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New survey says Gen Z prefer Instagram and TikTok for shopping

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Bristol, UK
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Research by influencer marketing company GRIN indicates that Gen Z prefer to shop on social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok rather than Google.

A new study by influencer marketing firm GRIN has found that Gen Z shoppers tend to prefer TikTok and Instagram over more traditional online platforms such as Google.

When asked where they most often discover new products, 18-to-27-year-old consumers said: 30.4% for Instagram, 23.2% for TikTok, 18.8% for Google and 14.5% for YouTube.

Google still scores highly with older customers, however. 42.45% of Millennials surveyed said they find products using Google, while Boomers rose even further to 55.9%. 41.1% of Gen X also said they rely on Google Search.

The findings were based on a survey of more than 1,000 US consumers aged between 18 and 65. You can view the full report here.

TikTok and Instagram have made a sizeable push toward retail and product advertisements over the last few years. Both have incorporated new features to make it easier to link directly to product pages, showcase specific campaign launches and quicken the process from exposure to purchasing.

Google will need to keep on its toes if it hopes to retain younger shoppers, especially as Gen Z continue to move into the work force and spend more disposable income.

At present, Google only has its separate ‘shopping’ tab that is tucked away behind several other pages, making it less of a focus compared to other competitors – particularly TikTok.

All of this comes as Google announces a significant surge in spending and a marginal miss on its revenue targets for the end of 2024. The company is looking to expand its AI services and continue to improve its ‘Gemini 2.0’ features that were rolled out this week.

If anything, this news is further indication as to the dominance of TikTok with younger social media users, despite all of the controversy surrounding its privacy terms, data handling and links to China.

Short form video continue to engage and retain audiences like no other media, and this widespread, mainstream attention is reflected within the shopping habits of Gen Zers. The larger your user pool the greater chance of purchases and greater revenue streams.

Google may need to focus more on its core products to keep younger people interested. We’ve seen other platforms lose their appeal with Gen Z and eventually devolve into simple utilities; Facebook being the most prominent example.

In order to maintain cultural relevance, Google may need to re-evaluate how it entices users to search for products and purchase them through its services.

Remote Writer Bristol, UK

I’m Charlie (He/Him), a Remote Writer at Thred. I was previously the Editor at Thred before moving to Bristol in 2024. As a music and gaming enthusiast, I’m a nerd for pop culture. You can find me curating playlists, designing article headline images, and sipping cider on a Thursday. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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