Soul App Releases 2025 Gen Z Double 11 Consumption Behavior Report: “Paying for Happiness” Emerges as Core Consumption Mindset for Gen Z

AI-powered social platform Soul App, in collaboration with the Shanghai Youth & Children Research Center, officially released the 2025 Gen Z Double 11 Consumption Behavior Report (the “Report”). The Report takes an in-depth look at shopping patterns and behavioral shifts among China’s Gen Z—mainly those born after 1995 and 2000—during the Double 11 shopping festival period.

According to the Report, “paying for happiness” has become the defining mindset driving Gen Z consumption. Travel-related spending accounted for 36.9% of emotional consumption, making it the most popular category among Gen Z.

The report also highlights the growing influence of AI technologies, which are redefining how young people seek novelty and emotional fulfillment. Within Soul App, data show that “AI companions” have become one of the emerging keywords shaping Gen Z’s emotional consumption trends.

Gen Z’s “Paying for Happiness” Blends Enthusiasm with Rationality

The Report was jointly released by Soul App’s Just So Soul Research Institute and the “YOUSO” under the Shanghai Youth & Children Research Center. It is based on Soul App’s platform data and 2,770 valid survey responses.

According to the findings, Gen Z’s enthusiasm for the Double 11 shopping festival continues to rise—participation has climbed steadily from 81.3% in 2021 to 93.1% this year. Nearly 40% of respondents said this year’s Double 11 “felt more festive, with discounts more concentrated,” suggesting that the event has become an annual ritual in their lives.

Meanwhile, Gen Z’s perceptions of Double 11 shopping have become increasingly polarized. Many respondents praised the festival for offering “a wider variety of categories” (21.4%), “deeper online-offline integration” (21.3%), “bigger discounts” (20.8%), and “clearer promotion rules” (20.4%). Yet others expressed skepticism, questioning the credibility of “lowest price of the year” claims (21.6%) and saying that the price advantage was not significant (20.5%). Nearly 40% said they needed to “verify for themselves” before believing the lowest price slogans.

Consumer Confidence Grows, with "Experience-First" Mindset Driving New Trends

Data indicates that Gen Z’s consumption continues to strengthen. Nearly 40% of young respondents said their Double 11 budget this year was “higher than last year’s,” with the figure climbing to 45.15% in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Together, those who increased or maintained their budgets accounted for nearly 80%, reflecting an overall positive consumption outlook.

When it comes to spending choices, the idea of “experience-first” is shaping new consumer trends. According to the Report, travel-related spending, represented by stockpiling flight, hotel and travel-related packages, has become Gen Z’s top category of emotional consumption, accounting for 36.9%. This is followed by digital value-added services (33.1%), in-game purchases (31.6%), and cultural and creative collectibles consumption (31.3%), all catering to emotional and experiential needs. Cultural consumption also stood out, with books, films and TV, music, and paid knowledge courses reaching 21.4%.

AI Shapes New Shopping Experiences and Becomes Gen Z’s Shopping Advisor

AI technologies are now deeply embedded in every stage of the shopping process, emerging as the standout feature of Gen Z’s Double 11 experience in 2025. The Report shows that about 70% of young consumers embrace AI applications. Among them, the most popular use cases are AI-powered customer service (30%), personalized AI recommendations (28.7%) and AI shopping assistants (25.9%). The “human-AI collaboration” shopping model not only enhances personal experience but also brings smarter, more efficient momentum into the market.

On Soul App, interest in AI companions has surged dramatically. In the second quarter of 2025, posts mentioning “AI companions” grew by 1,894 times year-on-year, while related searches soared by over 220,000 times, making the term one of the keywords of emotional consumption among youth.

The Just So Soul Research Institute observed: “Gen Z consumers exhibit a mindset where enthusiasm and rationality coexist. Their growing participation in and appreciation for the festive atmosphere of Double 11 indicate that the event has become an indispensable annual ritual, defined by both emotional resonance and active engagement. At the same time, they remain discerning—eager for good deals yet cautious of marketing tactics. Their consumption decisions reflect a balance between ‘budget-consciousness’ and ‘self-verification.’”