77 Percent of Senior Citizens Shop Online

Today’s Seniors and Boomers Rival Younger Generations in Online Activities

(Alexandria, VA – October 27, 2009) Seniors aged 65 and older (also referred to as “Matures”) have made the Internet an integral part of their everyday lives. In a recent study, 77 percent report that they shop online. In fact, Matures lead all other generational groups when it comes to this online activity. They regularly use email (94 percent), go to the Internet to look up health and medical information (71 percent), read news (70 percent), and manage their finances and banking (59 percent). Matures also turn to the Internet for gaming, approximately half (47 percent) of online Matures regularly play free online games.

Boomers (ages 45 – 64) are heavy online users as well, with 93 percent using email and 71 percent shopping online. Other regular online activities of Boomers are going to the Internet to read news (73 percent), gather information (67 percent) and pay bills (66 percent). Three out of ten (30 percent) regularly watch videos online, and 39 percent regularly go to networking Web sites, forums, message boards and chat rooms.

These findings come from the CTAM Pulse report that includes data from the Life Stages & Life Styles: Turning General Differences Into Media Opportunities, and analyzes four generational groups.

“The technology adoption behaviors of the younger generations is studied frequently and their impact on advertising and marketing is widely known.” said CTAM President and CEO Char Beales. “But this study is unique in that it reveals opportunity among the Boomers and Matures, who have significant purchasing power, are active online and more comfortable with technology than often reported.”

Technology Ownership by Generation

Boomers are tech-savvy and just as likely as the younger generations to own a digital camera, DVD player and cell phone. While younger generations are more likely to send and receive text messages, 92 percent of Millennials (18 – 29), and 76 percent Gen Xers (30 – 44); half of all Boomers (48 percent) text, and a surprising 18 percent of Matures engage in this activity. Although all groups are high subscribers to cable TV service, the youngest generation – Millennials (61 percent), is the highest group to subscribe to cable TV service.

This CTAM research was partnered with BoomerEyes, a division of C&R Research and is based on a total of 1,500 online interviews from June 3 through June 14, 2009.

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CTAM, the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, is dedicated to helping the cable business grow. As a non-profit professional association, CTAM provides consumer research, case studies, topical publications, conferences and the CTAM SmartBrief to more than 4,500 individual members. On behalf of its 90 corporate members, the organization leads the Advanced Cable Solutions Consortium and facilitates national cooperative marketing efforts, including the Cable Mover Hotline™ and the Cable Means Business initiative. For more information, go to www.ctam.com. CTAM is also on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contacts: Diana Cronan, CTAM, Director, Communications and Media Relations, 703.837.6575, diana@ctam.com

Melissa Lee, CTAM, Communications Specialist, 703.837.6577, melissa@ctam.com

201 North Union Street, Suite 440 - Alexandria, VA 22314
p.703.549.4200 - info@ctam.com

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