The new Internet generation: how the habits of buyers of the age have changed

The pandemic brought American retirees to online stores: out of fear of covid-19older people do not want to visit supermarkets once again. To retain new customers, e-commerce players will have to adjust their strategy

Baby boomers (people aged 57-75) are a large generation, as the name implies. They are in better HEALTH than the pensioners of previous generations, they lead a more active lifestyle. Since 2018, there are more people over 65 than children under five. They are also richer: in the United States, older people spend an average of $64,000 a year, nearly double the spending of those born in 1997 and later. Boomers and the generation that preceded them, called "silent", account for about 40% of consumer spending in America. At the same time, retailers pay much more attention to the young, ignoring the elderly. But it looks like the pandemic will force them to change their approach.

First, because of the fear of COVID-19, which is more dangerous for the elderly, boomers have moved online. Last year, over 65s accounted for 30% of all online bookings in the UK, up from 20% in 2019. In August 2020, the UK Office for National Statistics reported that 65% of them had made a purchase online at least once in the past 12 months (up from 54% a year earlier). According to research agency NielsenIQ, 53% of Americans over 65 spent more on online shopping in 2020 than in 2019.