In partnership with Havas Media Network, Snap Inc. worked with Dynata to survey 13–34-year-olds across France, Germany, India, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Working with a sample size of 28,500 participants, the study aimed to extract strategies that would help brands connect with Gen Z and Millennials in the social commerce space.

Havas distilled these findings into six overarching principles that brands can employ to create meaningful shopping experiences for Next Gen: Pursue Personalization, Action Authenticity, Utilize Ubiquity, Tackle Trust, Emphasize Entertainment, and Chase Convenience. 

Social commerce has become increasingly popular nationwide, with nearly half of social media users purchasing a product directly from a social media app or website in the past year. When online shopping, 49% of social media users in the UAE were found to involve their friends in the process by sharing pictures and discussing potential product purchases. However, it was interesting to note that social media largely helped users discover new products/brands (54%) and find product reviews and recommendations (50%). 

Among Gen Z and Millennials, apparel shopping emerges as the most prevalent type of online shopping. 93% of social media users in the UAE revealed that they had made an apparel purchase via social media. Shoppers (61%) also used social media to share their opinions about products with others. UAE apparel purchasers (78%) noted the importance of virtual try-on features aided apparel shoppers in making a purchase decision.

“Our research found that 64% of Gen Z and Millennials have made a purchase through social media in the past year – these younger audiences embrace social commerce, and with this report, we sought their input on how we can create a more meaningful and engaging social commerce journey,” shared Seema Patel, Global Managing Director, Mx Intelligence, Havas Media Network.

"Social commerce has transformed the way we shop, and on Snap we've seen firsthand how friends and family influence buying decisions. With more than half of daily Snapchatters sending product messages and pictures to friends during their shopping journey, there's a massive opportunity for brands to tap into the experiences that are resonating most with the next generation, underscoring the importance of real relationships ultimately driving real influence," shared Nadav Geft, Manager, Global Agency Development, Snap Inc.

When it comes to luxury shopping, 45% of shoppers used social media in the discovery phase, and 84% made a purchase via social media. The integration of AR in the shopping experience was found to play an important role across all verticals, but especially within the luxury vertical, with 70% of social media users reporting its importance. UAE luxury purchasers (81%) also reported that having a virtual try-on feature was key for them when purchasing a product.

This is also true for the personal care sector, with 79% of personal care shoppers in the UAE reporting the importance of having a virtual try-on feature to drive purchases. 89% of personal care shoppers in the UAE made a purchase on/via social media. Personal care shoppers (60%) were also found to use social media to share their opinions on their purchases with others. 

Learn more about these insights and key findings from The Next Gen Social Commerce Playbook here.