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C-Store Trends

Posted on June 07 2019

How to Reach the Millennial Grocery Shopper

The millennial generation has long since reached adulthood, and if you’re looking to attract this group to your grocery store, it’s time to revise your food merchandising techniques both inside and outside the store.

Technology has made strides toward convenience and accessibility, and the millennial generation was one of the first to take full advantage of this. According to Vision Critical, a company that provides research consulting services, roughly 60 percent of millennial shoppers buy products via their mobile devices. Additionally, a staggering 80 percent will make impulse purchases.

Use social media: Attracting millennial shoppers means making your presence known. Social media has become increasingly important, particularly among younger generations, so start there. Create pages for your store and speak to staff members within the millennial age range about what would make the venue interesting to their generation.

If you have yet to scope out Internet reviews of your store, now may be the time to do so. You may find nothing or you may find many reviews. If your venue is nonexistent online, it could mean that you’re not leaving a lasting impression on millennial shoppers, many of whom read and write these reviews. On the other hand, if you do have a page, then you’ve created an image and can improve your services accordingly. Doing so will show millennial shoppers that you’re aware of their needs and their methods of communication and will respond.

Stand out traditionally: It’s no secret that millennial shoppers see plenty of advertising. So what makes a campaign stand out among others? First, create an image that potential shoppers will associate with your venue, and make that visual cue widely available.

It may sound like a lot of work, but this can be easily achieved with a degree of creativity. Invite staff members to create a character and construct it out of colorful paper. Write a simple message inviting readers to visit your venue and place them around town. These are essentially fliers, but more unique, eye-catching and quirky. Millennial shoppers want novelty and creativity, according to the Send me the Manager blog, which provides restaurant consultancy.

Attracting the millennial generation isn’t just about taking to the Internet – it’s also about taking a new approach to traditional marketing practices.