Generational divide in online shopping? Not so fast, says new report

Conventional wisdom is that younger generations are tech-savvy and the most willing to try new devices, apps and payment methods. However, PYMNTS Intelligence research from the How People Pay Report, titled “ eCommerce for All: How Consumers Across Generations Make Purchases Online,” found that any generation gap is rapidly closing when it comes to commerce, in a few key areas.
In retail and travel spending, the data showed similarities between different cohorts in moving to digital channels. Online shopping adoption remained relatively consistent last year. Overall trends remained steady, as end-of-year surveys showed that the share of retail transactions consumers made online was 26% in both November 2023 and November 2024.