Half of all Americans over 60 years old use the Internet, while more than 80 percent of baby boomers are online. Nearly 21 million boomers and 7 million Americans born before 1946 have been online for more than decade.
Most older Americans use the Internet for e-mailing, but some users make travel arrangements, check news, and find health information online. Thirty percent of web-savvy boomers shop online a few times a month, the same percentage as younger generations. "Our goal for this study was to find different behaviors than conventional beliefs," said Mike Irwin, president at Focalyst, a market search company focused on older consumers. "The degree to which these Americans use the Internet is much greater than what most people would think."
Irwin expects to see older Americans to increasingly use the Internet for financial transactions and management as they become more confident in Internet security. Online social networks that have lured younger users may also become more popular with younger boomers.
Focalyst's findings are part of a larger survey studying the behaviors of older generations.
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VBRs & HALF-BAKED:
- Excellent source material for calling on verticals mentioned in the article.
- Rebuttle statements for claims that the web is strictly for the young.
- Companies that train Boomers to use their online tools ahead of the competition will win.
- Create member-interactive social hubs on the web targeted to Boomers.
