When examining the highly competitive market of Delta 8 THC and CBD product sales, there are significant differences between the generations in their purchasing patterns. How to sell Delta 8 products you’ve ordered to the Gen Z target may be overwhelmingly puzzling. While you may expect there to be differences in ideology between Gen Z and their Boomer grandparents, it’s tempting to simply assume they all purchase goods and services in the same way. However, the facts prove otherwise.
Yes, ideology is indeed a distinguishing purchasing factor between Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) and Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012). However, ideology weighs far more on the purchasing decisions of Gen Z than it ever has for Baby Boomers. As Gen Z grows in influence and buying power, it’s important that we examine this upcoming generation to understand how they communicate, what advertising is attractive to them, and what influences them to make it possible to sell Delta 8 and CBD products to them.
Gen Z and Activism
The Baby Boomers had several surges in activism, especially during the 1960s. The hippie peace and the anti-Vietnam War movement, the Civil Rights movement, and the Women’s movement, among others, all began during this time. People predominantly expressed their desires through speeches and marches.
Today’s activists in Gen Z do carry the same kind of passion as their predecessors for protests. Evidence such as the global climate crisis strikes that 16-year-old Greta Thunberg inspired is a perfect example of this. Gen Z is weaponizing their buying power to affect change and is expressing their desires through their purchasing habits.
Sustainability has become one of the cornerstones of the Gen Z purchasing model. Customers are expected to spend up to $150 billion on sustainable products in 2021, due in large part to the influence and buying habits of Gen Z. Consumers in this age range are looking for sustainable and environmentally friendly products, and they are not hesitant to pay more to get them. In one survey, not only did 74% of the Gen Z generation say they would pay more for sustainable products, 54% said they would be happy to pay at least 10% more. Both of these numbers are higher than with any other generation, including Millennials.
Hemp-based products are perfect for the Gen Z buyer because hemp has been recognized as a sustainable crop for centuries. From its utility in being used in as many as 25,000 products to its ability to regenerate the soil it’s grown in, hemp may be one of the most sustainable plant forms on earth. Therefore, retailers and wholesalers would do well to litter their advertising with reminders that their CBD and Delta 8 products come from sustainable hemp.
Social Causes
In the same vein of social activism as looking for products from sustainable sources, Generation Z also looks for socially responsible companies. A global survey showed that 81% of Gen Z respondents felt that it is very or extremely important for companies they purchase products from to implement programs to improve the environment. Of those who felt it was important, 30% would be willing to pay a premium to buy products from a socially responsible company.
The environment is not the only social cause that inspires Gen Z to vote with their wallet. Companies that support other social or personal causes that click with the Gen Z buyer will also have them pressing the buy button. One example of this would be Fashion Re-told, a company that publicly supports the UK-based National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
To market more effectively to Gen Z, your CBD and Delta 8 company should find a national charity or two and publicly support those charities. Then, fill your website with pictures of events where you have actively supported those charities, and you will win the hearts and minds of the Generation.
Social Media and Shopping
Gen Z is big on social media. In general, they like to gather information from friends and influencers before making a purchase. Then, after the purchase, they like to talk about their shopping experience (good or bad) and any after-sale service. This is the generation that grew up on unboxing videos and YouTube reviews, after all.
This reliance on social media brings opportunities to the CBD and Delta 8 retailers. First, understand that Gen Z is not big on Facebook the way Baby Boomers and Millennials are. If you want to reach Gen Z, you need to look to the avenues they enjoy. Weekly, 89% of Gen Z uses YouTube, 74% uses Instagram, and 68% uses Snapchat.
This means influencers on YouTube or other social media outlets could bring big returns by partnering with them to promote your CBD and Delta 8 THC products. However, some channels do not accept direct advertising for these products, so be sure to check which ones are hemp-product friendly.
Also, encourage your loyal clients to talk about your products on social media. You can make it easy to do this by adding links to social media right on your website.
Subscription Services
Where Baby Boomers got stung on subscription services like DVD rentals, Gen Z has grown up with services like Netflix. As a result, they are much more comfortable with subscriptions than their older counterparts. In addition, Gen Z likes to try items before they buy them. This combination of ideals opens up the opportunity to offer free or discounted samples of CBD or Delta 8 products in exchange for a subscription to the product. And Gen Z likes loyalty rewards, so it’s a good idea to give discounts to those who have stuck with their subscription for six months or more (as an example).
The Hemp Doctor Is Here for All Generations!
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