US digital buyer penetration will surpass 80% for the first time, climbing from 79.6% in 2018 to 80.5% of internet users this year. Every cohort between the ages of 18 and 54 will have digital buyer penetration of greater than 80%, with 25- to 34-year-olds owning the highest penetration at 89.6%. Those in the older millennial demographic, which represents nearly 40 million digital buyers and more than 20% of the digital buyer population, are especially important due to their propensity for new household formation when long-term purchasing habits are established.
The most underpenetrated digital buyer demographics are teenagers ages 14 to 17 (who may not have their own disposable income to spend online) and those ages 65 and older (who did not grow up with the internet and are less inclined to make purchases online).