Here’s Why Millennials Own More Connected Devices Than Anyone

The future may well belong to the young. But in the case of online commerce, it is the bridge millennial who may power things forward.

In the continuing formation of the connected economy, the logic follows that the more devices on hand, the more connected consumers are. The more connected they are, the more “ready and able” they are to tap into the expanded online ecosystems that can take them through an app-driven continuum of activity.

Per PYMNTS data over the past five years, the bridge millennial cohort has rapidly become one of the more connected cohorts surveyed. Bridge millennials, which range in age from 33 to about 43 years, are increasingly pre-disposed to bring their shopping habits online. In just one example, 68% of bridge millennials order food online for delivery.

Also see: 182M Consumers Now Use Digital Channels to Shop and Pay for Food

And late last year, in the midst of the pandemic, joint research from PYMNTS and Visa found that bridge millennials helped lead the pack in the great digital shift. Back then, PYMNTS found that 43% of bridge millennials reported earning more than $100,000 annually – so the buying power is there. More than half of this demographic makes online purchases.

More details: How We Will Pay, Brief 1: Bridge Millennials, Superconnecteds Lead in Digital-First Living

More recently, tracking device ownership among bridge millennials through the past five years, the degrees of connectivity began emerging well before the pandemic and have continued throughout the disruption.

Smartphones Top the List

No surprise, smartphones top the list, wielded by 87% of bridge millennials, followed by desktops and laptops. On this latter data point, the lowest reading, at about 65%, came in the midst of the pandemic.

The ramp-up would seem, logically, to have occurred during a time when so many of us were stuck indoors and had pivoted fully to a work-from-home environment.

Connected/smart TV ownership has ramped up sharply as well, from a trough of about 51% to a recent 67% — also reflecting the time consumers have been spending at home.

It’s a fair bet that with the increased connectivity in hand, bridge millennials will continue to shift their activities online. In fact, a recent PYMNTS survey shows that they intend to increase their online spending across at least three categories (food, retail and groceries) even after the pandemic ends.

Also see: Uptick in Paycheck-to-Paycheck Living Pegged Mostly to Financial Fears

Most immediately, as the holiday shopping season kicks off, 25% of bridge millennials say they will be spending more on gifts this year compared to last year.

More details: Holiday Shopping Outlook Suggests ‘Amazon Christmas’ May Be Underway