Generational divides revealed in Black Friday survey

Sinch has released the findings from its 2024 Consumer Black Friday/Cyber Monday Survey, which highlights consumer preferences and expectations for the upcoming shopping period.

Sinch conducted the survey in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, and Australia, uncovering significant generational differences in spending plans. Notably, 44% of respondents aged 18 to 29 intend to increase their spending, as opposed to 23.5% of those aged 50 to 59 and only 13.9% of those aged 60 and older.

Anna Jäger, Vice President of Marketing at Sinch, remarked, "Our survey reveals that European consumers are leading in rich, conversational messaging via RCS and WhatsApp. This shift underscores a growing demand for personalised, interactive experiences, pushing businesses to adopt these channels and AI-powered solutions to meet evolving customer expectations."

The survey findings indicate that younger generations strongly favour mobile messaging apps for receiving promotional and transactional messages, with consumers under 30 showing notable preference. Specifically, 50.5% of this age group prefers promotional communication via mobile messaging, surpassing the global average by 5.6%. Additionally, 64% favour using these apps for transactional interactions, which is 6.4% above the global figure.

Personalisation is generally welcomed across age groups; however, there is an increasing sense of intrusiveness among older consumers. About 20.6% of participants over the age of 60 find personalised marketing invasive.

In Europe, RCS is significantly endorsed, with 65% of Spanish and 46% of German respondents expressing interest in receiving interactive promotions through this channel.

European consumers are also leading in the adoption of WhatsApp for promotional communications. On average, 25% of Europeans favour WhatsApp for promotional messages, contrasting with only 7% in the United States and 9% in Australia. Country-specific preferences stand at 31% for Germany, 32% for Spain, 20% for the UK, and 17% for France.

Observed changes in consumer behaviour suggest a European lead in embracing new communication channels. Approximately one in three Europeans value personalised recommendations from brands, including 32% in Germany, 44% in Spain, 28% in the UK, and 29% in France.

The survey highlights a worldwide demand for AI-powered shopping assistance, with 56.6% of global consumers interested in using chatbots for order tracking, 45.8% for learning more about products before purchase, and 43.2% for accessing customer service.

Virginie Debris, Senior Vice President of Messaging Product, commented, "Retailers need to be prepared for the evolving expectations of today's digitally savvy shoppers. Our predictions for 2024 emphasise the growing importance of omnichannel, personalised, and secure communications in driving customer engagement and sales. Sinch is dedicated to providing the cutting-edge tools businesses need to excel in this competitive landscape."

Sinch's insights aim to aid retailers in preparing for a record-breaking shopping season by adopting advanced communication technologies to ensure security, drive sales, and enhance customer experiences during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.