Rockin’ In The Free World
Gen Y knows you can get anything for free
I've been rockin' out to free music for years. The amount of time I spent downloading free music on Napster during college far exceeds my total hours spent in the campus library. (just kidding, Mom). Now when I buy music off of iTunes I cringe.
"Why am I paying for this when I can get it for free?"
When you give someone something for free, it's hard to get them to ever pay for it again. This is especially true among the Gen Y consumer. Not only do we expect that product/service to be free but we will research ways to get additional product/services for free. Once Gen Y got a taste of Napster, we figured out that we can get free movie downloads, free skincare products, free magazines and so on and so forth. As for one teen recently told us -
"If you search hard enough, you can get anything for free."
Adding "FREE" to your messaging, promotions, campaigns, etc. is a surefire way for this generation to pay attention.
The Gen Y consumer is all about test-driving products. We are probably the most skeptic of shoppers - especially when it comes to high-end purchases (cell phones, computers, video game consules, cars). Mac stores have embraced the Gen Y consumer by creating a program that offers first-time Mac customers a month-long course to introduce them to the product before they buy. And it's FREE! In England mobile phone companies are incorporating a "try before you buy" phone policy. I suspect the US isn't too far behind.
Many think Gen Y'ers are impulsive buyers/shoppers - and well, they're wrong. We are the Brads and Angelinas (that's kings and queens in Gen Y speak) of comparison shopping. We will not invest in any product before we check and see if we are getting the best price. We turn to bizrate.com, nextag.com, shopzilla.com, and pricegrabber.com for help in doing this. We are also the consumers that peel through circulars, coupon clip and fill out rebate forms - just to get a good deal.
We, as Gen Y, feel that if we really do our homework when it comes to products, we will get the product we want for the best possible price. It's a process that has proven us successful each time. We are savvy consumers knowing that often times a price tag does not justify that value of the product. This knowledge has made us the most confident and empowered consumer to date.
"When I get something that I want for less than what the asking price is - I feel like I've accomplished something great. I've won!"
Companies wishing to keep Gen Y interested and coming back for more need to have contests, sweepstakes, free giveaways and promotions on a regular basis to keep Gen Y interested and coming back for more. One of the easiest ways to do this is with social media. I follow companies that engage Gen Y on Twitter. Because of this I've already been part of a weekly contest that Target is putting on and another one that Virgin America and Banana Republic are running together through the end of March - in fact just registering I received 20% off at Banana Republic and 10% off my next Virgin America flight! Once you get Gen Y interested in your product or brand they will keep coming back and brand loyalty will develop seemlessly.
The "Y Award"
Each week the Premise team will be giving out our coveted (hey, we think it's pretty cool) "Y Award" to a brand that has successfully captured the attention of these youngsters. This week's award goes to:
Trader Joe's!
Trader Joe's is the small, quirky grocery store where people in Hawaiian shirts sell you healthy items and engage you in a friendly conversation in the check out line. Without spending millions of dollars in traditional advertising, Trader Joe's has built a loyal customer base.
In fact, I've never seen any advertisements for them. I heard about how great they were from friends (and we know how much my generation likes to listen to our peers), made my first trip there a few years ago, and haven't stopped going back since.
TJ's encompasses the things that are important to Gen Y:
- Inexpensive
- Sell good quality items
- Quick service
- The quirky store and their employees provide us with an experience
And on top of all of those things - they are all about being green - every time you grocery shop with your own shopping bags instead of using their bags you can enter into their monthly raffle and have a shot of winning a $50 Trader Joe's gift card.
If you aren't convinced yet, here are just a few more reasons why I personally love Trader Joe's:
- In Store Demonstrations (also known as FREE samples) - who doesn't love free food? I know I manage to make my way to that part of the store on every shopping trip!
- Their quirky newsletter, The Fearless Flyer
- The stores are usually small, making them seem more of a neighborhood than a big chain (also making a trip to the grocery store a relatively quick one)
- Almost everything I buy there is $3 or less (and are healthy and taste great!)
Links
Trader Joe's Official Website
Trader Joe's video one loyal customer made
Make life easy and bookmark this page - so you can follow along for all 10 weeks!
The ABC's of Y and Z
-Jocelyn Fielding, Account Coordinator/Gen Y Contributor
Lunch Today: Pad Thai and Chicken Curry
