Individuals over the age of 55 are the UK’s most frequent online shoppers, with 86pc shopping online regularly, a study commissioned by website builder Basekit.com suggests.
Thirty-six per cent of those over 55 also said they do most of their shopping online instead of hitting the high street, and 6pc expect to do all their shopping online in the future.
By contrast, individuals ages 24-34 are the least likely to shop online, with 13pc indicating they never do it, the survey revealed.
The research also probed why people are choosing to shop online rather than on the high street.
The No 1 factor in choosing to buy items via the internet is convenience, cited by 60.5pc of respondents, with 53.4pc also citing that online items are of better value.
For those age 55 and over, home delivery – instead of having to carry goods home – is also a motivator to shop online, with 59.2pc saying this is a major reason for shopping online.
Of the younger age group, 16pc of respondents 18-24 said they prefer online shopping as it enables them to buy products they are too embarrassed to buy in person.
Chris Winstanley, VP, Marketing, Basekit.com, said online retailers must consider their websites as – if not more – important as their bricks-and-mortar stores to cater to the over-55 age group.
“(Online retailers) should be developing sites that are easier for these older people to navigate – for example, by having large-text options and obvious navigational markers,” Winstanley added.
“With this information at their fingertips, we hope that UK retailers will be able to make informed decisions about their online footprint and develop websites that will help them take advantage of the British obsession with shopping.”
