Why Gen Z Expects More Than a Product Page (And How to Meet Their Expectations)

What Gen Z Wants From Online Shopping: Key Takeaways

• Gen Z prefers vertical video and scrollable content over static product pages
• User-generated content and peer reviews influence 92% of Gen Z purchase decisions
• Interactive features like live shopping increase conversion rates by up to 30%
• Brands must integrate social-style experiences directly into their websites to compete

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The Traditional Product Page Is Failing Gen Z Shoppers

The standard e-commerce product page featuring a hero image, bullet points, and an "Add to Cart" button no longer meets Gen Z expectations. Born between 1997 and 2012, this generation has fundamentally different shopping behaviors shaped by social media platforms.

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How Gen Z Shops Differently

Question: What makes Gen Z shopping habits unique?

Gen Z shoppers have been conditioned by platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to expect:

• Vertical, scrollable content formats
• Video-first product demonstrations
• Authentic user-generated content
• Interactive and personalized experiences
• Instant social proof and community validation

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Why Static Product Pages Don't Convert Gen Z Buyers

1. Gen Z Prefers Scrolling Over Browsing

How does Gen Z prefer to discover products online?

Gen Z consumers spend an average of 4.5 hours daily on social media, training them to consume content through infinite scroll. Static product pages feel outdated compared to the dynamic, video-rich feeds they're accustomed to.

What this means for brands:

• Implement vertical video feeds on product pages
• Create scrollable, social-media-style product galleries
• Use autoplay video to capture attention immediately

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2. They Trust Peers Over Brand Messaging

What influences Gen Z purchase decisions?

According to recent studies, 92% of Gen Z shoppers trust user-generated content more than traditional advertising. They actively seek:

• Unboxing videos from real customers
• Authentic reviews with photos and videos
• "Get Ready With Me" and styling content
• Comment sections and community feedback

Implementation strategies:

• Integrate user-generated content directly into product pages
• Feature customer photos and videos prominently
• Enable review videos, not just text reviews
• Create spaces for community interaction

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3. Shopping Is About Identity and Belonging

Why do Gen Z consumers choose certain brands?

For Gen Z, shopping is an extension of personal identity. They want to:

• Understand brand values and mission
• See who else is buying and wearing products
• Feel part of a community, not just a customer base
• Align purchases with their personal values

How to address this:

• Showcase brand story and values on every page
• Display real-time social proof (recent purchases, trending items)
• Create community-driven content hubs
• Offer personalization that reflects individual style

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The Social Commerce Expectation Gap

What Social Platforms Taught Gen Z to Expect

Social media platforms have set the standard for engaging digital experiences:

• Infinite scroll: Endless content discovery
• Autoplay video: Immediate visual engagement
• Personalized recommendations: AI-driven content curation
• Interactive features: Polls, questions, live interaction
• Instant gratification: One-tap purchasing

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Why Brands Can't Rely on Social Platforms Alone

Should brands sell exclusively on social media platforms?

While social platforms drive traffic, they come with significant drawbacks:

• Brands lose direct customer relationships
• Customer data remains with the platform
• Brand identity gets lost in homogenized feeds
• Algorithm changes can devastate reach overnight
• No control over the customer experience

The solution: Integrate social-style experiences into your own website or app.

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How to Create Product Pages Gen Z Actually Wants

1. Implement Live Shopping Experiences

What is live shopping?

Live shopping combines live video streaming with real-time purchasing, allowing customers to:

• Watch product demonstrations in real-time
• Ask questions and get immediate answers
• See products styled and used by real people
• Purchase directly during the live event

Impact: Brands using live shopping see conversion rates increase by 30% or more compared to traditional product pages.

2. Add Shoppable Video Feeds

Create TikTok-style vertical video feeds directly on your website featuring:

• Product styling and demonstration videos
• User-generated content
• Behind-the-scenes brand content
• Educational how-to content

Make every video instantly shoppable with embedded product tags and one-click purchasing.

3. Leverage AI-Driven Personalization

How can AI improve the Gen Z shopping experience?

AI personalization helps Gen Z shoppers by:

• Recommending products based on browsing behavior
• Creating personalized style quizzes
• Curating custom product feeds
• Predicting preferences before they search

4. Feature Community-Driven Content

Transform product pages into community hubs:

• Prominently display customer photos and videos
• Create galleries of user-generated styling content
• Enable customers to tag and share their purchases
• Build interactive lookbooks featuring real customers

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Measuring Success: Key Metrics for Gen Z Engagement

Track these metrics to understand if your approach is working:

• Time on site: Gen Z should spend 3-5x longer on interactive pages
• Video completion rates: Aim for 60%+ completion on product videos
• Conversion rate: Interactive features can increase conversions by 25-40%
• Return visitor rate: Community features drive repeat visits
• Social sharing: Engaged Gen Z users share products organically

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The Future of E-Commerce Is Experiential

What's Coming Next

The evolution toward experiential commerce will continue with:

• Augmented reality try-ons becoming standard
• Virtual shopping assistants powered by AI
• Gamified shopping experiences with rewards and challenges
• Seamless integration between content and commerce
• Voice and visual search replacing text-based product discovery

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FAQ: Gen Z Shopping Expectations

Q: What percentage of Gen Z prefers video content when shopping online?A: Studies show 73% of Gen Z prefers video content over images and text when researching products.

Q: How long does Gen Z spend researching products before buying?A: Gen Z typically spends 2-3x longer researching products than older generations, often across multiple platforms and sources.

Q: What's the biggest turn-off for Gen Z shoppers?A: Inauthentic brand messaging, lack of social proof, and poor mobile experiences are the top frustrations.

Q: Do Gen Z shoppers prefer shopping on social media or brand websites?A: While Gen Z discovers products on social media, 68% prefer purchasing directly from brand websites when the experience is engaging and trustworthy.

Q: How important is sustainability to Gen Z shopping decisions?A: 73% of Gen Z consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products, making transparency crucial.

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Conclusion: Evolve or Get Left Behind

Gen Z expects more than a product page because they've experienced more. They've seen what's possible when technology, content, and commerce create seamless, engaging experiences.

The brands that will win with Gen Z are those that:

• Bring social-style interactivity to their own platforms
• Prioritize video and community-generated content
• Offer personalized, AI-driven experiences
• Maintain authentic, values-driven brand identities
• Create experiences worth returning to

The question isn't whether to evolve, it's whether you're ready to meet Gen Z where they already are.

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Transform Your Website Into an Experience Gen Z Wants

Ready to create interactive, engaging shopping experiences that convert? Learn how Terrific helps brands integrate live shopping, shoppable video, and AI personalization directly into their websites.

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