Do seniors find it easy to shop your ecommerce store? Or do they click off to find an easier shopping experience? Whether you actively court the senior set or haven’t yet realized the potential of the gray market, it might be time to make the adjustments that build and attract this potentially lucrative audience.

Forget about the old-school stereotypes of doddering grandparents. Seniors today are connected, in an increasingly big way. Consider these tidbits about older Americans:

• Seniors shop online. 77% of Internet users age 65 and older purchased products over the Web, according to a 2009 survey. (eMarketer)
• Seniors are embracing mobile. Use of smartphones, iPads and other mobile devices is rising among consumers over 55. And they’re using mobile in some, perhaps, unexpected ways. For example, 13% of users between 55 and 64 years old play mobile games. (Mashable)
• The senior market is ready to boom. By 2030, the over-65 market will double to more than 72 million Americans. (U.S. Census Bureau)

So what tactics can ecommerce merchants utilize to attract and retain this growing segment? The eMarketer article suggests a few possibilities for providing a better customer experience for senior shoppers, including:

• Incorporating large and easy-to-understand click buttons.
• Ensuring simple and uncluttered navigation.
• Using fewer boxes that might confuse a user.

Along with navigation and use accommodations, we’ll add another: incorporating alternative payment methods (APMs), like Bill to Phone, which allows customers to charge their purchases to their phone bill. Here’s how Bill to Phone, or LEC billing, makes digital businesses more attractive to the senior market:

• Makes buying easier. There’s no need to dig out reading glasses to read tiny credit card numbers; there’s no need to hunt for a card number or online account password that may not be handy. Instead, customers only need to enter info they’ll already know, such as their phone number.
• Reduces the risk of identity theft. There are no credit card numbers or bank accounts to transmit over the Internet, which means risk-averse seniors may be more comfortable clicking the buy button.

ILD’s alternative payment method, Bill to Phone, will help you connect with untapped audiences. Contact our APM team today to learn how LEC billing will lift revenue potential for your gray market.