Products

EMARKETER delivers leading-edge research to clients in a variety of forms, including full-length reports and data visualizations to equip you with actionable takeaways for better business decisions.
PRO+
New data sets, deeper insights, and flexible data visualizations.
Learn More
Reports
In-depth analysis, benchmarks and shorter spotlights on digital trends.
Learn More
Forecasts
Interactive projections with 10k+ metrics on market trends, & consumer behavior.
Learn More
Charts
Proprietary data and over 3,000 third-party sources about the most important topics.
Learn More
Industry KPIs
Industry benchmarks for the most important KPIs in digital marketing, advertising, retail and ecommerce.
Learn More
Briefings
Client-only email newsletters with analysis and takeaways from the daily news.
Learn More
Analyst Access Program
Exclusive time with the thought leaders who craft our research.
Learn More

About EMARKETER

Our goal is to unlock digital opportunities for our clients with the world’s most trusted forecasts, analysis, and benchmarks. Spanning five core coverage areas and dozens of industries, our research on digital transformation is exhaustive.
Our Story
Learn more about our mission and how EMARKETER came to be.
Learn More
Methodology
Rigorous proprietary data vetting strips biases and produces superior insights.
Learn More
Our People
Take a look into our corporate culture and view our open roles.
Join the Team
Contact Us
Speak to a member of our team to learn more about EMARKETER.
Contact Us
Newsroom
See our latest press releases, news articles or download our press kit.
Learn More
Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities
Reach an engaged audience of decision-makers.
Learn More
Events
Browse our upcoming and past events, recent podcasts, and other featured resources.
Learn More
Podcasts
Tune in to EMARKETER's daily, weekly, and monthly podcasts.
Learn More

The Pandemic Has Driven Boomers to Increase Their Digital Shopping

Some of these behaviors are likely to stick post-pandemic

As the pandemic caused widespread shutdowns, consumers who traditionally preferred brick-and-mortar retail shifted at least some of their spending to digital channels.

When transacting purchases, many boomers have adopted ecommerce—though it’s yet another area where they lag behind younger adults. We estimate that 62.1% of boomers in the US will be digital buyers this year, well short of the percentages of Gen Xers and millennials.

The pandemic has given impetus to boomers’ usage of digital options for shopping, including for groceries. “Prior to the pandemic, boomers were least likely to give up their familiar grocery shopping habits,” said Jana Davis, director of research at Acosta Sales & Marketing, who was interviewed for our recent report, “Better Be Nice to the Boomers.”

However, COVID-19 has led to new priorities of social distancing and safety, Davis said. Citing her firm’s research, she noted that in March and April, more than 30% of boomers had tried online grocery shopping or were considering it. "And at least some of them plan to stick with it long term.”

It’s partly a matter of having mastered a new skill. “Boomers have leaned into online grocery shopping at an accelerated rate and appear to be getting the hang of it,” she said. For instance, Acosta’s research found that “83% [of boomers] have been very or extremely satisfied with the ease of building an online cart.”

Though a majority of boomers buy online, it has not been their first choice of retail venue in normal times. TD Bank polling from September and October 2019 found 87% of boomers saying they preferred to shop in physical stores. Asked in a December 2019 Shopkick survey to say where they planned to do the majority of their 2020 shopping, 67% of boomers cited physical stores—as did 59% of Gen Xers and 57% of millennials.

But again, the pandemic quickly upended many shopping habits. Polling by First Insight found a steep rise between late February and mid-March in the proportion of boomers saying they had shifted buying to online, from 8% in the earlier survey to 34% in the later one.

A June 2020 release of data from the National Retail Federation (NRF) showed 45% of boomers shopping more online due to the pandemic. CouponFollow polling fielded mid-March through May found nearly half of boomers saying they increased their online spending during that period of quarantines.

Now that more boomers are accustomed to using ecommerce, this new buying behavior is likely to live on, and even expand, post-pandemic. “Once they’ve gotten through the initial learning curve, many will stick with it,” said Marc Mezzacca, founder of CouponFollow. In the meantime, they may temper the unfamiliarity of ecommerce by conducting it through retailers they’ve long patronized in person. “I don’t think boomers have strayed too far from the brands they know in the physical world,” he said. “In our research, boomers were the least likely generation to try new online stores, but one in five shopped online for the first time at a well-known discount-buying club or superstore like Walmart, Costco or Sam’s Club.”

Not sure if your company subscribes? You can find out here.