Baby Boomers, or ‘Boomers’, are the generation born between 1946 and 1964. They make up around 21.5% of the population. In 2025, the Baby Boomers age range will be between 61 and 79 years old.
As customers, Baby Boomers have some distinct traits, for example, they are known for their brand loyalty. They typically prefer quality over quantity and appreciate excellent customer experience.
Boomers can be a valuable market for small businesses. But many companies might overlook this age group. According to RMIT University, only 5% of advertising in Australia targets Baby Boomers. This could be a missed opportunity as many of these customers have high spending power.
This article explores some key trends among Baby Boomer consumers and how you can create a great customer experience for this cohort. Understanding some of these Baby Boomer traits may help you meet your customers’ preferences more effectively. While being aware of these Baby Boomer trends can be useful, it’s important not to stereotype, or make assumptions about your customers.
The Baby Boomer generation has some significant demographic differences to other groups. Understanding these characteristics can help you tailor your product, marketing and customer experience.
According to the Commonwealth Bank, Baby Boomers are the richest generation in Australia and hold more than half the county’s wealth. AMP’s Australian Generational Wealth Divide report found that Baby Boomers’ average household net worth in 2019-20 was around $1.6 million. This is well ahead of Gen X ($1.1 million) and Millennials ($500,000).
Most of this wealth comes from property and investments. Many Boomers have paid off their mortgages and other loans. This means they may have more disposable income. As they get older, Baby Boomers are expected to pass down about $3.5 trillion to younger generations.
Many Baby Boomers are rejecting the ‘elderly’ stereotype. They are living healthier and more active lives well into retirement. The Bupa Pulse Check 2024 found that Baby Boomers consider themselves happier and healthier than younger generations.
Baby Boomers might enjoy a better quality of life because they have less financial stress. This may influence their consumer behaviour. They might seek products and experiences that support their active lifestyles.
According the Commonwealth Bank, Baby Boomers like to spend on travel. This might include luxury experiences. They also spend on cars and household goods. They are happy to spend on quality rather than seek out bargains.
McCrindle's Digital Nation report found many Baby Boomers use technology almost as much as younger generations. Still, they grew up in an era where customer experience was highly personal. It involved face-to-face interactions and long-term relationships.
This means that many Baby Boomer consumers value direct, personal contact. They may appreciate it when a business listens to their needs and provides personalised solutions. As they get older, this may become more important. Being inclusive and accessible could help you appeal to these customers.
Many Baby Boomers may still prefer traditional shopping. Yet this generation seems to be enthusiastic about buying online as well.
The Australia Post’s ‘2024 Inside Australian Online Shopping’ report found that 14% of Baby Boomers’ retail purchases are now online. These customers spent $12.5 billion online in 2023. That was an increase of 7% — almost $1 billion — from the previous year. Their average basket size was $109. That was only just behind the biggest average spenders, Generation X ($110).
There are many different marketing strategies that can help you create a positive customer experience for Baby Boomers. These range from personalised deals to data protection. We explore a few in detail below.
According to the Telstra Tech State of Play 2024 report, 92% of Baby Boomers believe an easy-to-use website is very important when shopping online. To help make sure your website and any other digital platforms for your customers are easy to use, it’s important to take a proactive approach to digital accessibility.
Good digital accessibility practices will help make your website easier to navigate and interact with. It helps ensure that people with disabilities can use your website properly. This contributes to ensuring equitable access to your website and online content.
RMIT University recommends an inclusive approach to help connect with Baby Boomers as an important group of consumers who may have specific accessibility needs. But the benefits go beyond this one demographic group. In short, by making your website more accessible you make it easier for everyone to engage with your business.
Learn more about digital accessibility
Baby Boomers tend to care a lot about protecting their data. Telstra’s Tech State of Play research found that 90% of people over 65 think a "trustworthy" website is very important. Also, 95% believe strong cyber security for their personal data is essential.
To help build trust with Baby Boomers, explore what you can do to boost cyber security across your business operations. Make sure you get the basics of cyber security right and take proactive steps to protect customer data.
Read our Cyber security and your business report [PDF, 500KB] for more insights to help you review your cyber security strategy
According to the Commonwealth Bank, over 28% of Baby Boomers are “cautious” when it comes to buying a new product. 31% do their own research when a product enters the market.
The Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) says many Baby Boomers may visit review sites before buying anything. They are more likely to use PCs or laptops than smartphones for their research. So, quality long-form content can be an effective way of engaging this audience. This is different from younger generations, who may prefer watching short videos on their smartphones.
Sharing things like customer reviews or testimonials on your website can help build trust and confidence with customers. FAQ pages can also help improve customer experience by offering useful information in one place. Help your customers by making it easy to find the information they need quickly and easily.
You could also start a blog. There are many benefits to blogging for small businesses. This is another way to help build awareness and trust with your target market.
Market research can provide insight into Baby Boomers’ characteristics at a high level. It can help you understand common preferences but remember to avoid making assumptions about individual tastes based on generation or age.
Connecting with Baby Boomers isn’t just about catering to their age. It’s about understanding their values and preferences in a rapidly changing world. Personalised service and accessible technology can help your business make Boomers feel more valued and supported.
Baby Boomers are an important demographic that many businesses might overlook. But an inclusive approach to marketing and customer experience can help you tap into this market opportunity and build valuable customer relationships.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of Telstra or its staff.
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