Study: Demographics spell difference in shopping actions

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. The book became a line and is not part of pop culture. But it also rings true. Men and women do think and act differently in many areas. And, according to a recent Art Technology Group (ATG) study, the male/female demographic difference is only the beginning when it comes to ecommerce. Their research suggests that demographic differences are great influencers on ecommerce behaviors.

by Kristina Knight

Mobile is another category where demographics change how and when consumers engage. More than 40% of younger consumers (18-34) use mobile devices to research or browse for products but for seniors, social networks are more important.

The study researchers found:

• 29% of the 18-34 demographic have found product information through social networks
• 37% of these consumers believe socnets are 'important' for merchants today
• Seniors (age 55+) are more likely to use on-site shopping tools like site search, customer support or recommendations to make purchasing decisions

"This research shows a rapid pace of technology adoption and complex consumer behaviors now driving and shaping the future of cross-channel commerce," said Nina McIntyre, Senior Vice President of Marketing and CMO with ATG. "This survey reveals significant opportunities for those merchants willing to understand the role that every channel plays in targeted customer experiences. It's critical that merchants have the right commerce solutions to choreograph personalized interactions, satisfying the needs of unique customer segments."

For example nearly half of female respondents noted that email marketing helps them find new products; only 37% of men reveal the same. Likewise, older consumers (age 55+) find email marketing messages in product research (47%) compared to only about 41% of those 18-34 years of age. And in the social realm, about half of those 18-34 'like' businesses on Facebook and then tell their social contacts about brands or products. Comparatively less than 30% of consumers over age 35 do the same.

Tags: ATG, demographic targeting, ecommerce, Nina McIntyre, online shopping, shopping habits