August 01 2006

[Editorial] Social networks and older surfers...

Given the recent mania for social networking sites, the recent launch of Eons ('MySpace for the 50+ surfer) gives some pause for thought...

Jeff Taylor, founder of Monster> has recently launched <a href="http:/www.eons.com/about/eons">Eons, a company described thus:

My new company, Eons, is all about celebrating life that begins at 50. I want to invite you to start thinking about the unprecedented opportunity to travel and explore, to re-invent our careers, to nurture relationships, to give back to the community...to live life to the fullest. With the longevity revolution, the 50+ generation has the potential to live nearly 20 years more than our grandparents did. This creates the longest, most unstructured and dare I say most exciting time of our lives.

Combining fun, travel, love (and a wry "Obits" section) Eons is every bit a portal.

The big question is whether it's possible to get 'oldies' chatting, posting and surfing away like teenagers. The demographics of MySpace and Bebo have over half the user base under 18 years of age. Teenagers and young adults are able to talk for hours - ostensibly about nothing of consequence. The sheer acts of communication and exchange are ends in themselves.

Oldies, it seems, in comparison have quaint things like hobbies, interests or topics for research and so the actual processes of communication tend to need an objective or at least a grain of sand around which this oyster of community can grow.

Eons is not alone addressing the older space. Many efforts focus on the age itself rather than the interests of the older user and this I feel is a mistake. Age doesn't define us: wealth, health and activities do.

The National Council on Ageing has in the last year launched Heyday - a service for older people that portrays a more active, aspirational lifestyle for the older person. This is not a 'stair lifts and support stockings' offering, and in fact there's a revelling in the free time, freedom from inhibitions and active leisure and social engagement.

Across the pond there's a new networking site, Gather.com which seems to be for 40-something PBR listeners on the civilised coasts of the US. Vocal, politically savvy and eloquent, demanding of suppliers, free with their advice and determined to maximise the enjoyment and utility of their free time, this is a formidable audience. Whether there's a space for a UK-version (Radio 4 listeners' club? Apologies for the cliche of course!).

Why should retailers care?

Two reasons: the first is that your mature audience (either controlling the family's purse-strings, or newly-free of children and affluent) is waiting to be served online and these are places you can reach them; the second is that as they become more internet-savvy there'll be a call for retailers to step up the level of information, engagement, service and tools offered into this market segment.

Whatever the success of these sites etailers should be aware that the internet is not the preserve of the stereotypical pimply-faced geek, to shy to go to the shops. We often repeat statistics on the growth of etail and the broader customer base, yet the effort in customer acquisition and development is still youth-oriented and in thrall to the fickle teenager. A radical reassessment of the way we conduct our dialogue with older customers will not only improve the sales to that segment, but may also benefit all customers as the quality of engagement improves.

Ian Jindal. Do you agree with these characterisations and views? Whether yes or no, let us know your thoughts - editor@internetretailer.info