Things like test-driving, touching the fruit before you buy it, or even trying on clothes prior to purchase won’t be so important from here on out, thanks to a lockdown that has seen millions of Americans forced to work and stay at home to halt the advance of COVID-19 (rather unsuccessfully, it would seem).  During this time of lockdown, however, everyone–not just the younger generations–have used their spare time to hone online shopping skills.

That’s led to a wild uptick in ecommerce.

Amazon is still a leader in it, Walmart and Target are also catching up in online sales. But even the auto industry has now embraced digital platforms and ecommerce. It turns out, all it took to get people to buy cars sight unseen was a guarantee that they can return it (contactless) within a certain number of days, no strings attached.

New data from eMarketer estimates that more than 204 million people ages 14 and older will make an online purchase in 2020.

But the real disruptor for traditional retail is this bit of data: Two-thirds of those online shoppers will be 45 and older–an age group that hasn’t until now really taken to the idea that much.

The updated forecast, which factors in the pandemic’s effects, anticipates a 5.8% increase in the number of digital buyers 45 and older, up from 3.2%. This equates to nearly 5 million new users…CLICK for complete article