论文总字数：40095字

摘 要

随着科技的发展和社会的进步，人们的购物方式正发生着天翻地覆的变化。一国人民的购物方式会受文化、政治、经济、科技等多种因素共同造就，而Z世代是引领着一个国家当下流行趋势的一个群体，而影响因素与引领群体相结合产生的结果便是未来购物方式发展的方向。本课题研究中美两国政治、经济、社会、科技现状，并结合数据分析，讨论中美Z世代购物方式的差异性。

本文通过数据收集，整理分析中美权威网站、期刊的消费结构数据，推导出中美Z世代的购物结构；通过阅读中美权威学者、经济学家研究的相关成果，归纳总结影响中美购物方式演变的文化、经济、科技因素；结合所得结果与影响因素，讨论中美Z世代的购物方式的差异性及原因。

通过中国的95后和美国的Z世代相比较，本文发现中美两国这一代人在购物行为上的确体现出了极高的相似度。尽管如此，在数据上中美两国Z世代的购物方式还是存在较大不同，中国的Z世代群体更加依赖网购，而美国的Z世代青年更加倾向于线下购物。本文对于影响因素的研究可以帮助人们更好地了解中美两国，让人们记忆中两国零散的差异认知以购物为轴结合成一个有机的整体。最后，本论文写作的出发点是服务于实践，文章对于中美Z世代购物方式的全面剖析同样可以为即将赴美的留学生们提供借鉴。

关键词：购物方式；Z世代；影响因素；中国；美国

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements I

Abstract II

摘要 IV

Table of Contents V

Chapter One Introduction 1

1.1 Research Background 1

1.2 Research Purpose 2

1.3 Research Significance 2

Chapter Two Literature Review 3

Chapter Three Main Factors Affecting the Way of Shopping 5

3.1 Economic Factors 5

3.2 Social Factors 6

3.3 Technological Factors 7

Chapter Four Comparison of Generation Z’s Shopping Modes between China and America 9

4.1 American Generation Z’s Shopping Modes 9

4.2 Chinese Generation Z’s Shopping Modes 9

4.3 Summary 10

Chapter Five Analysis of the Differences Between Chinese and American Generation Z’s Shopping Modes 12

5.1 Economic Factors Analysis 12

5.2 Social Factors Analysis 14

5.3 Technological Factors Analysis 15

Chapter Six Conclusion 17

References 18

Chapter One Introduction

1.1 Research Background

With the development of science and technology and the advancement of society, people's shopping modes are undergoing tremendous changes. In China, the retail industry has grown from the original pure offline retail to O2O retail. E-commerce such as Taobao and Jingdong has become mainstream. In recent years, the giants like Alibaba have refocused on the offline and created the new retail new shopping modes that linked online shopping and offline experience together; in contrast to the United States, department stores, shopping mall and other traditional formats are ingrained, but at the same time they are also experiencing the strong impact of Amazon and eBay. The research group in this paper is the Generation Z. There is no uniform standard in the industry regarding the age composition of the Generation Z. At present, demographers and related researchers generally define a generation born in the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s as Generation Z. According to statistics, the number of Generation Z groups in the United States has exceeded that of Millennials. Although it is affected by family planning in China, the population should not be underestimated. Because they were born and grew up in the Internet age, Generation Z is the first native generation to live in both electronic virtual and real world. The Generation Z, deeply influenced by the social relations and values of technological development, has the following characteristics: First, the “digitally native” Generation Z of youth groups, they are not as addicted to “online shopping” as Millennials; second, Generation Zs are more concerned with “experience” and at the same time they are more frugal. They try to find the best value and service. Third, the influence of Generation Z on their parents’ consumption is far greater than the influence of the Millennial generation. This generation has a higher cost of living, and their preferences can significantly affect household purchasing decisions. The shopping modes of a country's people will be jointly created by various factors such as culture, economy, science and technology, and the Generation Z is a group that leads the current trend of a country, and the result of the link of the influencing factors and the leading group is the direction of future shopping modes. This thesis studies the current economic, social, and technological situation of China and the United States, and combines data analysis to discuss the differences between the Generation Z shopping modes in China and the United States.

