How Age Shapes Your Shopping Habits: Insights from U.S. Online Shoppers

Nowadays, online shopping is an integral part of the consumer experience, and the different generations in the U.S. have distinct attitudes and preferences toward it. Understanding these preferences can provide valuable insights for developing targeted marketing strategies and improving the online shopping experience for consumers. Data from the Statista Consumer Insights provides a glimpse into the shopping attitudes of online shoppers, which we have broken down by generational cohort in the U.S.

From the tech-savvy Gen Z and Gen Y to the more practical Gen X and convenience-seeking Baby Boomers, each generation displays characteristics that influence how they shop online.

Shopping Styles by Age: Thrifty or Trendy?

We broke down the shopping attitudes of survey respondents across the various generational cohorts in the U.S., starting with the youngest, Generation Z, with individuals born between 1995 and 2012. Millennials are the original digital natives, who grew up during the internet’s proliferation and who were born between 1980 and 1994. Gen Xers were born between 1965 and 1979, and finally Baby Boomers are the oldest online shoppers in this sample, born between 1946 and 1964.

Buying products online can be advantageous if you are looking for special offers. Because of the sheer variety of online marketplaces, stores, and products, it should be much easier to find discounts or take advantage of enterprise sales online to get a bargain on your purchase.

Strikingly, interest in special offers increases with the age of the respondent. While a total of 69% of U.S. online shoppers look for bargains when shopping, Gen Z and Gen Y are less likely than average to do so. Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, on the other hand, are driving this trend at 74% and 80%, respectively.

Fashion products are the most common items purchased online by U.S. consumers. Again, comfort and practicality are positively correlated with respondents’ age, meaning that Gen Z (46%) and Millennials (59%) are less likely than average (60%) to value either practicality or comfort when shopping for fashion items. Gen Xers (65%) and Baby Boomers (72%) generally look for comfort and practicality, which is not too surprising given that as people get older, standing out with stylish and trendy clothing becomes less important overall.

The next statement relates to habitual and recurring shopping. Interestingly, as online shoppers get younger, they are more likely to respond positively to the statement “I always shop at the same stores”. However, the differences between generations are much smaller than for previous statements. Overall, 47% of online shoppers said they prefer to recurrently shop at the same stores. Gen Z respondents are slightly more likely than average (49%) to agree with this statement, while Gen Y ties with the average figure. Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are less likely than average to agree with this statement, although each generation’s percentage remains within the range of the average.

Another fashion-related statement involves dressing well. Gen Y shoppers are the most likely to agree with this statement, beating the average by 6 percentage points. Gen Z is also more likely than average to place a high value on dressing well. As expected, Gen X and Baby Boomers are less inclined to agree with this statement, which is consistent with their preference for comfort and practicality when shopping for clothes.

Finally, the spontaneous shopping statement resonates most with Millennials. 43% of them said they tend to buy items spontaneously, which is 4 percentage points higher than average. Gen Z and Gen X are right around the average, and Baby Boomers are the least likely to make impulse purchases (30%). Millennials’ high regard for products that provide an enjoyable experience and showcase their social status explains why they may be the generation least inclined to be practical and frugal.

Gen Y and Gen Z Value Style, While Gen X and Boomers Are Concerned With Special Offers and Comfort

The Insights data points to generational differences in the shopping attitudes of online shoppers, revealing a divide between the younger digital natives, Gen Z and Gen Y, and the older cohorts of Gen X and Baby Boomers. 

While the former are the most likely to buy stylish clothing, the latter tend to value special offers and comfort. Gen Y respondents are the impulse shoppers, and Gen Z shoppers are slightly more likely than average to visit the same stores. Whether it’s offering special discounts for Baby Boomers or emphasizing the importance of dressing well for Gen Y and Gen Z, tailoring the online shopping experience to generational attitudes can be a competitive advantage in today’s eCommerce landscape.