for Social Commerce Success?

Brand trust is a crucial component of loyalty and sales. Pricing and discounts, product images and descriptions, and customer ratings and reviews are the top factors that influence brand trust, according to Salsify consumer research. 

Here’s the percentage of each generation that has abandoned their carts due to a lack of brand trust, according to Salsify consumer research: 

• 49% of Gen Zers
• 29% of millennials 
• 32% of Gen Xers
• 23% of baby boomers

If you have “bad” product content with incomplete product information and no/low-quality videos and images, shoppers will abandon their cart and lose their trust in you. 

For example, 45% of shoppers abandon their carts when there are no or low-quality product images or videos, per Salsify consumer research.

If you can win consumers’ trust, not only will they become repeat customers, but they’ll also be more willing to spend more money on an expensive product. 

What Kind of Social Media Content Do Consumers Want?

According to Salsify consumer research, 76% of shoppers find high-quality product imagery to be “extremely” or “very” important when deciding to make a purchase. 

One Salsify consumer research respondent says, “I like being able to see the product in action,” and another says they desire, “good product pictures and high-quality video detailing the quality and sustainability of the product … a video of someone using the product.” 

Shoppers Desire Short- and Long-Form Video Content

eMarketer research highlights shoppers’ desire for short-form videos like Instagram Reels and TikToks, reporting that “Short-form videos are the most noticed and most influential type of social commerce content,” with 53.7% of consumers being influenced to purchase through a social media platform.

Short-form video content is particularly influential for Gen Z, as 61.6% watch short videos under 90 seconds, according to eMarketer. However, 53.1% also watch long-form videos that are longer than 90 seconds.

According to the Pew Research Center, “Nearly 1 in 5 teens say they’re on YouTube, TikTok ‘almost constantly.’” Statista, also reports that in 2024, YouTube generated over $28 million in the U.S. through in-app purchases.

Don’t overlook YouTube as an opportunity to connect with your customers. Consider sending PR packages to YouTubers who are aligned with your brand and are willing to provide honest reviews. Shoppers will love learning about new products from their most trusted vloggers.

Shoppers Love Targeted Ads 

Targeted ads are also a fantastic way to reach your audience because they feed into consumers’ desire for personalization. 

Social media ads are most successful among Gen Zers. Forty-one percent of Gen Zers find them entertaining, compared to 36% of millennials, 28% of Gen Xers, and 9% of boomers, according to Statista. 

The inverse is true for TV ads: 53% of baby boomers find them entertaining, 51% of Gen Xers, 43% of millennials, and 32% of Gen Zers, according to Statista. 

Knowing your audience is essential to nailing your marketing tactics. The generations that grew up with fun Super Bowl commercials and memorable infomercials are more likely to be influenced by TV ads than the generation that grew up with YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Under the Influence: The Power of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a very lucrative business, with projected sales of $24 billion by the end of 2024, per Influencer Marketing Hub.

Gen Zers are swayed by their peers, as 21% turn to influencers to learn more about products that interest them, according to Salsify research. They want to ensure their spot in the “in crowd.” They see influencers their age doing big holiday gift hauls, and they want the same for themselves. 

If you want to win them over, research which influencers and apps they gravitate towards and invest in social commerce campaigns.

Millennials are even more influenceable, with 24% turning to influencers for product recs, according to Salsify research. 

Makeup brand Glossier has been leaning heavily into influencer marketing — targeting both millennials and Gen Z — with the release of two new perfumes. Famous for its iconic You perfume, the brand wants to ensure that the same hype is built around its new products — and it’s working. 

Glossier is a great example of a brand that tailors its messaging and campaigns to reach its desired audiences. 

Video Source: Glossier Instagram

Alt Text: Promotion of Glossier’s new perfumes on Instagram

Gen Xers are less reliant on influencer recs at 19%, and baby boomers are far less reliant at 3%, per Salsify research.

Appealing to baby boomers means dialing back on influencer marketing and letting the quality of your products speak for themselves. They want to see beautiful lifestyle images and tagged products that are easy to purchase in-app. They don’t want to phone a friend for help making a social commerce purchase.

Founded in 1912, L.L. Bean is the perfect example of a legacy brand that has kept its appeal for long-time customers while also attracting new customers and younger generations. 

Baby boomers, Gen Xers, and millennials have grown up with the brand, but Gen Zers are learning more about it through the resurgence of products like the Boat and Tote and its endless embroidery opportunities. 

Video Source: Abbys_Library3

Even if you don’t feel like you’re getting your desired level of engagement just yet, you never know when your brand’s big break will come, which is why having social media profiles ready to go is so important. 

Historically, you may have targeted older generations, but with one viral video, you could be exposed to new generations who are excited to learn about your products. 

Take the brand Nordic Ware, for example. TikTokers have discovered the brand’s bread and loaf pans and are clamoring to get their hands on the bakeware. Who would have thought that a pan could cause such a stir? 

The 78-year-old brand has taken advantage and created a TikTok shop, which is a smart move.

Video Source: Juli.fnz

Influencer marketing has the potential to completely change the trajectory of your brand. 

Appealing to Each Generation’s Social Commerce Shopping Habits 

Social commerce allows shoppers to fully discover and engage with your brand online. However, with that discoverability also comes responsibility. 

Every generation wants to feel catered to and seen. You can accomplish this by providing high-quality, trustworthy product experiences, showing up on shoppers' favorite social platforms, and partnering with trusted influencers to promote your brand.