The year-end shopping frenzy is coming, Snapchat leverages the consumption power of 300 million Generation Z

The domestic “Double Eleven” promotion has ended, but the overseas shopping frenzy has just begun.

Every year, during the "Black Friday" shopping day and Christmas shopping season following Thanksgiving , the major shopping malls in Europe and the United States are bustling with people waiting in line to enter for "shopping". The demand for clothing accessories and electronic products is also concentrated during this period.

However, due to the recurring epidemic, consumers are more likely to shop online rather than in physical stores, and the number of purchases completed through mobile devices has increased significantly. Online shopping search habits have also changed significantly - according to the "2021 Q2 Consumer Trends Report" released by Jungle Scout, the number of consumers who start searching through search engines continues to decline, while the number of consumers who start searching through social media sites has increased.

During this process, Snapchat, a popular social platform among young users, has become the main force for hundreds of millions of Generation Z users around the world, especially Snapchat's filters and AR try-on features, which give users a more immersive experience. These new ways of playing have also made brand marketing creativity "break through the circle", attracting brand owners to try it out.

Holiday shopping is more prominent, and Generation Z is becoming the main consumer

Compared with the old large social platforms, the biggest feature of Snapchat is that it has been quietly dominating the social interaction of young people in the United States and Europe, and the majority of its platform users are from Generation Z and Millennials. The latest Q3 financial report shows that Snapchat has more than 306 million daily active users and 500 million monthly active users worldwide. In addition, according to App Annie's 2021 Mobile Market Report, the most commonly used app for Generation Z users in the United States in 2020 is Snapchat, which is the social communication app with the lowest average age of users. Taking the United States as an example, Snapchat reaches 90% of the 13-24 year old population, far surpassing the total size of the young user base of similar social apps.

Whether in normal times or the year-end peak season, the purchasing power of Generation Z cannot be underestimated. In 2018, the purchasing power of millennials reached 4.4 trillion US dollars and is still being released. They account for 45% of the world's adult population, with an average age of around 27.

According to an analysis of young people's holiday consumption behavior disclosed by Snapchat, 90% of Snapchatters plan to buy gifts during the holiday season, and 85% of traffic comes from online. Snapchatters over 25 years old plan to spend $802 in November and December, which is 1.6 times higher than the average American. More than 50% of Snapchatters will shop before mid-November, and the shopping peak will be formed at the end of the month. The consumption survey also shows that clothing ranks first on Snapchatter's wish list, and popular "grass-planting" lists also include gift cards, accessories, personal electronic products, etc.

As Generation Z is becoming the main consumer group, its economic and social influence is increasing. This means that grasping the rules of online social interaction and consumption of young people may bring unexpected results to brand owners. Specifically for overseas e-commerce, year-end shopping often contains huge business opportunities, and choosing the right track is the key. The precise positioning of Generation Z on Snapchat and the platform's function of optimizing advertising have become an effective way for overseas e-commerce to improve ROI.

A steady stream of “grass-planting machines” on Snapchat

Different from the traditional marketing model, "sharing with friends" is the most common way for Generation Z to "plant grass" on Snapchat, which is far more influential than other methods . In short, Snapchatters complete the consumption cycle through "sharing - inspiring inspiration - making lists - shopping", and on this basis, further conduct and spread it by sharing the joy of shopping.

Take holiday shopping as an example. A Snapchatter named Alex was exposed to advertising information through Snap ads, lenses, and filters on the platform and became interested in them. Therefore, when he was making a list and finally preparing to shop, he would think of these products first and finally place an order.

Generally speaking, the "planting of grass" on other platforms stops here . But on Snapchat, Generation Z will choose to share their shopping joy in the form of unboxing videos or video "Amway", which in turn will make more people pay attention to related brands, and continue to pass on the behavior of "planting grass" and stimulating purchase actions. Brand owners can attract a large number of brand advocates on Snapchat - the scale is not just individuals , but the entire community.

Snapchat's analysis of the consumption characteristics of the younger generation also suggests that Snapchatters are 20% more likely to recommend products to friends and family than non- Snapchatters ; Snapchatters who buy holiday gifts on social platforms/ apps spend three times more than the average shopper ; and familiar relationships can make customers spend twice as much as the average customer . This kind of interaction is more common on Snapchat than anywhere else .

Facing the cross-border e-commerce shopping season, only by playing out of the circle can you stand out

Cross-border e-commerce is facing the year-end consumption peak season, and only by "breaking the circle" can it stand out . Traditional advertising can only allow consumers to see the product, while personal experience is more likely to increase purchasing intention.

With shoppers always on their phones , mobile video is more important than ever, especially during the holiday shopping season. 75% of Snapchatters believe that vertical videos are more intimate and immersive than other video formats. On Snapchat's platform, vertical full-screen Snap Ads use 15-second short videos to allow users to consume advertising content like watching short videos. In holiday-themed social content, combining video with the camera, such as sending a short video of Christmas carnival and photos full of Christmas atmosphere, will help brand conversion and sales.

In addition, AR technology has also created a new marketing model. According to a report from eMarketer, in 2021, more than 93 million people in the US market are expected to use AR at least once a month, and this number will grow to 101 million in 2022. Shoppers spend three times more time on AR experiences than on traditional e-commerce websites . The longer shoppers interact with a brand, the more connected and aware they are to the product .

The AR try-on tool launched by Snapchat is currently being used in online shopping promotion and other scenarios. Through AR technology, brands can create virtual scenes for trying on, trying on, and trying out products, allowing users to experience the fun of the application in person without downloading the application or purchasing services. For brand owners, the AR experience effectively shortens the user's online shopping decision path and promotes more social e-commerce purchases. Data shows that 89% of Snapchatters are interested in AR try-on experience, and 79% of Snapchatters are interested in AR real-world experience.

In addition, in order to lower the threshold for AR filter advertising production, Snapchat provides a variety of free tools and ecological content, such as Lens Web Builder, Creator Marketplace, etc., to make AR creation easier. In short, the new gameplay of AR filters gives brands unlimited marketing creativity.

For brand owners, with the powerful marketing combination of the Snapchat platform, combining camera and video products at each stage of the celebration cycle will be the best choice to seize the year-end consumption peak season and achieve marketing results. The combination of camera and video can increase brand awareness by 36% and increase average intention by 25%.

For e-commerce companies going overseas, especially brands hoping to target Generation Z, Snapchat's diverse and innovative marketing channels can help brands further open up overseas markets, and only by breaking the circle can they stand out.

Snapchat is popular among Generation Z