Millennials have always been slow to reach the milestones of adulthood. As more of them become adults, the age of first marriage and the age of first-time home buying has steadily crept up. Now, the recession has slowed them down even more as they struggle to find jobs and become financially independent. And that is hampering the housing recovery, according to an analysis by the Washington Post. Census data shows that the recession has slowed the rate of formation of new households by 50%, leaving at least 2 million homes unoccupied that might have normally been inhabited (about two thirds… Read More
Categories: Home Ownership, Real Estate, Recession Economy, Training IndustryThe savings rate among Baby Boomers has dropped dramatically since the Recession began. Instead, Boomers are using their would-be retirement savings to help out family members from generations who are having an even tougher time. According to an Ameriprise survey, the share of Boomers saving for their own retirements has dropped from 44% to 24% since 2007. At the same time more than half of Boomers (58%) are providing financial assistance to aging parents. Almost all (93%) of them who have children are providing them with assistance including tuition and student loans (71%) and car buying (53%). Despite the fact… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Recession Economy, WorkThe love affair between Baby Boomers and their cars has never grown cold. Boomers, the first generation with a car in the driveway for every driver in the family, continue to be automakers’ steady date. While Millennials have been relatively reluctant to embrace their own sets of wheels, carmakers have had no trouble wooing their parents back into showroom time and time again. According to a study by JD Power and AARP, older generations now account for 6 in every 10 new car purchases. For American carmakers, Boomers make up over two-thirds of all their customers. On the flip side,… Read More
Categories: Automotive, Baby BoomersAs we’ve noted here before, it often makes sense to treat Baby Boomers as two generations in one. The Early Boomers and the Late Boomers (aka Generation Jones) differ in some experiences and values. Now, some new market research suggests that Millennials may also be divided into two subgroups based on their different experiences of the Great Recession The study, conducted by marketing faculty at UMass, shows that older Millennials values have changed more due to their experience of the recession. That makes sense because Millennials in their 20s and 30s have been more exposed to the effects of the… Read More
Categories: Recession EconomyMillennials share a few common characteristics but can’t all be lumped together and stereotyped, according to study by the Boston Consulting Group. “The Millennial Consumer: Debunking Stereotypes” is based on a survey of 4,000 Millennials and 1,000 from older generations. The study found a few shared traits, most notably an affinity for technology, that confirmed existing stereotypes. Millennials are significantly more likely, in some cases by a margin of 2-to1 to use various tech devices than non-Millennials. Other well-known traits that showed up in the survey include Millennials’ preference for convenience and efficiency, for peer input and social interaction, and… Read More
Categories: Downloadable MediaWe may think of Millennials as impulse buyers looking for instant gratification and the latest “in” thing, but they are turning into careful shoppers who compare prices and hunt for bargains, according to an AdAge analysis of SymphonyIRI surveys. In truth, Millennials have always gravitated to offerings that were free or cheap (think: Napster and iTunes) and that turns out to be the main driver behind their buying habits. Nearly 9 in 10 Millennials ticked “has lowest prices” as a key retailer attribute when choosing where to shop. About the same number, 87%, listed an item’s price as a key… Read More
Categories: BlogWe’ve typically characterized Millennials as an optimistic generation but that outlook may not survive their present circumstances. According to a widely publicized Newsweek story, Millennials are now America’s most “screwed” generation. The story cites a host of scary statistics: Millennials’ net worth fell 37% from 2005-2010 (Matures’ fell 13%). The wealth gap between Millennials and Matures is the highest on record. They have the highest unemployment rate at 12%, and it’s worse for younger Millennials Their average credit card and other debt is nearly $13,000 The typical student loan burden is $27,000 Only about half of graduates are able to… Read More
Categories: Home Ownership, Recession Economy, Training IndustryAt the turn of the century, economists estimated that about $41 trillion in wealth would change hands from one generation to another by the middle of the century. Now, a couple of new studies help clarify which generations will be inheriting how much. For starters, according to a MetLife study, Baby Boomers still stand to inherit quite a bit from their Mature parents. They estimate that over the next couple of decades Boomers will inherit nearly $12 trillion. According to the study, roughly two-thirds of Boomers will receive inheritances and the median inheritance or transfer will be about $64,000. That… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Matures, WealthAs we’ve noted, Millennials have deferred or avoided major purchases such as cars and homes and turned away from the traditional retail, recording, video, and television businesses. They hunt for discounts, deals, freebies, and near-free (99¢) pricing. Now several commentators have suggested that technology has altered the generation’s approach to buying in an evolutionary way. For example, Millennials may avoid purchasing because they don’t have money, still live at home, and are concerned about the environment. Or, as a ZDNet columnist suggests, it could be that smartphones provide much of what cars used to: socialization, movies, shopping, even dating. Why… Read More
Categories: BlogAttracting Millennials to professional association membership, meetings, and conventions has been a challenge for trade groups of all types. Now, the Professional Convention Management Association has surveyed about 2000 Millennials to find out exactly what they’re looking for in a convention. The results mostly confirm the conventional wisdom about how conventions can become more Millennial-friendly. The highest scoring convention offering was “education with entertainment,” liked by over 93% of respondents. Millennials consistently express the desire for furthering their education but having it leavened with some fun, so that fits the profile. Along the same lines, the second ranked feature was… Read More
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