Why Baby Boomers Are The New Online Consumer Force

Anything but digitally illiterate. Often overlooked by brands in the digital sphere, the baby boomers’ generation is finding comfort in online dating, social media, and shopping platforms. While they may not watch viral videos or share memes like Millenials, they are more technically engaged than most people give them credit for. Not surprising for many of us, new studies also confirm baby boomers – the greatest purchasing power generation (born from 1946 to 1964) – aren’t just scrolling through feeds, they’re providing the content, too. 

According to the latest Wunderman Thompson Intelligence Report, consumers over the age of 65 are the fastest-growing group of online shoppers. The Washington Post revealed in January 2021, citing data from the NPD Group, that the demographic spent 49% more online in 2020 than they did in 2019.

A February 2021 study also found that 52% of baby boomers actually prefer to shop online rather than in-store during busy holiday seasons. And necessities such as groceries and home goods are only a fraction of boomers’ popular product buys; while millennials are buying hot tubs and home office supplies, baby boomers are making more regular, personal, or day-to-day purchases. Statistics show that boomer spending makes up 37.7% of all pet-related purchases, and 47% rely on Cyber Monday purchases for their holiday shopping.

Talking about social, a recent survey by Statista also shows Facebook has become the social media platform of choice for baby boomers (78%), with YouTube in second place (67%) and Instagram in third (32%). What’s more, single baby boomers are even stepping into the online dating space, finding a match on platforms like Bumble or Tinder appealing. In fact, Insider reported that 60% of Bumble female users over 40 had confidence that the app would lead to “the type of relationship they desire.”

These data can only reinforce what we have always thought: it’s time to challenge stereotypes and old clichés about ageing. Remember that having grown up in the age of the Beatles, Woodstock, and the hippy movement, baby boomers might be unconventional and at the same time discerning in their choices, but never out of their comfort zone. And now, many have started to call them ‘the new hipsters‘, the ones who push for authenticity and uniqueness, whether on or offline.