Summary
Gen Z is redefining what value means in 2025’s tariff-driven economy. Armed with coupon apps, browser extensions, and AI deal-finders, they’re shopping smarter—not less. According to the latest U.S. Tariffs Consumer Impact Survey, half say transparency drives loyalty, yet many will still switch retailers for better prices. For marketers, the lesson is clear: Gen Z demands honesty, speed, and personalization. Brands that deliver transparent pricing and timely, relevant offers will turn digital skepticism into genuine loyalty.
They were raised on Wi-Fi and climate anxiety, came of age through a pandemic, and now face adulthood under a fresh wave of tariffs. Gen Z may be the most connected generation in history, but in 2025, they’re also the most cautious. Forget matcha; this cohort is budgeting with browser extensions and swapping shopping carts for discount codes.
According to the October 2025 U.S. Tariffs Consumer Impact Survey, those teens to late 20s aren’t just reacting to economic pressure, they’re redefining value itself. For marketers, that shift carries profound implications. This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s about understanding how a generation fluent in digital skepticism and deal-seeking is rewriting what loyalty, trust, and engagement look like
The Deal-Seeking Digital Natives
If older generations are tightening budgets, Gen Z is engineering the algorithm to beat them. Nearly half (46%) of Gen Z shoppers use browser extensions or coupon apps to track prices, more than double the rate of Boomers or Gen X. They’re also more likely than any other age group to rely on social media groups and forums for shopping tips (24%), transforming their peer networks into mini consumer intelligence systems.
This is a generation that treats online shopping like a sport, scouting, sharing, and strategizing for savings.
For marketers, price visibility isn’t optional, it’s table stakes. Gen Z expects real-time transparency on discounts and deal timing. Brands can use Wunderkind’s Signals-based triggers to surface dynamic offers when this audience shows intent (e.g., visiting price comparison pages or pausing at checkout). Pairing that data with relevant creative, not blanket discounts signals authenticity instead of desperation.
The “AI Couponers”: Smart Tools, Smarter Shoppers
Gen Z isn’t afraid of AI, they’re using it to stretch every dollar. Nearly one in three (32%) have occasionally used AI to find deals, and 26% use it regularly, outpacing every generation except Millennials.
While AI-driven deal-finding might sound niche, it signals a major behavioral shift: Gen Z expects personalized pricing in the same way they expect personalized content. When the algorithm can find them a better offer, brand loyalty becomes purely conditional.
Marketers must level-up with AI by acting like it. Use real-time behavioral intelligence to deliver adaptive pricing and targeted incentives that feel intuitive, not transactional. Gen Z doesn’t want “exclusive” deals buried in inboxes; they want instant, relevant recognition of their engagement.
Loyalty is Earned (and Easily Lost)
Tariffs have made Gen Z ruthless about value. Half (50%) of them say they’re more likely to stay loyal to brands that communicate clearly about prices and availability, yet they’re also the most likely to switch retailers when prices climb (21%).
That combination, values-driven yet value-sensitive makes loyalty a moving target. For Gen Z, brand trust doesn’t come from longevity; it comes from clarity, fairness, and responsiveness.
For marketers, it’s about building a feedback loop instead of a funnel. Use Wunderkind’s identity resolution tools to recognize repeat visitors and dynamically adjust messaging. Transparency emails (“We held prices steady this week”) or live pricing notifications (“Your item just dropped 10%”) deliver the authenticity Gen Z rewards with repeat business.
Social Validation Meets Price Verification
While Gen X wants reliability and Boomers crave stability, Gen Z demands proof, from peers and platforms alike. This generation is twice as likely as others to rely on social forums for shopping advice and five times more likely to use multiple online identities to trigger “first-time buyer” discounts. They’ve learned that attention equals leverage, and they use it to negotiate deals in real time.
It’s time to rethink “influence.” Gen Z trusts micro-communities, not megaphones. Instead of pushing brand claims, empower your existing customers to advocate authentically. Wunderkind’s Autonomous Marketing Platform can tie behavioral signals to social listening, identifying which messages convert Gen Z browsers into vocal brand ambassadors, without gimmicks or giveaways.
Gen Z’s Value Hierarchy: Discounts Over Drama
While every generation is price-conscious this year, Gen Z is the most adaptive. More than one-third (37%) are delaying or avoiding big-ticket purchases, yet 27% still plan to prioritize essentials during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. They’re strategic, not stingy, spending where it feels smart, cutting where it doesn’t.
They also skew earlier in their shopping cycle: 7% started shopping before Halloween, compared to 2–4% among older groups. That means they’re planning ahead, not panic-buying. So start your campaigns earlier and sustain engagement through timed value. Use API-first orchestration to sync offers across SMS, in-app, and email, maintaining consistent messaging without overexposure.
Channel Chameleons: SMS + In-App > Email
Email might still reign for Boomers and Millennials, but not here. Nearly one in three Gen Z consumers prefer in-app push notifications (29%), and 23% prefer text/SMS, compared to just 10% and 14% among Boomers. For Gen Z, immediacy equals relevance. They don’t want inboxes, they want updates.
Design for speed and specificity. Automated, context-aware SMS or app messages that acknowledge why they’re being sent (“You viewed this twice—here’s a new price drop”) feel intuitive, not intrusive. Wunderkind’s multi-channel flexibility allows brands to deliver that balance across digital ecosystems seamlessly.
Closing Thought: Authenticity Over Algorithms
Gen Z is redefining loyalty in the age of tariffs and AI. They don’t just want deals, they want honesty. They expect brands to act with the same transparency and agility that they apply to their own shopping.
For marketers, the opportunity is clear: meet their curiosity with clarity, their digital sophistication with respect, and their caution with confidence. Lead with authenticity, communicate in real time, and let transparency do the selling. In short, don’t automate your message, humanize your algorithm.
Check out other blogs in this series:
Marketing to Squeezed Millennials
