By The Editor
New research in America has found Baby Boomers are playing a larger than previously thought part in the continuing shift to online purchasing.
The study by The Integer Group confirmed that, as expected, young adults spent most online, mainly on music, books, clothes and electronics, Baby Boomers and families were spending more on everyday goods like food and beverages than Gen Ys.
The study also confirmed that the trend to online shopping is not in addition to traditional retail store shopping, with 73 per cent of respondents saying they were not spending more; they were only spending it differently.
When asked why people decided to buy goods online, the primary reason was simply because they could get a better deal than they could in a store. Other reasons nominated (in order of priority) are the quality of the product, the shopping experience and the time savings that the internet offers.
However half of the respondents said they never planned to buy groceries and packaged goods online.
The results have implications for the ongoing battle in Australia between traditional retailers and new online stores, and is further proof that more consumers will look at more options to find the best price, including older Australians thought not to be as tech savvy as their younger counterparts.
Are you a regular online shopper? Are you a Baby Boomer who has become a recent convert to online shopping? And what type of products do you normally buy? We’d love to hear some of your stories – just make a comment below!
I have been buying online for several years, but mostly items that are difficult to get in shops here, including books, music and curio’s. I have used ebay to buy second hand items again, things that are hard to get. I have rarely purchased something that is currently available in shops an don’t intend to start. The savings aren’t enough to persuade me to go to the extra trouble of waiting, risking quality, no back up service and getting something that isn’t what I wanted. Frankly, I enjoy the shopping experience.