College Students Prefer to Find New Products Via Friends

10/4/13

Word of mouth is a significant source of product information among college students. More than half of U.S. college students ages 17-32 (55%) prefer to learn about new products from friends, and 39% prefer to learn about them from family members, according to Concentric Marketing. Free samples are the most popular marketing method-46% prefer to learn about new products via sampling. About a third (35%) prefer to happen upon new products while shopping in-store, and 28% prefer to find them through coupons.

More than eight in 10 students (85%) say they’re likely to tell friends and family members about products or brands they like. Most college students have generally positive views toward advertising (85%). One in five (20%) say ads help them learn about new products, and 24% say ads lend brands credibility. Almost half (46%) would like ads to be more straightforward in their messaging, however.

College students are very active on social media-96% use Facebook, and 75% use Twitter-but they have mixed feelings about brands’ presence on these networks.

College students are most likely to say they enjoy shopping in traditional grocery stores (59% include them among their top-four shopping channels) and at mass merchants (58%), but there are significant variations by gender. Men are much more likely than women to enjoy shopping online (51% vs. 33%), while women are more likely than men to enjoy shopping at apparel retailers (53% vs. 22%).

When shopping for groceries, 51% tend to stick to the brands their parents used, while 41% are concerned with buying natural and/or organic products. About four in 10 (43%) say they’re very nutrition-conscious when preparing meals at home, but 22% prefer heat-and-eat options. Produce and dairy are the most frequently shopped categories in the grocery store (63% each say they visit these aisles often).

The vast majority of college students enjoy ethnic foods (only 3% don’t like them); Mexican, Italian, and Chinese are most popular.

SOURCE: “Everything You Thought About Millennials Might Not Be True,” August 2013, Concentric Marketing, Billie Spevak, SVP Strategy, 101 W. Worthington Ave., #190, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704-731-5100; bspevak@getconcentric.com; www.getconcentric.com. Price: Available online at no charge (registration required).

© 2013 Business Valuation Resources, LLC (BVR). May not be reproduced without written consent of publisher.

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