HOW GEN Y BuysTraits of echo boomer consumers and what these traits mean to builders.
THEY ARE INFORMATION JUNKIES. They're used to having a million Web sites and 500 cable channels at their fingertips. They do extensive research before making major purchases. For example, give them online calculators to figure out the financing.THEY ARE TOTALLY WIRED. The first generation to grow up with the Internet, cell phones, and digital cameras, they are completely comfortable with technology of all kinds. They actually like computer kiosks in sales centers.THEY LIKE TO BUY. But they don't like to feel like they're being sold to. They want a friendly, knowledgeable person to answer their questions and walk them through the process.THEY ARE JADED TO MASS MARKETING. They've been bombarded with advertising messages from the day they were born and couldn't care less about celebrity endorsements. If their friends think it's cool, though, they'll give it a chance.THEY ARE HIGHLY INFLUENCED BY—AND CONNECTED TO—THEIR PEERS. This is the MySpace, Facebook, and You Tube generation, constantly showing each other cool things they've found or asking for their friends' opinions. Make it easy for them to e-mail their friends the neighborhood or floor plan they're interested in.THEY HATE TO WAIT. Thirty minutes to prepare a meal seems like forever to them, and they have no patience for a slow-loading Web site. If they send an e-mail asking for information, they expect a response the same day, and preferably within the hour.THEY LOVE PERSONALIZATION. They have different ringtones for all their friends, burn CDs of song mixes from various artists to fit their moods, and design their own shoes. On a Web site, they love to be able to arrange furniture on floor plans or see rooms with different options.