1.2 Research Purpose

For the young students who are about to graduate and enter the business field, the Chinese and American people's shopping modes that we know now are the way of shopping for the whole society, not the Generation Z group that represents the advanced trends. Studying the shopping modes of Generation Z in China and the United States will enable us to better understand the differences between the Chinese and American retail industries and even businesses. In addition, any social phenomenon cannot be independent of economy, politics, and culture. The study of influencing factors can help people better understand China and the United States, and let people put the scattered differences between the two countries together, and combine them into an organic whole. Finally, the starting point of this thesis is to serve the practice. The comprehensive analysis of the Generation Z’s shopping modes in China and the United States can also provide reference for the international students who are going to the United States.

1.3 Research Significance

This paper will collect and analyze the consumption structure data of authoritative websites and periodicals of China and the United States through data collection, and derive the shopping modes of Generation Z in China and the United States. By reading the relevant achievements of authoritative scholars and economists in China and the United States, we will summarize and manage the influencing factors of the shopping modes in China and the United States. I will combine the data results with the influencing factors to analyze the differences and causes of the Generation Z’s shopping modes between China and the United States from the perspectives of economy, society and technology.

Chapter Two Literature Review

There are many factors influencing the shopping mode. In foreign literatures, Scholars (Abe 2015, Ming-Hsiung 2009) from different fields have perfectly analyzed the impact of their research fields on shopping modes,. But because of the research field, the conclusion is relatively one-sided; although the research results of some researchers have great reference value, the timeliness of the study determines that it no longer applies to current social development. The shopping mode itself is not a novel topic. It is involved in the US authoritative journal (American Economic Review) and the relevant financial reports of Amazon. For the Generation Z, most of the relevant commentary reports only focus on changes in consumption patterns, and the impact factors mostly focus more on economic and technological factors. This makes the reader unable to fully understand the current situation of Generation Z shopping modes in China and the United States through such research.

Looking at domestic research results, the quality is uneven, and it makes readers puzzled. Wu Xue (2014) and Zhan Huina (2012) have studied this issue, although their research is credible, research with high credibility always focuses on the overall shopping style of the two countries, rather than simply studying the Generation Z’s shopping modes. However, from a practical point of view, the overall level will be affected by middle-aged and old consumers, which makes the research results less meaningful to reality. In addition, because of the information explosion in the Internet era, the hot issues of economics are often rich in academic waste, and some researchers have pointed out that the US shopping mode is relatively backward, which is very irresponsible. In addition, such studies are less time-sensitive, and even authoritative journals can be limited by industry advancements. Finally, starting from the practicality, the best beneficiary of the study of the Generation Z’s shopping modes between China and the United States is the large number of students studying in the United States. However, domestic research on the Generation Z’s shopping modes in China and the United States is relatively blank. The preparations made by students abroad before they go to the United States are often based on the suggestions and precepts of the predecessors. Different regions and states in the United States often have differences. Therefore, a study that combines the above factors can provide guidance for international students to examine the location factors and lifestyles, and help them adapt to study abroad faster.

In short, the current comparative study on the shopping modes of Generation Z groups in China and the United States is not sufficient. Therefore, this paper starts from the data analysis and explores the shopping modes and influencing factors of Generation Z in China and the United States through the analysis of real results.

Chapter Three Main Factors Affecting the Way of Shopping

3.1 Economic Factors

There are many economic factors that influence the way we shop. Here we only discuss macro factors.

As a macroeconomic policy, fiscal policy refers to the guiding principles and corresponding measures for adjusting the scale, structure and balance of fiscal revenue and expenditure for a government to achieve certain ambitious economic goals. The government's fiscal policy will directly affect the raw material cost of goods and the cost of circulation. Merchants will adjust their marketing modes according to policies, and consumers will actively change their shopping modes in order to obtain cheaper, higher quality products.

In addition to fiscal policy, the government also makes laws or regulations to restrict business conduct according to current international relations, public opinion, and value orientations. This includes the adjustment of import and export tax, the government's control over special commodities. Policies and regulations have different impacts on shopping. Policies often change people's ways of shopping by changing the market, while regulations directly limit people's shopping behavior.

