Walmart unveils trial run of content creators' digital platform
Gen Z shoppers are set to make a significant impact on the 2022 holiday season, with social media platforms playing a pivotal role in shaping their shopping habits.
During this festive period, social media is acting as a visual search engine and trend forecaster, particularly on platforms like Pinterest. Gen Z consumers heavily rely on these platforms for shopping inspiration and product discovery, with features like shoppable Pins and native checkout making the journey from inspiration to purchase seamless.
Moreover, Gen Z consumers prefer brands that have a strong digital and social media presence. They value user-generated content and influencer marketing to validate their purchases. Brands that reflect their personal values and ethical considerations are particularly favoured, with social media platforms amplifying these preferences by showcasing community-led, local, and sustainable brand stories.
Social media has accelerated online holiday shopping among Gen Z, who are comfortable shopping digitally and often make last-minute or impulse purchases triggered by social content trends and viral products. Platforms like Pinterest see increased engagement in seasonal shopping categories, indicating Gen Z's tendency to use social media for planned gift research for holidays like Christmas, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday.
In the midst of this shift, retail giants like Walmart are adapting to the changing landscape. Walmart has announced the beta release of its Walmart Creator platform, designed to help content creators monetize their social media content by promoting Walmart products. Creators can apply for beta access ahead of the holiday season and can earn commissions on Walmart product links shared on any social media platform.
Walmart is also investing in social commerce by building out its reach to customers across platforms. The company has launched its Roblox space in September and has expanded its live-streaming partnership with Talkshoplive in February. Walmart aims to fully launch the Walmart Creator platform in 2023, implying that it is currently in the beta testing phase.
Google has also joined the fray, expanding its shopping functionalities last month with the release of a 3D sneaker tool and personalized features such as an outfit curator. Meanwhile, Snapchat announced a partnership with Halloween costume brand Disguise last week, and Walmart has launched the Innovation Partners ad program that helps brands connect with Gen Z on TikTok and Snapchat.
Despite the growing influence of social media in holiday shopping, a Gartner survey last month indicated that few respondents planned to look to social media platforms for gift inspiration, with only 7% of those surveyed planning to use Instagram and YouTube for that purpose. However, a recent Bluedot report suggests that 56% of Gen Z consumers plan to buy holiday gifts through social media this year.
In summary, during the 2022 holiday season, social media is profoundly shaping Gen Z’s shopping habits by making the holiday shopping experience more digital, socially influenced, and value-driven, heavily favouring online channels guided by social trends and AI-enhanced personalization. Retailers like Walmart are adapting to this shift, and it will be interesting to see how the landscape evolves in the coming years.
AI technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the social media shopping experience for Gen Z, with platforms like Pinterest using AI to suggest products based on individual preferences and shopping habits.
To capitalize on this trend, retail giants like Walmart have launched the Walmart Creator platform, an AI-powered solution that enables content creators to monetize their social media content by promoting Walmart products.
