Gen Z Is Changing Shopping Forever

How? For starters, choosing brands that take stands on social issues and even reflect the whims of social media stars. Here are four ways all that is happening

GEN Z SHOPPERS ARE RADIcally changing the retail world. Notice more “buy now, pay later” services offered at online checkouts? QR codes on store shelves? You're welcome, says Gen Z.

Defined by the Pew Research Center as those born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z have accelerated a number of shopping trends Millennials started while simultaneously carving out several new ones of their own. And for retailers, the stakes are high to adapt. The generation's buying power is more than $140 billion, consulting firm Barkley Inc. estimates.

Here are four ways Gen Z is flexing its muscles. .

Redefining Value Shopping

Brand hunting used to, largely, center around the price, quality, and customer experience. But Gen Z wants more: brands that feel authentic in their messaging and support social causes important to them like racial equality and environmental protection, says The Center for Generational Kinetics, a Gen Z market research and consulting firm.

Gen Z ranks brand authenticity much higher as a factor in their purchasing decision than all other adults, data from eMarketer found. For example about eight in 10 said they would trust a company more if it used real customer images in its ads, according to a survey from WP Engine. In other words: less polished says Salesforce.com research.

Brands must be genuine and vocal about the causes they support and how they support them as well. That same WP Engine survey found that 72 percent of Gen Z shoppers were more likely to buy from a company that contributes to a social cause. And they claim they're willing to spend a bit more for that product, too. According to research from The Center for Generational Kinetics: some $14.45 more, on average, per $50 purchase (or $3.86 more than Millennials).