From My Feed to My Cart: Why Digital Offers Win with Gen Z

By: Aanya Shah

The other day, I was scrolling through Instagram between classes when an ad for my favorite granola brand popped up. Normally, I would’ve kept swiping, but this one was different. It offered a BOGO deal if I bought it at my local grocery store. In the next minute, I had already redeemed it.

That moment sums up how my generation shops. We don’t find new products through newspaper circulars or TV commercials. We stumble across them while scrolling through our feeds, in between videos or posts from friends. And when a brand makes it easy to act right then and there, we don’t hesitate.

The Shift in Shopping

Gen Z is at a new stage of life, we’re starting to shop for ourselves. That means filling carts with snacks, groceries, skincare, and household items. But the way we approach shopping looks very different from older generations.

Instead of clipping coupons or scanning store flyers, we expect savings to show up digitally, instantly, and right where we already spend our time. A separate app to download? Too much work. Waiting weeks for a rebate? Not happening. For us, convenience isn’t just a preference. It’s the expectation.

Why Traditional Offers Don’t Cut It

Paper coupons feel outdated. Even many digital savings programs still require too many extra steps, whether it’s entering codes, downloading apps, or waiting around for rewards to appear later. And static display ads? They’re usually ignored because they don’t feel relevant and only interrupt the experience.

The truth is, the gap between discovering a product and actually buying it has to shrink. If the process feels clunky, we’ll move on before ever redeeming.

The Vizer Difference

That’s where Vizer comes in. Instead of asking shoppers to jump through hoops, Vizer makes digital offers part of the content we’re already consuming. If I see a deal on Instagram, I can redeem it in just a couple of taps—no downloads, no delays. The reward is instant, which perfectly matches the way Gen Z is wired: quick decisions and instant gratification.

It doesn’t feel like couponing. It feels like discovering a perk in the moment, and that’s why it works. From my feed to my cart, the experience is seamless.

Why This Matters for Brands

For brands, this shift is critical. Gen Z’s attention is earned through experiences that feel authentic and embedded, not generic ads or roundabout promotions. When a brand gives me something of value right away, I’m far more likely to engage, and that instant gratification keeps me coming back.

Even though Gen Z isn’t the only audience brands are chasing, our influence is growing fast. We’re shaping household purchasing decisions now, and we’ll soon become the generation with the greatest buying power. Brands that adapt to meet us where we are will build loyalty that lasts.

Closing Thoughts

For me, the difference is simple: if I see an instant deal or free product in my feed, I’m much more likely to act than if I’m directed to a store locator or generic landing page. Offers that save me time and reward me immediately feel worth my attention.

If brands want to meet consumers where they are, and turn that attention into real-world action, the future lies in social-first, instantly redeemable offers with Vizer.