Study Examines the Nuances of Hispanic Consumers Online

Hispanic mobile ad network Adsmovil released results from a study detailing the online behavior of the Latino community and provided insights into the Hispanic market across acculturation (or cultural assimilation) levels and age cohorts, including Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers.

The research, dubbed "Embrace the Collective: The Hispanic Digital Purchase Journey,” was conducted in partnership with Publicis Media, the media arm Publicis Groupe, and ThinkNow, a cross-cultural research firm. The results help to better understand the dichotomies between the behaviors of Hispanic heads of households and non-Hispanic heads of households in terms of influence and daily digital journeys, from search to acquisition and advocacy.

The study, based on results from a consumer survey, categorized key findings, including:

Online Shopping

• Hispanics are more likely to be online shoppers (versus non-Hispanics).
• Amazon, Walmart and eBay comprise the top three sites for all acculturation levels.
• Hispanics are more likely (60%) than non-Hispanics (49%) to shop at Amazon.
• Non-Hispanics (23%) are more likely to shop at Walmart than Hispanics (16%).
• Millennial and Gen X Hispanics are more likely to prefer brands that have Spanish content online.

Product Information

• Hispanics are more likely to use retailer websites and apps versus search engines than non-Hispanics.
• Spanish-dominant Hispanics are more likely to search using retailer sites versus search engines. The latter is preferred by bilingual and English-dominant Hispanic shoppers.
• Millennial Hispanics are more likely to use social media for product information, versus Gen X and Boomers.

Language

• Younger generations of Hispanics (i.e., Gen Z and Gen X) prefer brands that have Spanish content online.
• Millennials say they always must translate search results for someone else.

Influence

• Hispanics engage in collective behaviors around search and purchase and are more likely to assist others with purchases than non-Hispanics, including product searches, translating results and sharing product search results with friends and family members in their homes and across borders.
• Hispanics aren't just helping with big ticket purchases — they are more likely to assist with everyday purchases, such as groceries, fast food and medications under $100.
• Items are influenced by different age cohorts and levels of acculturation, calling for a collective approach to marketing.

Mobile Usage

• Hispanics across acculturation levels and age cohorts, along with non-Hispanics, rely on mobile for search throughout the day and evening. Hispanics frequently share search findings with peers.

"Hispanic consumers have been a fast-rising majority for many decades, and it's imperative that brands understand this is not a homogeneous group," said Lisa Torres, president, Cultural Quotient, Publicis Media, in a news release. "This research explores the rich layers of Hispanic consumers across ages and acculturation levels and uncovers the unique ways they're engaging with advertising and sharing information and recommendations with their communities.”

“The findings will be vital to how we're advising brands to build meaningful connections with this audience — for example, the insights clearly underscore the need for Spanish language product descriptions and content on retailer sites to accommodate this diverse cohort's preferred method of online shopping." 

The research identifies the nuances in how Hispanic consumers behave collectively online and offline, emphasizing the need to target individuals as well as their communities influencing their purchase decisions.