SINCE the advent of e-commerce, most Americans have been using their smartphone for online shopping. According to the Pew Research Center, 92 percent of Americans ages 30-49 use their smartphone to shop online, rather than use a desktop or tablet. This becomes even more apparent during the busiest shopping season of the year, where 87 percent of Americans ages 18-29 use smartphones to shop, 69 percent are between 50 and 64, and 48 percent are over age 65.
BUSINESSES, both small and large, should take the time to ensure their websites are optimized for mobile users. Especially since half of Americans ages 30-49 say they make purchases using their smartphone at least weekly, compared with 38 percent of those ages 18 to 29 and only 11 percent of Americans ages 65 and older. Tablet use scrapes the bottom of the user barrel, with less than 10 percent usage across the board for online shopping experiences.
WHILE the holiday shopping season is busier than ever, people aren’t so optimistic about their finances or the economy overall. Based on findings from WalletHub, financial confidence has fallen 4 percent year over year overall, and consumers’ stress levels regarding money are nearly 3 percent worse compared to last year. The workforce shortage remains a top concern, with the share of consumers who feel new employment opportunities are “abundant” is nearly 7 percent lower in Nov. 2022 than Nov. 2021.
ONE employment sector that’s feeling the heat is technology. According to a Robert Half survey of technology managers, 86 percent of respondents said it’s challenging to find skilled professionals.
The most difficult positions finding talent for are software and applications development, technology process automation, and cloud architecture and operation.
ON the employee side of the technology scale, 52 percent of technology employees are actively searching for a new role or plan to by the end of this year, based on that same Robert Half survey. Main reasons they’re looking to move on in their careers are higher salaries, more opportunities for advancement and remote work flexibility.
