Past studies also show that digital shoppers of all ages in the US trust strangers' reviews more than a personal recommendation.
Aside from considering product reviews from ordinary people, Gen Zers also look to the opinions and recommendations of social media influencers. Nearly half (46%) of Gen Zers polled follow 10 or more influencers, and 10% of respondents follow more than 50 influencer accounts.
Despite influencers’ popularity among Gen Z, a separate 2017 study by The Center for Generations Kinetics found that three in 10 US internet users, ages 14 to 21, said a real customer is more likely than an online influencer (19%) to persuade them to try a new brand.
That’s important for retailers to note as the holiday shopping season gets closer, and many older Gen Zers participate for the first time.
According to an October 2018 PwC survey, 44% of older Gen Zers (those ages 17 to 21) plan to use Amazon’s trove of user-generated product reviews as they purchase gifts this holiday season, and 52% will rely on Google for the same purpose. Roughly one-third said reviews posted to social will help with their gifting decisions.