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More and more older customers have embraced the internet and online shopping due to necessity. Especially for small businesses, many brands and e-commerce websites have yet to truly adopt and consider older customers as a viable demographic. Over 65s are not just one group either. There are folks who grew up in the 60s and those who lived through the 40s or 50s. Both of these customers fall within the older shopper demographic, yet may have varying tastes and preferences. Here are some ways you can make your online presence more friendly for these older customers.

Readability

It should be obvious, but there’s still many small businesses that get it wrong. Especially when considering mobile, font sizes that are smaller than 12pt are often hard for users with impaired vision to read. Font style is important too, as well as your general button (clickable) sizes. Sans serif fonts typically are easier to read, and similarly the kerning (space between letters) should be considered so words and sentences don’t blur together.

Navigation

Hidden menus and minimalism may be the in-style for certain websites, but simplification of navigation and a more straightforward approach to your website should be considered. Search boxes should be easily accessible, page titles/elements should be in the same place on each page (although this should apply for any website). Many older shoppers don’t want to navigate a maze of buttons and links just to easily get to where they need to go.

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Accessibility

Today’s seniors grew up in an offline-era where customer interactions meant face-to-face. Keep this in mind, and design your online presence accordingly. Chat popups, what would perhaps be a mild annoyance for a younger shopper, could actually be essential for older demographics. Customer who are hard of hearing, or need advanced notifications for delivery would appreciate those extra quality-of-life additions to their online experience.

Visual Design

The most simplest designs are usually the most appealing to older customers, as are websites that can reach the bottom with fewer scrolling. Avoid bright colors, increase contrast and other types of visual aesthetics that would make your website less intimidating and prevent your older customers from being overwhelmed.