How does Generation Z buy?
That is, in-depth individual research with high school students
Looking for opportunities to increase student engagement with digital educational products, our Client opted for in-depth research with young consumers.
Our education client needed to understand the buying habits and needs of the target audience of the newly emerging digital product. In this, we conducted extensive in-depth research that included interviews with high school students and their parents. The aim was to learn about their buying habits and the factors influencing purchasing decisions.
The clear and functional report included a complete characterization of the student as a consumer, which helped us understand his buying habits and intentions.
The comparative analysis of brands used by the consumer presented in an easy way has become the starting point for further work on the target product and its communication
Desk Research
In-depth interviews in the form of dyads
Kjøp en funktion
Comparative analysis
Person
Context of the project
Our client - the leader among educational publications in Poland, offers comprehensive and modern solutions for all stages of education and subjects, including foreign languages and a wide selection of school maps. As part of the development of the offer, it prepares innovative IT solutions, educational management software and products for special educational needs. One of them is a solution for high school students, as part of which we conducted a study.
Teenager shopping
Our goal became to describe the figure of a high school student as a consumer
To get the full picture, we looked at what (non-educational) products a teenager from the first grades of high school uses: what he buys, how he chooses products, what he pays attention to, what motivates him to buy a particular thing.
Changes within a generation
In a world of constant change, adolescent behaviors change rapidly. It has become important to draw on the latest data on adolescent behavior and habits.
The old social media platforms are quickly being replaced by other instant messengers. Fashion, lifestyle are changing, and the modern teenager is using the Internet in an increasingly elaborate way. To get the best results and at the same time look more broadly at the entire group of young consumers, we opted for an extensive study: one-on-one interviews combined with in-depth reaserch.
Winter has successfully designed a new design for our site that both improves and simplifies the UX of our platform.
The Zima team is efficient and focused on accomplishing its tasks.
Who is Generation Z in Poland?
Born: between 1995 and 2012
Popular names: Victoria, Kacper
Bakgrunn:
- grew up at the time of Poland's integration with the European Union and the development of the Internet
- living with a smartphone in hand
- They trust their friends more than their authority (social proof)
- They are used to the instant gratification of online contact
- suffer from FOMO
- They do not know how to make decisions on their own
Research method
We turned our attention to first-graders (currently 15-year-olds) who have the potential to use the services of our client from the beginning of high school until graduation.
That's why we decided to do in-depth interviews in duets: teen + parent
32
Respondents
with whom we had conversations
32
Interview hoursThis is how long it took to conduct interviews
4
Involved researchersConducting conversations and gathering insights
115
Hours of analysisa summary of the collected materials, supplementary research and a summary of the report
Research
We have divided the research process into three stages:
- Exploratory research
- Interviews with users
- Deepened reaserch
Exploratory study
Collection of information through desk research
To begin with, we decided to get to know the topic more deeply through extensive desk research. We used existing reports, cyclical research, and literature. We sketched the general silhouette of Generation Z, to which our respondents belonged. Already at this stage, we discovered thatthe youngest representatives of this generation differ significantly from their older peers, which affects their consumer behavior.
The research challenge
- The big challenge was certainly the limited time, in which it was necessary to combine many sources of knowledge in a holistic analysis.
- We had two months to complete the entire study,
In the course of which we have worked as a team over
360 hours.
Exploratory study
For the best effect of conversations with respondents, we decided to use unique and original method of conducting in-depth interviews. We had 16 conversations in parent-child duets. However, we divided the respondents by talking separately with the teenager, separately with his parent. We ended the interview with a 15-minute conversation, which also allowed us to observe the dynamics in a given family arrangement.
The research challenge
In the course of the test study, it turned out that we need to modify the study scenario. For example: our respondents were unable to clarify the answers to the questions asked. A different approach was needed.
So, we adapted the mode of conversation to the new information, trying to get as much insight as possible into the teenager's world and look at the issue under study with his eyes
Clarifying the results
When analyzing the interviews, we took into account the previously collected information and chose directions worth deepening.
Research challenges
Qualitative research, admittedly, allows a deeper description of user preferences, but by a limited sample, it does not yield statistical results. Therefore, the insights captured during the research are worth deepening by reaching for quantitative data.
Research report
We collected all the conclusions in the final report. To ensure the best possible presentation of the conclusions of the study:
- Each insight was rated on a three-point scale
- We have included quotes from interviews to better show Respondents' Perspective
- Selected issues from the qualitative study were in-depth with data from desk research
Summary
In addition to the conclusions of the study itself, our team also gathered a lot of new knowledge about the research process.
In the course of the research, we faced a number of challenges:
- Extremely short deadline that required careful planning and coordination. We met a new type of respondents, which is adolescents, which prompted us to modify the method to their needs.
- Verification of multiple sources at the same time allowed for a broader context and deepening of knowledge.
- It is worth adding that the team carried out this order with curiosity and pleasure. Searching for the perfect plan for this study allowed us to have an interesting combination of methods and gain new experience. Our professional report helped the client choose the business directions and also provided some surprising knowledge about their clients.
Our team worked in a design model
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