What started as a way to scroll, laugh, and kill time is now one of America’s favorite shopping malls. A new Mintel study found that 56% of Americans view social media as their primary source for product research. Meanwhile, 31% of both millennials and Gen Z have bought something directly from social media. But while younger consumers are clearly more engaged with Instagram shopping, there is considerable interest from US consumers across the board, generation no bar. Haley Ferrini, US analyst of tech and media reports at Mintel, told Retail Brew that there are some key differences between the way each generation shops online. Younger shoppers, for instance, are more comfortable purchasing directly through an ad on a social media platform. “They have in these spaces the appreciation for convenience, and it’s not just about practicality,” Ferrini said, adding that their peers are likely to further influence their product choices. Older shoppers, on the other hand, continue to use social media as a research platform. It primarily functions as a source of “gathering information” and validating their choices before they decide to buy something, Ferrini said. “Social media is still a super useful tool to reach older consumers, but the approach just has to be more about providing them with information rather than pushing a sale,” she said. Keep reading here.—JS | 
