Relationship between parents, their off-spring and PCs

An excellent piece of research has just been published by AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons.
The research looks at how the over-50s use their children/grandchildren for advice with using PCs and the Internet. You know, the way that once you declare you know something about PCs and the Internet you become a free help desk to friends and family. Anyway, here are a couple of the reports findings.

78% of the respondents (children and grandchildren) say they are the first place their parents or older relatives turn for assistance. Nearly 50% say they are contacted more than twice a month.

87% say they assist their parents in finding information on the Internet.

Now this raises some interesting issues about marketing high tech to the older generation. In good old DMU speak (Decision Making Unit) it looks as if the child/grandchild is a very important adviser in the purchase of PCs and allied kit. Are you listening Dell and HP?

An interesting report.


Also worth checking out the part of the AARP web site that provides advice on PCs and the Internet.