Not surprisingly, Millennials (age 21-34) are leading the way in online shopping compared to other age groups, according to a report from Nielsen.
This age group comprises at least half of all those surveyed who plan to make an online purchase across every product category the firm measures. The most popular categories among the age group are baby supplies, personal care items, toys/dolls, and alcoholic drinks.
“But don’t count older generations out,” Nielsen says. “They represent a sizeable 40% share of online purchase intenders. But reaching the older age set is much more fragmented territory than with their younger counterparts. As can be expected, the older the age, the greater the decline in online shopping intent. Globally, Generation X (age 35-49) respondents comprise about 28% of those willing to make a purchase online, and Baby Boomers (age 50-64) make up about 10%. The Silent Generation (age 65+) contributes roughly 2%. The youngest age group, Generation Z (under age 20), represents about 7% of those who intend to purchase online.
“While the generational mix of online shoppers currently skew younger, attention to the needs of all segments should be considered when developing outreach plans,” said John Burbank, president of strategic initiatives, Nielsen. “Tomorrow’s highest purchase-power consumers are ones who skew much higher for digital shopping. As the population ages, greater percentages of consumers will be connected and online prominence will continue to grow. Building trust at the onset is the foundation for sustaining lifetime loyalty among shoppers.”
We recently looked at some other findings from it related to the product categories with the most purchase intent here.
You can find the full report here.
Image via Nielsen
