The elderly's internet usage: an updated look

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend earlier research on mature consumers and their internet use by examining how mature consumers' use of the internet is impacted by their nostalgia proneness, innovativeness, and risk aversion.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a convenience sample (n=374) of respondents who were 65 years of age or older. Several scales were used to measure the constructs of interest to the research, all of which have been used in earlier research.

Findings

Results revealed that those seniors with higher levels of nostalgia proneness used and accessed the internet less, purchased less online, had less online experience and felt less comfortable using the internet. There is also support for the impact of innovativeness on mature consumers' internet use, frequency, online purchases, experience, comfort level with the internet, and satisfaction with the internet. In terms of risk aversion, seniors with more online experience report a lower level of risk aversion to the internet than other mature consumers.

Research limitations/implications

Future research needs to determine if these results can be replicated with a national random sample. Additionally, research is needed to determine what factors increase seniors' experience with the internet.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates that seniors are becoming an increasingly more viable segment for internet marketers.

Citation

Reisenwitz, T., Iyer, R., Kuhlmeier, D.B. and Eastman, J.K. (2007), "The elderly's internet usage: an updated look", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 24 No. 7, pp. 406-418. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363760710834825