Amazon Most-Used Website Across Generations, Report Finds
Epsilon recently released its latest “Pulse Report” on cross-generational marketing in 2025. The research explored how shifting consumer behaviors — driven by inflation, artificial intelligence adoption and digital engagement — are shaping the retail landscape.
Key findings from the report include:
- Online vs. In-Store Shopping: Consumers remain split, with 52% shopping online most often, while 47% prefer in-store.
- Amazon’s Dominance: Among those who made purchases online since the beginning of 2024, Amazon.com is the most used website (64%) across all generations.
- Social Media’s Influence: Over a third of Gen Z and Millennials look to social media influencers for shopping inspiration.
- Loyalty Matters: 58% of consumers say earning rewards influences where they shop, while 18% avoid stores without loyalty programs.
- Mobile Phones Overtake Laptops: Smartphones are the most common device for online shopping (73%) followed by laptops (50%).
Search Engines
One in five consumers — primarily Millennials and Gen X — use Amazon.com instead of Google to search for products. However, two in three respondents use Google every day.
Voice-activated assistants are also gaining popularity across generations but are especially popular with millennials.
Additionally, despite Google’s popularity, search engines like Bing are still used across generations.
Streaming Services, Usage
Younger generations are likelier to stream, while older generations are likelier to use traditional TV. But both formats remain popular overall.
Fifty four percent of millennials primarily use streaming services, while only 3 in 10 watch satellite or cable TV.
Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are the most popular streaming services.
In terms of music streaming services, Gen Z minors use various streaming services such as YouTube Music and Spotify every day, while boomers stick to traditional satellite or regular radio.
Overall, Gen Zs, millennials and Gen Xers are likelier than boomers to use music streaming services like Spotify.
AI Adoption Trends
Millennials lead in AI usage and are most likely to use it multiple times per day. Across generations, about 30% say they use AI a few times a week, while 26% of boomers say they rarely use AI.
People are most comfortable using AI in tools like navigation and map services, voice assistants, chatbots and virtual assistants.
Categories such as health and fitness tracking, language translation tools and learning tools are growing quickly across generations as AI applications become more accessible.
Users who don’t use AI cite privacy and data security concerns and tend to prefer traditional methods or tools. One in four Gen Z minors who don’t use AI say they aren’t sure how AI could benefit them, which is the most common reason selected among minors.
Methodology
Respondents ranged in age between 13 and 77. Data was collected from Oct. 18 to Nov. 25, 2024.
