Discussion - The Modern Buyer: How Millennials Shop Now

[scene.of.the.crop]

Hi, everyone!

We’ve posted our third installment in “The Modern Buyer” blog series where we are diving deep into the shopping experience today’s buyers expect, and what this means for eBay sellers.

Today’s article covers the most talked about generation, the Millennials. This generation, born between 1980 and 2000, are the largest group of shoppers in the world.

Let us know how you are thinking about the direction for your business in the short and long term as it relates to new buying behaviors.

I’m Jennifer Deal, eBay Seller Marketing Manager, and I’ll be popping in and out of this thread to answer your questions and infuse some discussion points over the next couple of days. Join the discussion below!

[jason_incognito]

I won't accept the biggest thing about selling to millenials. Offer free shipping and free returns.  I know a woman who "bought" 6 dresses for 1 function. She will decide the one she's gonna keep and ship the rest back.

[percgrabbe-0]

I just watched a youtube on millenials its called "Millenials in the Workforce, A Generation of Weakness" you may find it a great resource for millenial mindset and thinking. Basically the best way to sell to millenials is to sell to them via mobile platforms like social media--- because they are addicted to it from a very young age like its a drug. They also want 2 day shipping/instant gratification its why the PRIME shipping seems so popular.

[professor-t]

Trying to group an entire cohort and make statement on how they do ANYTHING is hubris at best.

[jason_incognito]

When shipping one way is $10or more, and I have to refund original shipping after I pay for that "free" return..... where does that leave me?

I'll offer free returns when they are free to me. If eBay wants free returns so badly, they can pay for them.

So I'm supposed to dumb down my listings so they work well on a phone, pay to ship stuff out, and then take the hit when the stuff comes back?

Or, I could charge what the shipping costs me, write a longer listing that answers questions before the buyer has the item, and since the question was answered before they bought, not pay for return shippng?

Is that about it?

and again, work social media to get someone to come here to buy my stuff? I'm supposed to find buyers and work them on facebook? You do realize people sell stuff on facebook?

[klassic*kids]

Jennifer -- I read the article, it made some interesting points.  But here's something for you to think about: I sell mostly children's clothes and millenials (particuarly the ones born in 1980's) are likely parents of little ones and would be the main group of people I'd like to market towards. 

However, they often don't seem to be the one's buying.  A lot of my buyers have told me thing x-y-z they just purchased is for their grandchild.  So, instead of parents (millenials) buying I seem to be getting the grandparents (likely baby boomers) buying my merchandise.

The real issue seems to me that millenials just don't shop at eBay that often, at least not from me, and eBay needs to find a better way to market to this group of younger people.  I can only speak to my own experience and perhaps others have not encountered this -- but millenials just aren't here. I don't think the individual sellers do anything to turn them off, I just think they are not coming to this site.  How to get them tuned in to eBay? Just something to think about.

[percgrabbe-0]

EBAY ought to figure out to market to all buyers not just millenials it really seems like traffic to ebay site is in decline.  Banners on other sites, banners on social media, banners in general to redirect traffic to ebay site. 

[jason_incognito]

I'll also add....

use weird obscure words.......

I'm no longer a collector, I've curated these items over decades....... I now proffer these for your rumination......

[jason_incognito]

in order to effectively market, you have to break down the market into groups and market each seperately.

One size fits all never fits anybody.

[percgrabbe-0]

You better believe it. All major retailers want to market not just to millenials but different ethnicities and genders. They have whole teams of people evaluating the best way to do just that.

[this4chris2012]

One of the things you mentioned is to offer free shipping on purchases $50 and up.

How exactly does one do that on eBay? If the same buyer buys several items and it totals $51, is there some option that automatically combines the items and changes the shipping charges to zero? You know, the way it works on other sites?

Or does the seller have to send them a partial refund for the shipping? According to one of the weekly chats, sending a partial refund can earn a demerit of some secret type unless the seller messages the buyer that it's being done.

[tunicaslot]

---

wrote:

EBAY ought to figure out to market to all buyers not just millennials it really seems like traffic to ebay site is in decline.  Banners on other sites, banners on social media, banners in general to redirect traffic to ebay site. 

---

I see banners all the time on Facebook - I'm not on twitter or snapchat so can't comment on this.

Kids clothes are a hard sell anywhere. Many parents exchange items within kids play groups, Facebook is dominated by mommy groups and they sell lots, and many households hand down their items from one kid to the next. I have a difficult time selling kids clothes - even running $1.99 auctions on name brands with combined shipping doesn't entice buyers.

Although many people do shop differently - there is a pattern in buying depending on the age of the buyer. My one son buys everything on line - he's a gen x - his brother is a millennial and would rather go to a store and try items on - but generally millennials would rather party - work out and spend time with friends rather than go shopping. They do most everything from their phones - shop, interact with others, order dinner, pay their bills - and so Ebay is trying to do the best to appeal to all buyers.

I agree Jason - I go from raising my price a bit and doing free shipping - to lowering it and charging for shipping. Free returns takes a bite out of what little profit you sometimes make but again we have other options but choose to sell here.

[jason_incognito]

As for kids clothes, we just make too much stuff and they grow fast. You might get 2 months out of some clothes and you get 45 of them? 

I think some people get so many kids clothes they can treat them as disposable. The guy at the coffee stand had a kid and from just his customers (not counting their family, friends, or her work) I don't think he needed anything else.

[drinkwine1204]

can you post a link to read the third installment ?? I can't even find it

[professor-t]

As an instructional designer I know a lot about target population analysis.  Using age as a single determinating factor is simply nonsense.  Most of what I sell will be targeted to audiences by interest, not age.  However, I can say that the person I target will not be one who blindly walks into a street staring into their dumb phone.