Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
98% of Gen Z consumers open text messages versus 20% for emails
Gen Z takes a median of 3 minutes to open a text message
60% of Gen Z consumers read a text message within 5 minutes of receiving it
83% of Gen Z prefers receiving order status updates via text message
64% of Gen Z consumers want to use SMS to ask questions to customer service
54% of Gen Z consumers feel frustrated when they can't reply to a brand's text message
Gen Z consumers made 38% of their online purchases via mobile device in 2023
28% of Gen Z shoppers have made a purchase directly from a text message link in the last month
SMS-generated revenue per recipient is highest among Gen Z at $1.50 per message
98% of Gen Z owns a smartphone, making SMS the most ubiquitous channel
Gen Z spends an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes per day on their mobile devices
79% of Gen Z consumers say they feel anxious without their smartphones
56% of Gen Z is willing to share data with brands via SMS in exchange for personalized deals
76% of Gen Z will opt out of SMS marketing if the frequency exceeds 2-3 times per week
80% of Gen Z consumers consider data privacy a major concern when signing up for SMS lists
Engagement & Open Rates
- 198% of Gen Z consumers open text messages versus 20% for emails
- 2Gen Z takes a median of 3 minutes to open a text message
- 360% of Gen Z consumers read a text message within 5 minutes of receiving it
- 4SMS marketing click-through rates for Gen Z can average around 19%
- 5Gen Z is 4 times more likely to reply to an SMS marketing message than an email
- 645% of Gen Z reply to branded text messages
- 731.9% of Gen Z consumers check their SMS notifications within 1 minute
- 851% of Gen Z are more likely to interact with an SMS if it includes a video or image (MMS)
- 9Click-through rates for automated SMS flows are 27% higher than one-off campaigns for young demographics
- 10Gen Z has a 14.8% average conversion rate from welcome text series
- 11SMS produces 6-8 times higher engagement rates for Gen Z than email marketing
- 1285% of Gen Z consumers prefer engaging with brands via mobile messaging apps over phone calls
- 13Interactive conversational SMS campaigns see a 30% higher response rate among Gen Z
- 14Gen Z is 2.5 times more likely to click on a link sent via SMS if it contains personalized content
- 1558% of Gen Z users report checking their text messages multiple times per hour
- 16SMS marketing campaigns targeting Gen Z see an average unsubscribe rate of under 1.5%
- 17Conversion rates on SMS abandoned cart reminders are approximately 25% for mobile-first shoppers
- 1877% of Gen Z says they keep their SMS notifications turned on at all times
- 19Brand texts that include emojis have a 4% higher interaction rate with Gen Z
- 2063% of Gen Z consumers will read a text from a brand even if they don't open it immediately
Interpretation
If attention were currency, SMS would be Gen Z's ATM: 98% open rates versus 20% for email, a 3 minute median open time, about a 19% click-through and 45% reply rate, big boosts from images, personalization and automated conversational flows, and under 1.5% unsubscribes, so brands that send timely, visual, and tailored texts actually get clicks, replies and sales.
Mobile Habits & Screen Time
- 198% of Gen Z owns a smartphone, making SMS the most ubiquitous channel
- 2Gen Z spends an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes per day on their mobile devices
- 379% of Gen Z consumers say they feel anxious without their smartphones
- 432% of Gen Z checks their smartphone notifications before getting out of bed
- 595% of Gen Z teens have access to a smartphone
- 6Gen Z sends and receives an average of 100+ messages per day across all apps
- 772% of Gen Z consumers use their smartphone as their primary device for internet access
- 8Gen Z spends more time in messaging apps than on social media feeds
- 966% of Gen Z users engage with multiple screens (phone + TV/laptop) simultaneously
- 1052% of Gen Z states their phone is their most important shopping tool
- 11Gen Z is 20% more likely to have "Dark Mode" enabled on mobile, affecting how basic text overlays are viewed
- 1278% of Gen Z uses their phone to consume content while commuting, maximizing SMS reach during travel windows
- 13Gen Z unlocks their phone an average of 79 times a day
- 1460% of Gen Z explicitly prefers vertical video formats on mobile, relevant for MMS marketing
- 1540% of Gen Z says they lose focus on a task after a mobile notification buzzes
- 1691% of Gen Z sleeps with their phone within arm's reach
- 17Gen Z is the demographic most likely to use "Do Not Disturb" modes during school/work hours
- 1825% of Gen Z users spend over 5 hours a day on their smartphones
- 1988% of Gen Z uses their smartphone for entertainment, making rich-media SMS highly effective
- 2042% of Gen Z admits to texting while walking, indicating high mobile attachment
Interpretation
Gen Z treats their smartphone like an extra limb: 98% own one, they unlock it 79 times a day, send over 100 messages, often check notifications before getting out of bed and use their phones as primary shopping and entertainment hubs, so succinct, vertical, dark‑mode-friendly SMS timed for commutes and respectful of Do Not Disturb windows is the clearest way to reach this anxious, multitasking generation.
