Entitled, selfie-taking, mobile addicts. Aka: Millennials.
MicroD is here to help you get inside the mind of millennials. Understand their wants, so you can easily sell them that daybed for their dorm rooms and 300 sq ft apartments.
Why Millennials are Important to Home Furnishings Retailers
For starters, millennials are the largest generation in history. They’re dominating the workforce and proving to have a substantial amount of purchasing power. Which, is kind of hard to ignore.
Growing up with the internet (and being the first to do so), has influenced the way they shop and what they shop for.
When it comes to mobile traffic, retailers have seen high rates when reaching out to millennials. They’re educating themselves, comparing prices, browsing products. All before making purchases online before entering any showroom. Convincing them to physically visit a furniture store means creating a bond with them and your brand.
“What is it they want,” you ask? Let’s find out.
Shopping Habits
Mobile phone use is at an all-time high. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that millennials forever have their tiny pocket computers on them. In fact, eMarketer revealed 97.6% of millennials are mobile phone internet users. And in 2016, 90% made digital purchases.
With technology at the palms of their hands, it is vital that your website is accessible to them. Millennials prefer digital shopping. Because their expectations are to get what they want when they want it. Even when you do find them inside a store, they are researching (or have already researched) products in question. As avid omnichannel shoppers, their webrooming* practice is nothing out of the norm.
*Webrooming is when a smartphone is used to check prices, read reviews or find discounts and deals, then purchasing in-store.
What is the take away from this? Millennials want to be catered to because they are used to doing everything with a few taps and swipes. Be mobile-friendly.
Millennial Style
Now let’s focus in on home furnishings styles and trends you should showcase to draw them in even more. Uloop gave some good insight on some of the trends millennials are attracted to. You can’t go wrong with this trio:
Minimalistic
The youngest of this generation are entering college. And those who have graduated know a lot about living-in-small-spaces. They’re living in an urban lifestyle and working with limited space. Millennials have no choice but to design their dorms in a comfortable, but stylish way.
Rustic Style Furniture
Although the opposite of urban and minimal, millennials far from home love a reminder from their past. Millennials are very attached to the home, family, and a sense of community. It’s why they’re the first to jump on a cause for the community and care about sustaining the relationship between family. Use the characteristics of this hombody (and mostly boomerang) generation to improve the home furnishings purchase!
Vintage and Retro
It gives off an elegant adult look all while adding taste of whimsy. Millennials want to have freedom in home furnishings shapes, textures, fabrics, and colors. If we learned anything from watching Pinterest and Instagram, vintage is in. Use visualization tools like Instagram and Pinterest to see what your target audience is pinning and loving. Fabrics, materials, design, and more!
A break from modern furniture can be fun, don’t you think?
What to Do:
Recap of what we’ve learned so far: Millennials are important to retail sales, they love their phones, and have a unique taste in furniture. What does this mean for home furnishings retailers?
You want to increase time spent on product pages. When trying to find ideas and inspiration, 24% of millennials look to home décor and furnishing blogs. Meaning, the visual experience you provide matters. Home furnishings retailers can seriously benefit from sprucing up product visuals. It can further the interaction and relationship you make with them.
We already touched on being mobile-friendly. Keep in mind that 71% of millennials use digital services before an in-store shopping trip. While shopping, 55% are using digital services and only 16% are using it after.
Have lots of rustic furniture to offer millennials but don’t know how keep them on your site? That’s where 3D shopping comes in. Allow them the ability to custom design their apartments and create their own showrooms. Online. With their phones. You’d be combining the digital and physical shopping experience together since 63% are more likely to order online and for in-store pickup.
Millennials are reading reviews about your stores, products, and customer service. Given the platform to reach the online world has its perks. Make it easy for them to leave reviews via text! MicroD’s new partnership can help you do just that! Click here to learn more.