Resources - Mature Market Headlines

Selling to silver surfers

e-Commerce Guide, 1/14/08

Abstract:

The teen and twenty-something market may get more attention from advertisers, marketers, and press, but the demographic  with the most potential growth and opportunity for e-commerce businesses is adults aged 65 and up and their baby boomer children and/or caregivers.

While estimates vary, there are now more than 10 million older adults (who consider "senior" a bad word, though use it to search out products and services online) surfing the Internet, looking for information, products and services targeted just for them — and analysts expect that number to soar as the Internet-savvy U.S. population continues to age.

"The mature market is really an immature market," explained Connie Hallquist, the CEO of Gold Violin, a thriving multichannel business that provides "helpful products for independent living."

"Never before in the history of mankind have we had so many people living so long. This is virgn territory," said Hallquist. "There are zillions of companies that have been marketing to teens forever. But we've never had so many old people, [people] with distinct or unique needs — and companies and marketers and brands are [waking] up to that fact."

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