While over 65-year-olds are often overlooked by online retailers for being tech-averse, a survey reveals that more than half of this formerly tech-resistant generation shop online. As the population ages, there’s an opportunity for e-commerce that appeals to Seniors' shopping habits.
A report by the Office for National Statistics has found that 54% of Britons aged 65 and over shop online. As online shopping continues to dominate the retail arena, convenience and growing confidence online are key aspects of the rising appeal of e-commerce’s to an older generation. "There is a lot less fear of problems like security, and it makes sense for older shoppers because of the delivery aspect," says retail analyst Nick Caroll. "There has been an obvious impact on the high street from online shopping as people realise it’s more convenient to shop from home."
As the population of UK citizens aged over 65 is projected to grow to 20.4 million by 2041, up from 11.8 million in 2016, the rapidly increasing senior population is becoming too large a group of consumers for retailers to ignore. As online shopping continues to gain popularity among over-65s, brands would benefit from tailoring their marketing strategies to target the growing number of tech-savvy silver surfers. A number of companies are already working to appeal to an aging online audience: The Freebird Club works as an Airbnb-style website targeted at older generations who love to travel, and Senior Planet covers lifestyle topics for Senior readers.
Hannah Septoff is a member of Canvas8’s editorial team and has a degree in social anthropology and politics from The University of Edinburgh. She’s passionate about the intricacies of human gender, sexuality and love and when not at work can be found on the rugby pitch or eating hummus.
