Does Gen Alpha Actually Influence Household Purchasing Decisions?

A recent Razorfish study surveying about 2,300 U.S. tweens between the ages of 9 and 13 produced some highly interesting data. As it turns out, these Gen Alpha kids are "influential tweens" who appear to have a notable level of interest in beauty products, automobiles, and having a say in household purchasing decisions.

"From food to automotive and beauty, Gen Alpha is increasingly taking a prominent role in nearly every household decision. Marketers should treat them not as mere tag-alongs but as integral family board members," the survey white paper read.

Among the most noteworthy findings:

• 68% of Gen Alphas polled said they owned a luxury product by age 10, and 50% received a luxury item at a younger age as compared to a sibling.
• 53% of their parents indicated that their child is more interested in cars than they were as a kid, and 35% of tweens said they aspire to own a luxury car when they're older. Additionally, 58% would rather spend money to customize a car rather than save money on a basic model.
• Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73%) said they are interested in teaching their parents their skincare routine, and a nearly identical number (72%) stated they are interested in teaching friends the same.
• Almost half of boys polled (45%) are interested in skincare, with 69% saying they want to prevent wrinkles. A quarter of boys polled indicated that they have a skincare regimen involving three to five products.

Vehicles and Beauty Products of High Interest for Gen Alpha Tweens, but There Are a Few Catches

Regarding vehicles, tweens belonging to Gen Alpha appear to have at least some heft when it comes to their family's purchasing decisions. The Razorfish survey indicated that 65% of tweens polled said they were involved in shortlisting car options, and — perhaps surprisingly — 61% of respondents claimed to have the final say on which car to purchase. Only 38% would cough up more cash for an eco-friendly ride, and preferences were split over gasoline-powered (41%) or electric vehicles (43%).

Beauty is clearly a huge deal for this age cohort, with three-quarters (75%) of surveyed tweens saying that they were engaged with beauty content on social media and more than a third (38%) saying they produce their own beauty content (such as "get ready with me" videos). On the other hand, over half acknowledged that they know "only a little" about beauty ingredients, and 30% admitted to using beauty products containing ingredients inappropriate for their age (such as retinol, collagen, or benzoyl peroxide).

There may be hints of naivete hidden within the data, however, as it was revealed that 70% of respondents claimed to have a basic understanding of money, but a greater proportion (75%) indicated that they deserve to get most of the things they desire.

"Being the first generation to grow up entirely within the 21st century, it’s no surprise that Alphas have been one of the most interesting generations we’ve attempted to understand," said Dani Mariano, president at Razorfish, in a post about the study.

"They are digitally savvy, but they’re having an offline renaissance. The speed at which Alphas are breaking preconceptions and paving their own path is remarkable, and marketers need to be paying close attention if they want to win them over," Mariano added.