Differentiate Among Teen Shoppers

Teen shoppers are alike in ways important to retailers. Researchers at University of Burgundy confirmed what most would say: Clothes really count. Among a sample of 1,063 adolescents, media and music choices greatly influenced fashion choices, and the other way around. Clothing styles reflect peer influence, and the wardrobe of the teen signals to other teens the sort of people with whom associations will be welcomed.
     This stereotype appears to be more true with adolescents than with other age groups. Still, there are exceptions. Researchers at Nanjing University and Peking University found that among their sample of teens, some evidenced interpersonal attachment avoidance, preferring to shop without friends along and depending little on what friends might say to buy.
     There are also broad personality differences. Danish researchers at Syddansk Universitet and University of Southern Denmark, after studying teen consumers in 44 countries, described six market segments:

• Thrills and chills. These teens want to have fun and spend freely. 
• Quiet achievers. This group courts approval from adults. They have academic and/or artistic objectives. 
• Bootstrappers. They’re rehearsing for their future as adults, and so are caretakers. 
• Upholders. This group supports traditional cultural values. They tend to be more religious than the other groups. 
• World savers. These teens want to share with others what they have. 
• Resigned. Least spirited of the groups, these adolescents limit their expectations from products they buy. 

     Although not necessarily in the Resigned group, low-income teens are distinctive.
     When a teenager and her or his mother are shopping together, who will be making the primary purchase decisions? With low-income families, researchers at University of the West of England and University of Stirling suggest you look to both, but to the teen more than to the mother.
     In the study, 524 mothers answered questions about how savvy they considered their child to be at shopping for a summer holiday and for clothing the child would wear. Mothers from lower socioeconomic circumstances tended to see their children as skilled consumers who could be depended on to manage money and make wise purchase decisions. This was especially true when the child was older and female.
     When considering a list of item benefits, the teen might place them in a different order of importance than does the mother. Still, the teen’s final purchase preferences often reflect the mother’s. Both genetics and upbringing influence things like favoring innovative products and making compromise choices.

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

Click below for more: 
Profit from Resurgent Teen Market 
Defuse Your Frustration Hot Buttons with Teens 
Look to Teens in Low-Income Families