Baby Boomers give the most positive online ratings, Gen Xers the most negative ones, and Millennials fall in the middle, according to a Bazaarvoice study of 6 million online opinions. A majority of all generations are now online and all participate in reviewing and rating products on web sites. In fact, 82% of all online reviews and ratings are positive, according to the study. Baby Boomers now make up the largest group of online reviewers at 45%. They are also the most likely to give the highest (5-star) ratings to products. Not surprisingly, Gen Xers tend to be the harshest critics… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, BlogMillennials expect technology to do just about everything for them. They even expect it to take the place of cash in the near future, according to a Visa survey. 80% of Millennials already shop online. Another 63% uses the Internet for financial transactions. 19% use their cell phones for that purpose, too. 8 in 10 Millennials now say they expect all shopping and transactions to take place online or through technology. 73% believe that should be possible using a smart phone or other mobile device. According to the survey, only 23% of Millennials’ purchases now involve cash, a figure that… Read More
Categories: Blog, Downloadable Media, Product DesignAs the Baby Boomers near their golden years, Hollywood is right there with them. A spate of movies aimed at older demographics and featuring stars in their 50s and 60s reflects the fact that Boomers are proving to be the most reliable movie-going generation. In many ways, Boomers are the “movie generation” having grown up in an era when cinema was the premier form of entertainment. Now, nearing or in retirement, Boomers have more time and money than younger generations and still have a fondness for movies. According to the MPAA, moving going has declined among every demographic except older… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Blog, WorkMillennials aren’t buying, at least not big ticket items, according to an Atlantic Monthly analysis that calls them the “The Cheapest Generation.” The number of twenty-somethings who buy cars is off nearly a third from its peak. Even the number of teenagers with a driver’s license is down nearly 30% in the last ten years. Home-buying numbers are similar. The number of people under 35 buying homes is down by 12%. Millennials are a generation short on money, with a heavy debt load and grim job prospects. But, in addition to not having the money for big-ticket items, Millennials don’t… Read More
Categories: Blog, Home OwnershipIn previous generations, many women may have preferred to let their 40th birthday pass quietly and without notice, perhaps so as to claim to be 39 indefinitely. Not so with Generation X. Gen X women are celebrating their 40th with sweet 16-style parties, resort vacations, and spa days, announcing that their youth is by no means spent. In part, this phenomenon may stem from the fact the 40s are now more like the 20s and 30s used to be, a time of good health when many start and raise their families. And in fact, a 40 year old today can… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, WomenMillennials love free stuff. The Napster Generation is accustomed to getting a lot of what it wants for free online. And that attraction to freebies is proving to be boon among Millennials for loyalty and rewards programs that appeal to it. According to an Aimia survey, Millennials are more likely than other generations to take part in customer loyalty programs when there is a giveaway offered. In general, Millennials lag slightly behind other generations in participation in consumer loyalty programs. About 77% of Millennials report participating in some kind of loyalty program, slightly less than older generations. But when a… Read More
Categories: Advertising, Blog, Downloadable MediaSelling to Millennials poses a special set of challenges, especially for older generations. But those marketing and selling cars to Millennials have an even higher bar to clear: Millennials are just not that interested in driving or owning automobiles. According to the New York Times, less than half of teenagers eligible to drive had obtained a license in 2008, down from two thirds in 1998. The number of twenty-somethings with a driver’s license has also dropped. And only 27% of new car buyers are in their twenties or early thirties, down from 38% a generation ago. As with their reluctance… Read More
Categories: Blog, Recession EconomyMillennials have had less disposable income in their 20s and 30s than the Boomers and Xers before them did, according to an analysis by AdAge. According to figures derived from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, both Millennials and Xers have spent more on housing, health care, and education when between the ages of 25-34 than the Boomers did at the same age. In the case of Millennials, those higher costs combined with a recessionary economy have curtailed their ability to spend on everything else. In 2010 dollars, Millennials (during ages 25-34) have spent $21 billion more on rent than Boomers… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Blog, Generation Y / Millennials, Generations, Recession Economy