Web Storefronts and Mobile Apps: Boomers and Gen X Want Both
August 16, 2019When was the last time you remembered an item you forgot to buy, and immediately took to the Internet to remedy that problem? Did you choose a desktop site or a mobile app?
Chances are good that it may depend on your age. Generations obviously have different buying habits based on personal values and experiences. Because of these discrepancies, it’s important to invest in the two dominant eCommerce channels: a web storefront and a mobile app.
While these two shopping platforms perform perfectly well on their own, linking them together creates a complete and cohesive shopping experience for consumers—and that means more revenue for you. It also provides flexibility and convenience, which are universally desired by each generation of shoppers—but prioritized differently among the generations.
Nonetheless, baby boomers and Generation X have a lot in common in the channels they long to shop on—and these parallels should be on your radar.
So what do you need to know about each generation of consumers as you plan your multi-channel eCommerce strategy? We’ve got the all the info you need.
Baby Boomers Aged 55-70 years old, baby boomers get a bad rep about being resistant to change and technology. However, they’ve latched onto online shopping, and show no signs of slowing down. This is partly because baby boomers desire convenience and customer service above all else in their purchasing habits. Dissatisfied with the modern red tape of customer service, they’ve flocked to the Internet to avoid unsatisfactory customer service.
There is plenty of industry research on this generation of shoppers, and it reveals a lot about the necessity of two eCommerce shopping channels:
1. Research: 69% of boomers use their desktops to research products, brands, and other facets of retail.
2. Purchasing: 48% of boomers report that they use a mobile shopping app as many as five times a week.
Generation X Ah, the forgotten generation. In the cluster of misunderstandings between boomers and millennials, Gen X often slips through the cracks for marketers and retailers. However, Gen X-ers (aged 36 to 54) are crucially important to retailers, especially because they’re parents of a wide age range of children. And while they’re not digital natives, they’re still supremely savvy on their desktops and smartphones.
1. Discovery: 67% of Gen X-ers use their laptops and PCs every day, especially to use email over social media. This makes a solid email campaign crucial to your marketing strategy—make sure to link to pages within your web storefront so they can see the products and deals that caught their attention.
2. Retention: 60% use their smartphones every day. All industry research points to mobile apps being an ultimate tool for customer retention, simply because of their constant visibility on the user’s phone, and push notifications that deliver instant deals, coupons, and product announcements. This is especially important in targeting Gen X-ers—40% indicate that they want to be repeat customers of brands they like.
Hopefully you now understand why both platforms are crucial for targeting two of the biggest consumer groups—they connect the dots between research and purchasing, and boost customer retention in personal and effective ways. Providing options open up more paths to purchase—and keep giving shoppers reasons to come back for more. Still need convincing that both channels are right for your target audience? Consider this fact: Multichannel shoppers spend three times as much as single-shoppers spend. Ready to target more consumer groups, raise your revenue, and retain more customers? Contact us to learn more information about our platforms for web storefronts and mobile apps. We’ll explain how to easily increase and conjoin your website and your mobile app, providing the flexibility and options that consumers of all ages crave.
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