It comes as no surprise that younger generations are more adept at using technology for a variety of tasks, while their older counterparts rely on more traditional methods to get things done. These behaviors even carry over into retail, although Baby Boomers are increasingly going online to shop for merchandise.

According to a study by The Integer Group, consumers between 50 and 64 years old are taking to the internet more to purchase products, as there was a 4.5 percent increase the number of Baby Boomers participating in ecommerce since 2011. On the other hand, Millennials – individuals between 18 and 24 years old – have decreased their online shopping, as seen in a 7 percent drop from 2011. Analysts say this is mostly due to the slow economy and the younger generation’s decision to save more money, the report states.

While ecommerce is becoming more prevalent among Baby Boomers, The Guardian notes that they still largely prefer to visit retail brick-and-mortar locations to shop for items. The news source suggests that to accommodate this generation, merchants will need to implement aspects that these consumers are looking for. This can be accomplished by conducting market research to determine which products are most in demand and then stocking shelves with those goods.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Wednesday, February 13th, 2013 at 3:22 am .