As to ease of use, it can be a tough sell. The digital divide between younger and older adults is not so much a sharp line as it is a gradual decline. As people age, their abilities to perceive and to learn fade. Technology use becomes more difficult. Studies document how seniors, because of vision impairments, have trouble navigating websites that are easily handled by younger people. Because of reduced touch sensitivity, the seniors stumble when aiming for graceful interaction with touch screen transactions.
As to perceived usefulness, marketers should recognize that as people get older, their needs shift, and usefulness is a direct function of how well needs are met. Compared to younger adults, seniors place more emphasis on protecting against errors and losses than on taking chances and gaining more. So tell the older adults stories about people who were at risk of making a mistake, but used the technology to turn things right. When the seniors do use a technology well, praise them. However, too much praise for their successes will make them fret that you’re not leveling with them. They’re always on guard. Similarly, be ready to honestly discuss privacy concerns expressed by senior shoppers about consumer technologies, but going into needless detail will arouse rather than ease resistances.
Advanced age brings increased appreciation for social relationships and a desire for gentle rather than breathtaking stimulation. The most common internet activities of older adults center on communication and entertainment. This indicates a value in introducing seniors to digital technologies in the world of retailing by highlighting or creating benefits for communicating with others and being entertained. If you use a game format as a teaching tool, though, use a game in which motor speed isn’t required.
One theory is that the digital divide is due to today's older adults having grown up in a world without personal computers. Therefore, seniors in the future, having been exposed to the internet of everything, won’t have these resistances. However, the researchers reviewing the 144 studies say the digital divide won’t disappear because it’s due to such a substantial degree to ability declines.
For your success: Retailer’s Edge: Boost Profits Using Shopper Psychology
Click below for more:
Table Complexity for Elderly Shoppers
Sell Either Protection or Promotion
Promote Supervision Which Prevents Problems
Face Resistance to Shopper-Facing Technology
Game On with Consumer Competition
No comments:
Post a Comment