Shopping is a necessity. While stores are shifting to online shopping to make things easier, seniors may not be as willing to embrace it. They want to see and touch the items they buy. Here are four trends that seniors find frustrating when shopping.
A Shift Away From Personal Checks
Younger generations are used to paying with a debit or credit card. Personal checks are not common. For seniors, personal checks were the common method of payment prior to electronic banking. Many seniors understand personal checks best and want to use them.
Some stores have shifted away from accepting checks at all. Others may accept them, but they’re processed in a new way. The check is scanned, and money is pulled from the account instantly. At this point, the check is voided and handed back to the shopper. Seniors can have a hard time understanding why the check is being handed to them.
Cash can be easier for a senior to use. Otherwise, they may need someone to accompany them until they get used to paying using a credit or debit card.
The Focus on Rewards Cards
So many stores require you to carry a rewards card in order to get the sales price. It’s frustrating digging through a purse or wallet to find the card. Other stores want you to give your phone number to look up the account. Elderly shoppers may not want to recite their phone number out loud in public setting.
It’s best to consider if the savings are really worth the invasion of privacy. If a senior citizen decides it is, a separate key ring filled with the different savings card makes them easier to access.
The Addition of More Self-Checkouts
Some stores are removing a section of registers in order to put in self-checkouts. Instead of having a cashier, the shopper scans items and pays through the computerized terminal. If an elderly person relies on shopping trips for socialization, self-checkouts take away that aspect.
The Placement of Cheaper Items
Many stores place cheaper items on top or bottom shelves. They want you to spend more, so the cheaper items go in harder-to-reach areas. For a senior who cannot easily bend or stretch, this placement strategy is frustrating.
It requires seniors to ask another shopper to help or to find a store employee. To avoid any difficulty, seniors should shop with a family member or caregiver.
One of the services offered by a caregiver is transportation and assistance when shopping. Caregivers can drive a senior to the store and help them shop for items and pay. Call a home care agency to discuss