Posted by They were born between 2010 and 2024, but they’re already making their mark on the consumer world, says a new study.
The research conducted by Razorfish in conjunction with consumer research company, GWI, reveals that older Gen Alphas in the 9 to 13 age range already yield significant influence over the purchases their parents make. Titled “Gen Alpha: a Cohort of Influential Tweens,” the study reported that over 61% of this demographic holds sway over decisions from which car the family will buy to what they’re going to eat for dinner.
The study also confirmed this group likes to shop and is motivated heavily by social media and influencer culture – so much so that 68% of Gen Alphas already own a luxury product by age 10. They spend a lot of their life online, which is not surprising considering they’ve never known a time without the internet, cell phones, or TikTok.
The beauty and skincare genre is particularly important to Gen Alpha tweens, irrespective of gender. Seventy five percent are interested in social media beauty content and 38% already make their own beauty content, says the report. One third of these tweens have more than three beauty products for daily use. Among Gen Alpha boys, 45% say they are interested in skin care and preventing wrinkles.
Their enthusiasm for beauty products comes with a caveat, as research indicates more than half of Gen Alpha tweens have little knowledge of the ingredients in the products they use, nor are they worried about it. This is of concern since over 30% experiment with products that contain ingredients like retinol and collagen, which are intended for consumers three times their age.
Gen Alpha also doesn’t seem overly concerned about making socially conscious or sustainable purchases, either. According to Razorfish, only 38% of the tweens in the study said they would be willing to pay a premium price for an eco-friendly vehicle. Their values can vary, such as 63% saying inclusivity is important, while 80% say they have used a social media filter. At the same time, two thirds value a real life product over a digital one.
Perhaps this budding demographic hasn’t landed on their defining characteristics yet, and we will see Gen Alpha continue to evolve. But they’ve definitely come out of the starting gate running. And they’re making their presence known in the consumer landscape, even if they don’t hold a job or a debit card just yet.
Keep reading here to discover more findings on this up-and-coming generation.