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About 70 percent of Michigan adults age 50 to 64 shop on the Internet.

This demographic group is increasing as more of America's 80 million baby boomers pass their fiftieth birthday. As fall approaches, online shoppers will begin deal searching for holiday shopping. Each year the Christmas online shopping season starts earlier and earlier.

Baby Boomers grew up on technological change and are still open to new advances. From transistors to PC's to I-Pods, Michigan Baby Boomers have made the leap from one new innovation to another. Now, as more and more Boomers are passing their fiftieth birthdays, they are flocking to the world’s largest, most convenient shopping mall – the Internet.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 70 percent of adults age 50 to 64 are online, and the majority of those are likely to use the net to gather consumer information and to make purchases.

These numbers will continue to swell as the youngest of Boomers turn 50 in 2014. According to the Internet Site, BoomJ.com, 80 million Americans were born between 1946 and 1964, the years comprising the country's Baby Boom. Even though Boomers are computer savvy, they, like many other online shoppers, may not know how to find the net’s best bargains.

They may be overwhelmed by the number of unorganized and often out-of-date bargains listed on Internet sites. They may also beunaware of how to find and use coupon codes and printable coupons.

Here are good tips to help baby boomers and seniors find the web's best deals.

• Make use of coupon codes and printable coupons. A coupon code is a number issued by a merchant, and it allows customers to save anywhere from the cost of shipping to huge percentages off of an item's price tag. Shoppers type these codes into a box when making an Internet purchase.
• The best place to find coupon codes is to visit a site such as www.MichiganBusiness.us, which keeps an organized and updated list of codes from various merchants. Be wary of sites which are hard to navigate and are sporadically updated.
• The Internet offers a bewildering array of offers. Boomers, seniors, and even younger shoppers should look for sites which organize the web's latest and best offerings in a way that makes it easy for the consumer to sort through a plethora of deals. In the same way, boomers and seniors will appreciate sites, such as www.Michiganbusiness.us, which do not confuse the shopper with a lot of flash and pop-up. Those who are beginning to experience vision problems should also look for a readable, clear font.

Boomer and senior shoppers are more likely than younger consumers to do their research before making a purchase. They are also more likely to read the fine print on a web site. In that sense, mature shoppers generally make wise choices when shopping on the net.

However, since many scams are aimed at mature citizens, it always pays to practice Internet safety. Buy from reputable merchants. Check a retailer's security policy before conveying any personal information. Print out a copy of your transaction so that you can refer to it in the event that there is a problem.

By following these tips, mature Michigan shoppers can take advantage of all that Internet shopping has to offer.

Use coupon code: googlerocks at these fine online retailers:

• GregRobert Pet Supplies
• Rachel's Robin Wild Bird Supplies
• Backyard Style Outdoor Decor and Pond
• Shane's Tack Equine Supplies
• Rabbit Mart
• The Giving Spirit

Labels: Online Shopping