Attracting Older Patrons to Purchase Online

Interestingly, and perhaps as expected, their older audience members did not really engage with the purchasing online. They tended to just call the box office.

Obviously these are the results of one customer, in one region, with perhaps one specific customer set. But I wonder if this is the case for most older patrons - maybe they just don't want to engage with online purchases.

Yet, back in April 2013, The New York Times reported that "Older adults hit a digital milestone last year: For the first time since the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project began conducting surveys, a majority (53 percent) of people over age 65 used the Internet. The proportion has since inched upward, to 54 percent.

Granted this is data from across the pond, but the message is clear: older people are purchasing online, but are coming on stream much, much slower.

For this segment of the ticket-buying market, it would appear on the surface at least, that online purchasing would be beneficial for them. It is a way to get connected and get away from the isolation that many older adults can feel. And it seems they will have little choice.

More and more products are services are going online. Newspapers, yellow pages, you name it, it seems to be going virtual. Thing is, older patrons are definitely tech savvy, but just might not be as adventurous online. Just read this Slate article from 2008 about what happens when old people go online.

So what might attract the older segment to purchase tickets online? Fairly straightforward actually - clear, simple and easy to navigate website that is secure.

Easy to Navigate websites ensure that older patrons get to the tickets they want easily. Making navigation too complex is likely to turn them off online tickets and head for their phone.

Easy to See websites that have easy to read fonts and a decent size will help older ticket buyers get what they need. Even coke-bottle glasses wearing folks will appreciate that (my glasses have been firmly glued to my face since 4th class - and ahem - age - is not helping matters).

Secure websites help older customers feel safer about purchasing tickets online. Since older customers might be less adventurous online (for example, my mother will not open a new website unless she asks me first, or is certain there is a "real store/theatre" behind it), it is important to create a site that is very secure.

Of course none of the above is "especially for" older ticket-buyers - this is something that all customers will appreciate.

Do many of your older patrons purchase tickets online? Do you have a specific strategy to attract older buyers?