Retailers Have To Tame Cybrids

The youngest generation of shoppers has been termed Cyber Hybrids, or Cybrids, and they present a challenge to traditional retail companies. A challenge that retailers will have to overcome if they are to thrive, or even survive, in the new century.

Cybrids are the first generation that was raised with the internet. They’re young and they’re very adept with technology. They like to go to the mall, but they’re liable to “showroom.” That is, they will look at something in a traditional store, but they’re happy to walk away and buy it online, or seek the same product at a different store for a lower price.

They want the newest technology and the newest App, and they move quickly to embrace new trends. They have little, or at least transient, brand loyalty (remember Facebook!?). They communicate with peers digitally, rather than verbally, and they’re not reached by traditional advertising. In short, they present a problem to traditional retailers.

Recently there have been some major retailers struggling or disappearing, and visiting the malls and big box stores this holiday season it looks like there are more to follow. Retailers have to adapt to the Cybrids ways with changes in services, store hours, deliveries and cyber information if they’re to sell to the newest generation and succeed in the coming years.