Majority of older internet users shop online Published January 31, 2012 Research has found that 86 per cent of older internet users regularly shop online, according to PCadvisor.com. Affectionately referred to as ‘silver surfers’, these online enthusiasts are the “biggest online shoppers” in the UK, the research from basekit.com revealed. In fact, Mirror.co.uk confirmed that one-third of silver surfers do all of their shopping using the internet and a further six per cent believe this will be the case for them in the future. This could encourage retailers to re-think their online and email marketing efforts; potentially tailoring each piece of messaging to the older audience. It isn’t just older people that are taking advantage of convenient online shopping though, as Brits on average spend £116 each per month on internet shopping. What’s more, the average British internet users spends almost two-and-a-half hours shopping online each week. A spokesperson for basekit.com, vice-president Chris Winstanley, spoke out about the results. He explained: “Our research shows that Brits are still keen shoppers, with people spending many hours a week shopping. “With silver surfers now the UK’s biggest online shoppers, retail outlets must consider their websites as – if not more – important as their physical stores to cater to this group and should be developing sites that are easier for these older people to navigate – for example, by having large-text options and obvious navigational markers,” he advised.