Getty Images for Target

Here’s
a lesson retailers should brush up on before back-to-school sales start:
Preteen promotions 101.

Kids
are graduating to consumerism at a younger age, according to the National
Retail Federation’s annual back-to-school projections. In 2019, teens are expected to spend an average $36.71 of
their own money on back-to-school purchases, up from $30.88 10 years ago. Pre-teens
are projected to more than double their spending to $26.40, compared with
$11.94 a decade ago.

“Members of Generation Z are clearly becoming more
involved with back-to-school purchasing decisions rather than leaving the
choices up to mom and dad,” NRF President and
CEO Matthew Shay said in a press release. “Over the years, both teens
and pre-teens are spending more of their own money on back-to-school items.”

And they have a lot of spending power — an estimated $143
billion, according
to Bloomberg.

Here’s one big reason why members
of Gen Z (ages 7 to 22) are spending more of their own money on back-to-school
goods: They were born into digital commerce and are therefore conditioned to browse,
compare and price clothes and other goods on their own. The characteristics that
define their spending behavior, however, are influenced by social factors worth
investigating.

2+2 Equals Z

Many members of Gen Z are the offspring
of Gen X (born 1965 to 1980), a
group that grew up among
rising divorce rates, a waning economy and dual-income households. As a result,
Gen Xers adapted to caring for themselves at an early age, and they remain
resourceful, self-sufficient and independent.

These
qualities have been passed on to their kids. This is how that independence,
combined with technological influence, is shaping Gen Z’s shopping behavior.

Young shoppers are price conscious — 60% said they pick the brands
they buy based on price, according
to a recent report in Business Insider. This may be the result of their
experiences during the financial crisis of 2008, but also is likely influenced
by their innate tendency to compare prices online.Despite their affinity for browsing, Gen Z consumers are less
likely to plan their purchases in advance, meaning they may be more receptive
to offers designed to prompt impulse buying, according
to recent consumer panel data.This
impulse buying extends to occasional items such as clothing: 28% of Gen Z
shoppers spontaneously buy what they remember they need in whichever store they
happen to be, according
to research by WSL Strategic Retail. That’s a higher percentage than of any other age group.This “do it now” mentality
may explain why Gen Zers are less apt to invest time or money in longer-term
benefits. Fewer than half of Gen Z shoppers are likely to make purchase
decisions motivated by reward programs, compared with 73% of millennials,
reports Lab42
Research.

Gen Z Schooling: 3 Lessons

These behaviors will likely evolve
as Gen Z shoppers mature, so retailers that recognize these predilections now
will be in better position to keep pace. Following are three guidelines, based
on how Gen Z is already shopping.

Understand
what value means to them. For Gen Z, value seems to be defined
more by price than by time or ease. This is likely a result of their
cash-conscious upbringing as well their more abundant free time (generally, no
kids or professions). Members of Gen Z are, for example, more likely than
millennials to
visit a physical Walmart store — 93.8% vs. 91.6%. Yet despite their digital
nativity, they are less likely to visit Walmart.com: 19.9% vs. 23.9%. The
website is just not connecting with these shoppers.Be prepared for their impulses. Because Gen Z shoppers are more likely to buy
what they need at the moment they think of it, retailers should be prepared
with pop-up promotions that reach them while in the store. This could be
achieved through loyalty programs that text or email practical offers and
rewards in real time. My Starbucks Rewards is a favored program among a majority
of Gen Z members, according
to loyalty services provider CrowdTwist, likely because they can redeem points
easily, on the app, at low thresholds. Gen Z shoppers might engage further if
Starbucks begins selling school-themed cups or marketing an after-school menu. Offer
online-only specials. Because teens are intuitive
online browsers, it’s not surprising that half
say Amazon is their favorite website, according to a
spring survey by Piper Jaffray. So
if retailers combine the first
two lessons of cost consciousness and unplanned buying with this affinity for
digital browsing and price comparing, they may experience a sum that is greater
than the parts. Online-only offers, ideally of a limited time, will likely entice
students to purchase rather than price compare.

Retail has entered an age where age no longer matters. Technology and self-reliance are accelerating the spending maturity of kids, possibly faster than retailers could keep up. Next time a retailer encounters a group of eighth-graders in its store or on its website, it may want to treat them like seniors — maybe even college seniors.

This article originally appeared in  Forbes . Follow me on  Facebook  and  Twitter  for more on retail, loyalty and the customer experience.