If we believe all the ads and commercials about Internet-based products, there's no one over the age of 30 on the Net. Well, as you've probably figured out, that's wrong. People of all ages, even members of AARP, are surfin' the Net. Every seven seconds someone turns 50, grabs their mouse, and goes on-line.
In an effort to get accurate data on senior surfing, SeniorNet, a non-profit organization that trains people over age 50 in computer skills, and Charles Schwab and Co., sponsored a study to find out how many surfers are in their 50s and beyond.
The survey queried 603 people and the results are as follows:
40% believe they can improve their investing skills by using the Internet.
50% believe that people who use the Internet have better financial information.
15% spend more than 10 hours each week on-line. (Just three years ago this number was only 6%.)
In a separate survey conducted by SeniorNet and Adobe Systems Incorporated, it was found that 80% of the respondents own a color printer, 49% own a scanner, 40% use a photo-editing program for their personal Web sites, and 12% have a digital camera. These are all pretty technical items which the general public does not typically associate with the gray-haired.
This data proves that the senior set is actively on-line and a huge market for those who recognize it. If you don't believe us, how about the almighty Microsoft? Microsoft Corp. recently gave SeniorNet a grant worth more than $1 million. While this may have been out of the kindness of their hearts, it may also have been because Microsoft realizes the potential market in this age group. For more information on SeniorNet access www.seniornet.org.
