According to Forrester Research, consumers react differently to technology adoption, mostly relating to their generation. Here's how generational differences in technology adoption and habits affect vertical industries:
- Marketing: Viral or word-of-mouth marketing is appealing across generations, but the Net is the place to reach Gen Yers and Gen Xers for product research. While almost 90 percent of Seniors do their decision-making research offline, nearly 40 percent of Gen Xers do research online and purchase offline.
- Retail: Gen Xers are the sweet spot for online shopping. With their disposable income and near-ubiquitous connectivity, more Gen Xers shop online than any other generation: 16.2 million online households.
- Financial services: Online banking programs garner participation from younger adults, two-thirds of whom have checked balances online in the past three months. Web access to investment campaigns appeal to Boomers, who are more likely to make use of the online investment management tools.
- Travel: More than half (55 percent) of online travelers book their travel online. Young adults research and book their travel with Web agencies like Expedia or Orbitz more often than older travelers: 51 percent of Seniors booked with the airline they flew compared with only 33 percent of Gen Yers.
- Marketing: Viral or word-of-mouth marketing is appealing across generations, but the Net is the place to reach Gen Yers and Gen Xers for product research. While almost 90 percent of Seniors do their decision-making research offline, nearly 40 percent of Gen Xers do research online and purchase offline.
- Retail: Gen Xers are the sweet spot for online shopping. With their disposable income and near-ubiquitous connectivity, more Gen Xers shop online than any other generation: 16.2 million online households.
- Financial services: Online banking programs garner participation from younger adults, two-thirds of whom have checked balances online in the past three months. Web access to investment campaigns appeal to Boomers, who are more likely to make use of the online investment management tools.
- Travel: More than half (55 percent) of online travelers book their travel online. Young adults research and book their travel with Web agencies like Expedia or Orbitz more often than older travelers: 51 percent of Seniors booked with the airline they flew compared with only 33 percent of Gen Yers.