Understanding Gen Z Behaviour in India: A Research Playbook
A research playbook for understanding Gen Z behaviour in India: six behaviour areas, methods that fit each, a question bank, and what to avoid assuming.
In shortUnderstand Gen Z behaviour by studying six areas separately (discovery, spending, platforms, trust, values, money) and matching a method to each: surveys for how many, interviews for why, diaries for what happened. Ask what people did recently, not what they value in general, and test any claim you have read instead of assuming it. Hercules Works can run the survey layer on a verified Indian panel, targeted by age band, city and gender.
Contents
Treat Every Gen Z Claim as a Hypothesis
Much of what is written about Gen Z is generalisation. Some of it may be true for your category and some may not. A research plan turns each claim into a question you can test with your own audience.
This guide splits behaviour into six areas, pairs each with a method, gives a question bank and lists mistakes to avoid. It states no statistics about Gen Z, on purpose. For the survey mechanics see the Gen Z survey guide, and for comparing generations see Gen Z versus Millennials.
Six Areas of Behaviour and the Method That Fits
| Area | What you want to know | Best method | Example question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery | How do they find brands and products? | Survey, then interviews | Where did you last discover a new brand? |
| Spending | What do they buy and how often? | Survey, diary | What did you buy in the last 30 days, from this list? |
| Platforms | Which apps and media shape choices? | Survey; screen-recording diary | Which apps did you use yesterday? |
| Trust | Who and what do they believe? | Survey; interviews | How much do you trust each source? |
| Values | What makes a brand acceptable? | Interviews; survey | What would make you stop buying a brand? |
| Money | How do they pay and save? | Survey | How do you usually pay for this category? |
Use the survey to measure how many, interviews to learn why and a diary to see what actually happened. Choose methods in the study types guide and the decision map.
Design Rules for Gen Z Research
- Ask about last time. "What did you do last week?" beats "What do you value?"
- Keep it short and phone-first. See questionnaire design.
- Let them talk. Add an open question and read every answer. Words that respondents use are language for your messaging.
- Split by life stage. A student and a working 26-year-old differ more than their birth year suggests.
- Sample the cities you sell in. Any Indian city can be targeted; ask for a feasibility count.
- Check the age. Under-18 respondents need parental consent, see the teen survey guide.
A 12-Question Starter Survey
| # | Block | Question | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Screener | Birth year and life stage | Single choice |
| 2 | Discovery | Where did you last find a new brand in [category]? | Single choice |
| 3 | Discovery | What made you try it? | Open text |
| 4 | Spending | Which of these did you buy in the last 30 days? | Multi-select |
| 5 | Spending | Roughly how much did you spend on [category] last month? | Banded choice |
| 6 | Platforms | Which apps did you use yesterday? | Multi-select |
| 7 | Trust | How much do you trust each source when choosing a product? | Grid |
| 8 | Values | Which of these would make you stop buying a brand? | Multi-select |
| 9 | Money | How do you usually pay? | Single choice |
| 10 | Loyalty | How many brands in [category] did you use in the last year? | Single choice |
| 11 | Open end | Describe a brand you like and why | Open text |
| 12 | Profile | City, gender | Single choice |
Mistakes to Avoid
- Quoting a generation-wide statistic without checking its source, date and country.
- Treating a trend among urban students as true for all of Gen Z.
- Asking opinions only. Add behaviour questions to each opinion.
- Reporting a percentage without the number of people behind it.
- Forgetting the limits of an app-based panel: smartphone users in the cities you target.
Running This Study on Hercules
If your job is the survey layer of a Gen Z research plan in India, this is the pilot and main study at list price. Pair it with interviews for the why.
| Step | Plan | Responses | Price per response | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test the questionnaire | Free | 30 | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Small pilot | Plus | 100 | ₹150 | ₹15,000 |
| Main study | Pro | 400 | ₹120 | ₹48,000 |
Pro is sold in bundles of 400 to 1,000 responses and costs 20% less per response than Plus. Enterprise plans come with a dedicated research team and are priced on request.
The SuperJ network has a 25M+ consumer footprint. The survey-eligible panel is a subset, and availability depends on your targeting. Members complete Aadhaar-based KYC once, and each study receives a zero-knowledge proof of verification. Surveys run in as many Indian languages as the study needs. Quality checks flag speeders, straight-lining and inconsistent answers. Read /panel-methodology and pricing.
The limit: the app reaches smartphone users only, so offline households need face-to-face fieldwork.
Frequently asked questions
How do I understand Gen Z behaviour?
Split behaviour into discovery, spending, platforms, trust, values and money, then pair each with a method: survey for how many, interviews for why, diaries for what happened.
What methods work for Gen Z research?
A short mobile survey, a handful of interviews and, where needed, a diary. Use open questions and read every answer.
Are Gen Z statistics reliable?
Check the source, date, country and sample before you quote one. Many are about a narrow group, such as urban students, and may not match your audience.
How do I segment Gen Z?
By life stage, city and behaviour rather than birth year alone. Use a segmentation study on your own data.
Can I survey Gen Z on an app panel?
Yes for adults who use smartphones in the cities you target. Report results as the views of those respondents.
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