The BBC web site has an article with the highly original name “Silver surfers ready to storm shops”. This is accompanied by a weird picture of an older lady who seems to be using a PC keyboard whilst kneeling. OK, let’s skip the typical daft name and silly photo.
It seems that the The AirMiles Travel Company has commissioned some ‘research’ that has come to the startling conclusion that older people are going to be a really important Web audience.
I quote: “Already nearly one in every four adults in the UK has bought goods online in the past six months, double the amount three years ago. And now, almost two out of every three of those coming up to retirement are using the web, compared with just a third in 2001, signalling an impending silver surfer shopping bonanza.”
Many companies still believe the online market is strictly for the under-30s, IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group) said, but if they continue with this belief they risk restricting profits growth. "It's essential for company growth to invest in this older, online shopper."
It is very gratifying to see that the BBC and IMRG are taking the older web user seriously but it is not exactly news. If you take forecasts of population composition and internet use statistics and combine them, you come to the same conclusion. Better late than never.Dick Stroud www.20plus30.com
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