Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from the Retail TouchPoints website.
As many as 82 percent of women "Empty-Nester Boomers" spend more time browsing for products online than in-store, according to a report from Influence Central and Vibrant Nation.
The report, "Redefining Empty-Nesters: How The Power Generation Takes Control Of Consumer Purchasing," was based on an online survey of more than 600 American women 45 years and older. Empty-Nester Boomers are characterized as people born between the years 1946 and 1964 who do not have children living at home.
The study found Empty-Nester Boomers versed in shopping with their mobile devices, as 65 percent said they use smartphones to look up product information, while 64 percent have made purchases using their tablets.
These findings align with the key result from the survey: 71 percent of Empty-Nesters disagree with the trope that they are "behind the times" and are disengaged with consumerism and pop culture. In fact, 68 percent consider themselves independent thinkers who are the first to try new things.
"Our research showed that a profound disconnect exists in how this generation sees themselves and how they're viewed externally," said Stacy DeBroff, CEO of Influence Central. "Today's Empty-Nesters feel confident, tech-savvy and highly connective online, yet marketers still stereotype them as passively consuming traditional media and swept up in advertising. Empty-Nesters are embracing social media and today's online recommendation culture, ignoring and disliking advertising, and completely redefining their consumer journey."
For this generation, first- and third-person reviews play a key role in their purchasing decisions. To start the path-to-purchase, 90 percent of respondents search for an item online through Google or another search engine. Four out of five respondents consider first-person recommendations posted online before making a purchase, while 85 percent agreed that they would tell a lot of other people if they had either a positive or a negative experience with a new brand, product or service.
More than 85 percent of respondents trust third-person product reviews from retail sites such as Amazon.com or Target.com. In addition, 45 percent of Empty-Nesters are more likely to purchase a product if it is recommended by a blogger they follow.