Consumption is different between developed countries and developing countries. In terms of consumption channels, the consumption level of people in developed countries is generally high, and the infrastructure is relative complete; while the living standards of people in developing countries are relatively low, the development of places available for people to consume is lagging behind. However, with the development of economic globalization, the needs of people in developed and developing countries have become increasingly unified. Therefore, shopping channels for different background conditions have emerged. In fact, people's choice of shopping modes is subject to objective conditions. Sometimes, people want to buy goods through other channels, but there is no option for them to choose.

In terms of commodity sources, the vast majority of branded products come from developed countries. Due to tariffs, brand effects, etc., many commodities have doubled in price after export. In developed countries, there are many ways to purchase such goods, because the prices of goods are not much different, whether online or offline. At the same time, people can also buy discounted goods at Outlets. Therefore, people in developed countries can choose the way to buy goods according to their own needs and preferences. In developing countries, affected by various factors, the prices of commodities in different channels will be very different. In order to get cheaper goods, many people will choose such channels as online shopping, and the Generation Z group studied in this article is the representative of such consumers.

In addition, the gap between people's income and consumption levels also affects people's shopping modes. Under normal circumstances, physical objects can stimulate people's desire to buy, but the purchase requires the support of consumers' own economic strength. Many consumers find cheaper alternatives through other channels when they are financially unable to meet their own needs. Often, the way consumers get cheap alternatives comes from the Internet, which is why online shopping accounts for a relatively large proportion in developing countries.

3.2 Social Factors

    Consumer behavior is the common behavior of all members of society. It is restricted by the individual's perception, needs, motivation, attitude, personality and other psychological factors, and is also restricted by the social living conditions of the individual. To study consumer’s psychology, we must not only discuss it from the perspective of individual psychological activity, but also explore the influence of social factors on consumer psychology. Only in this way can we explain consumer behavior scientifically, discover the law of consumer psychology, and provide a more relevant basis for the prediction of consumer behavior.

     The influence of social factors on consumer behavior is different aspects. In different historical periods, the productivity levels of different countries and regions develop differently, and people's consumption cannot exceed the material conditions provided by society. The level of productivity development in different historical periods and different countries and regions is different, and people's social status and income levels are different. Therefore, the shopping mode is not only affected by economic conditions, but also influenced by social culture. The main social factors affecting the way of shopping are: customs, religious beliefs, values and national character.

    People in one country have their own unique customs and habits, that is, their own traditions in material life, cultural life, and social life such as family and marriage. Understanding the customs and habits of the nation is not only important for opening up the national market, but also the role of the foreign trade industry cannot be ignored.

     Various religions have provisions on the marriage, funeral, marriage, and diet of the believers. Failure to pay attention to business activities can also violate the national self-esteem and lead to adverse consequences.

    Different values affect people's selection criteria for the brand and grade of goods. The selection criteria restrict consumers' attitudes towards products or trademarks, leading consumers to make different consumption decisions and adopt different shopping modes.

The traditional cultures and customs of different ethnic groups are different. The differences in traditions lead to distinct differences in the character and aesthetic tastes of each nation. These differences will also be reflected in their shopping behavior. Cross-cultural studies have found that Chinese people often use general, intuitive modes to judge problems, while Westerners are used to reasoning and analytical modes.

3.3 Technological Factors

In this era, the impact of technology on people's shopping behavior is all-round. Technology can be a hardware device that we can see and feel, or it can penetrate into our lives quietly(Anne 2017).

In the early days of e-commerce development, people have deep doubts about the totally strange trading objects, which impedes the development of online shopping to a large extent. Until the emergence of third-party payment platforms such as Alipay, the rights of merchants and consumers have been protected, and this doubt is finally dispelled. Advances in technology have made online shopping possible, and have given consumers a whole new shopping option.

In today's economic conditions, technology has been used as a marketing tool to subtly influence consumers' shopping behavior. Today's Internet marketing, the main focus is the community marketing of accurate push, the purpose is to help the goods to find the right customers. Under this marketing mode, technology has become a sophisticated algorithm. By analyzing the habits of specific users, they find suitable products and services for them in thousands of ways.

Different from the other three factors, technology is not only a factor reflecting the phenomenon, it is also changing people's behavior. Advances in technology have impacted people's original lifestyles, implanting new lifestyles and generating new demands. This process will subvert the tradition, in terms of shopping, a single online or offline shopping mode will not be able to meet the needs of consumers. As we know, in the future, various shopping modes will be merged and unified.

