Older Americans’ web use is starting to mirror that of younger consumers

[mandy]

The online behavior of Americans 50 years and older increasingly is mirroring the online behavior of younger Americans, including similar online shopping habits, according to a study from The Center for the Digital Future in conjunction with AARP, an organization for those 50 and over.

The study found that 68% of users 50 years and older sometimes or often browse in retail stores and then buy online, compared to 72% of users under 50. 76% of older Americans said the Internet is an important or very important source of information, compared with 85% of users under the age of 20. The percentage of those over 50 who see the Internet as an important source of information increased 51% between 2002 and 2007...

However, some Internet functions, particularly instant messaging and video downloading, still remain in the realm of younger people, according to the study. Only 9% of users 50 years and older said instant messaging was important in maintaining social relationships, compared to 48% of users under 20...

full article: http://www.internetretailer.com/dailyNews.asp?id=27150