Preferences & Content
- 183% of Gen Z prefers receiving order status updates via text message
- 264% of Gen Z consumers want to use SMS to ask questions to customer service
- 354% of Gen Z consumers feel frustrated when they can't reply to a brand's text message
- 475% of Gen Z prefers SMS for appointment reminders over email or phone calls
- 543% of Gen Z actively looks for SMS sign-up incentives when visiting a new brand's site
- 6Gen Z prefers SMS copy that is under 160 characters and "to the point"
- 762% of Gen Z consumers prefer brands that use authentic and casual language in texts
- 855% of Gen Z shoppers prefer receiving exclusive flash sale alerts via SMS
- 9Gen Z is 30% more likely to favor brands that offer loyalty program points via SMS
- 1041% of Gen Z consumers say they would like to receive texts about new product drops
- 11Gen Z consumers overwhelmingly prefer "text-to-buy" options over navigating to a website
- 1250% of Gen Z respondents said they want funny or entertaining content in brand SMS
- 1333% of Gen Z consumers prefer receiving a text over a social media ad
- 14Gen Z lists "Birthday Rewards" as one of their top 3 preferred SMS content types
- 1570% of Gen Z expects a response from a brand via text within 24 hours
- 1659% of Gen Z will unsubscribe if the content is not personalized to their shopping history
- 17Gen Z prefers two-way communication channels like SMS 20% more than Millennials
- 1848% of Gen Z indicates a preference for GIFs in promotional messages
- 19Gen Z consumers are 2 times more likely to prefer SMS for password resets and 2FA
- 2060% of Gen Z wants the ability to text a brand back to change reservation details
Interpretation
Treat SMS like Gen Z’s VIP inbox: keep it under 160 characters, casual and authentic, two-way and fast for updates, service or reservation changes, drive instant actions with text-to-buy, flash-sale alerts, loyalty points and birthday perks, sprinkle in GIFs or humor, and personalize everything or they’ll unsubscribe within 24 hours.
Purchase & Conversion
- 1Gen Z consumers made 38% of their online purchases via mobile device in 2023
- 228% of Gen Z shoppers have made a purchase directly from a text message link in the last month
- 3SMS-generated revenue per recipient is highest among Gen Z at $1.50 per message
- 453% of Gen Z shoppers admit to making impulse purchases due to mobile notifications
- 568% of Gen Z consumers use their smartphones to compare prices while in-store via SMS or browser
- 6Gen Z accounts for 40% of all mobile commerce users globally
- 7Text message marketing drives a 20% ROI increase for Gen Z fashion retailers
- 835% of Gen Z consumers have used a discount code sent via SMS in the last 6 months
- 9Gen Z shoppers are 3.5 times more likely to complete a purchase on mobile if offered Apple Pay/Google Pay via SMS link
- 10Abandoned cart SMS recovery generates 10 times more revenue per message for Gen Z than email
- 11Gen Z consumers spend 2 times more on mobile transactions than the average consumer
- 1246% of Gen Z has purchased a product discovered through a mobile message alert
- 1365% of Gen Z says a welcome offer sent via text is the top factor in their first purchase decision
- 14Mobile wallets (promoted via SMS) are used by 40% of Gen Z for daily transactions
- 15Gen Z has a 60% higher conversion rate on personalized product recommendation texts than generic sales
- 1630% of Gen Z will abandon a purchase if the mobile site linked in SMS isn't mobile-optimized
- 17SMS referrals account for 15% of Gen Z customer acquisition for D2C brands
- 1822% of Gen Z shoppers have bought something via text during Cyber Weekend
- 19Gen Z average order value (AOV) from SMS campaigns is $85
- 2050% of Gen Z is likely to buy a product again if they receive a post-purchase specialized care text
Interpretation
Put bluntly, Gen Z treats their phone like a personal mall: they price-check, click SMS links, and pay instantly with Apple Pay and Google Pay, so timely, personalized texts from welcome offers to cart recovery are the highest-converting, highest-value touchpoint for driving order value, repeat purchases and ROI while punishing brands that fail to optimize mobile experiences.
Trust, Privacy & Frequency
- 156% of Gen Z is willing to share data with brands via SMS in exchange for personalized deals
- 276% of Gen Z will opt out of SMS marketing if the frequency exceeds 2-3 times per week
- 380% of Gen Z consumers consider data privacy a major concern when signing up for SMS lists
- 422% of Gen Z will mark a brand message as spam if they don't recognize the sender immediately
- 564% of Gen Z trusts text messages from brands more than social media ads
- 6Gen Z is 15% more likely to read Terms & Conditions for SMS programs than Boomers
- 748% of Gen Z has stopped buying from a brand due to intrusive marketing messages
- 861% of Gen Z feels that SMS marketing is more transparent than algorithm-based social feeds
- 9Gen Z consumers require an average of 2 transparent opt-in confirmations to feel secure
- 1034% of Gen Z uses a secondary phone number or app to sign up for marketing texts to protect privacy
- 1159% of Gen Z consumers prefer brands that offer a clear "STOP" option in every text
- 12Gen Z identifies "Sending too many messages" as the #1 reason for opting out (60%)
- 13Only 18% of Gen Z is comfortable with location-based SMS marketing (Geofencing)
- 1482% of Gen Z remains subscribed to SMS lists for at least 6 months if content is relevant
- 1555% of Gen Z trusts brands that use Verified SMS (branded sender ID)
- 16Gen Z is 25% less likely to trust SMS links that use generic bit.ly shorteners versus branded links
- 1740% of Gen Z consumers will trade privacy for a discount of 20% or more
- 18Brand loyalty among Gen Z drops by 10% after receiving a text at an inappropriate hour (late night)
- 1969% of Gen Z appreciates brands that state who they are in the very first sentence of the text
- 2044% of Gen Z consumers feel "invaded" if a brand uses their first name in a text without prior relationship
Interpretation
Gen Z will willingly trade data for personalized deals, but only if brands treat SMS like a VIP invite rather than a late-night intruder, meaning they must be crystal clear with dual opt-ins and a visible STOP, use verified branded senders and links, cap messages at two to three a week, and avoid unsolicited first-name personalization or geofencing, or else these consumers will opt out, mark you as spam, use burner numbers, or walk away.