Chapter Four Comparison of Generation Z’s Shopping Modes between China and America

4.1 American Generation Z’s Shopping Modes

According to the analysis of the economic situation in the United States in 2018, the US e-commerce market will continue its substantial growth, but in fact the status of physical stores can not be ignored. According to Entrepreneur (American Entrepreneur Magazine), sales in US physical stores are still 10 times that of e-commerce.

In the United States, about 51% of Americans prefer online shopping, while the remaining 49% prefer to purchase offline. The growth rate of the US e-commerce market is three times that of traditional retail, with a growth rate of about 15%, while the growth rate of physical stores is only 5%. On average, American consumers purchase online 19 times a year, second only to Asia, ranking second in the world. However, the bulk of US consumer spending on shopping is not online shopping, with a ratio of only 36%, and 64% of transactions are conducted in physical stores. Even so, the online shopping trend of US consumers is still developing. It is estimated that by 2023, 85% of retail shopping in the United States will be conducted online.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau data, the population of the Generation Z in the United States has reached 80 million. Among them, 36% of Generation Z consumers prefer online shopping, while the remaining 64% prefer to shop offline. Even so, younger generations of Generation Z in the United States still spend 5.5 hours a week on online shopping. Among them, more than 93% of people make online purchases every month, and more than 39% of them buy online every week. For the Generation Z, fewer and fewer people buy goods through a single channel. 70% of Generation Z youths are keen to learn about new concepts, new brands on the web, and choose to experience and buy offline.

4.2 Chinese Generation Z’s Shopping Modes

According to the 2016 Import Consumption Insight Report released by the First Financial and Commercial Data Center, the purchasing power of imported star brand products after 95s far exceeds that of other age groups. According to the survey data of Witop Consulting, the monthly average cost of after 95s reached 1,314 yuan, even close to the annual per capita disposable income of 1,830 yuan in 2015.

The proportion of consumers who went to stores in the Chinese post-95s was 31%, much higher than the proportion of their use of mobile phones and tablets. Among them, mobile phones accounted for 24%, and tablets accounted for only 4%. But overall, their online shopping ratio is still more than 60%. They value digital experiences when shopping at stores, for example, they use mobile devices to compare prices, or remotely solicit friends and family through social media and Wechat.

Post-95s attach more importance to the distribution speed than the millennial generation. They will cancel the online shopping order because the delivery time is ambiguous. They will calculate the delivery time and hope to receive the product on the day of shopping or even within half a day. They are also more willing to pay extra for the courier. Only a few are willing to wait for free delivery. In addition, if the retailer can provide the service of booking the delivery time, the 95 will be more willing to choose the merchant.

Chinese post-95 consumers are keen on new ways of shopping. The post-95 consumption of apparel and groceries purchased through the “Selected Orders” service is 88% and 70% respectively. Of the people interested in Automated Replenishment, the vast majority (78%) of respondents are willing to hand over more than half of the orders to retailers who can provide such services(Hu Yongquan 2012). In addition, more than half of the 95s are willing to try the "voice ordering" service, and can't wait to use this model to buy clothing, consumer electronics, groceries, health and beauty products.

4.3 Summary

By comparing China's post-95s with the US Generation Z, we can find that this generation of China and the United States do reflect a very high degree of similarity in shopping behavior. They were born and grew up in the world of the Internet, but they are not addicted to online shopping. For them, the web is just a tool for finding the ideal product, not a necessary route(Andreas 2011). Despite this, there are still big differences in the way the Generation Z’s shopping modes between China and the United States is on the data. The proportion of online shopping of the US Generation Z is only 36%, and the rest customers are flowing to large-scale shopping malls, specialty stores, outlets and other offline consumer places. In China, the proportion of consumers who go to offline stores after the 95s is only 31%, and up to 69% of consumers will choose to purchase goods on multiple online ports such as PC and mobile. It seems that China's post-95s consumers are more comfortable with the convenience brought by the network and rapid logistics(Lena 2016).

Chapter Five Analysis of the Differences Between Chinese and American Generation Z’s Shopping Modes

5.1 Economic Factors Analysis

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