• by Aaron Baar , February 11, 2012

Boomers like bargains (or at least savings). And that is leading them to shop online for consumer packaged goods at greater rates than any other demographic.

According to a shopper behavior study conducted by the Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research, 52% of shoppers ages 50-54 are purchasing health and beauty products online, while 29% have bought food and beverage products online -- more than any other age group.

“The fact that the Boomer generation is buying more products online is less surprising in the context that the same group are core club store shoppers as well,” Andrew Morse, director of insight and strategy at the Integer Group, tells Marketing Daily. “We know Boomers are frugal; they seek out value for money in any situation. The same behavior is carrying through online.”

That behavior carries over to the less traditional products that are bought online, such as CPG and health and beauty products, Morse says. Yet not all consumer groups are sold on the idea of buying groceries online, saying they were concerned about expiration dates and shipping costs. However, the advent of premium services like Amazon Prime (which offers free shipping) may begin lifting those barriers to purchase.

“It’s hard to keep up with the greater variety of goods available online every day, but as shoppers become aware of them, they add these products to their online shopping routine,” Morse says. “If I can order bulky commodities and have them delivered to my door, I can use the time and energy I save to do more with my life.”

Meanwhile, all consumer age groups are showing an increase in shopping (and shopping online) than they were last year. According to a similar study conducted last year, 73% of shoppers were buying more online, although their overall shopping habits had not changed.

“It's too early to say conclusively whether this data is a clear indicator of economic improvement,” Morse says. “We think a large number of Americans have been holding back on key purchases such as a new car or refrigerator for some time, in anticipation of an announcement that the recession has come to an end. After more than three years, they're still waiting for that announcement, and they still need a new fridge.”