Social media shopping is no longer just for the young – seniors have also jumped on the digital bandwagon

Although physical stores remain the most popular shopping destination among Latvians, the purchasing of goods and services on social media is becoming increasingly popular, according to leading financial technology platform Adyen’s Retail Report 2025. Interestingly, this trend is not driven solely by the younger generation; older people are also beginning to embrace this change. 

Shopping on social media allows users to discover and purchase products or services directly within social media platforms, without opening other apps or websites. While such shopping was previously associated mainly with the younger generation, it is now also being adopted by older people. Young people – especially those aged 16 to 19 – are still at the forefront of social commerce, with more than a third of them regularly shopping this way. However, nearly one in three Latvians aged 60–69 and approximately one in two aged 70 and over make at least one purchase on social media per month. 

Multi-platform e-commerce is becoming the norm

According to the report, Latvian consumers exhibit diverse shopping habits, yet physical stores remain the most preferred shopping environment. Nearly half of people prefer the in-person shopping experience, a sixth opt for online stores, while the rest have no strong preference. 

Tobias Lindh, Adyen’s Managing Director of the Nordics and Baltics, notes that this data reflects the growing importance of convenience and accessibility in consumer decision-making – the most crucial factor is a seamless shopping process, regardless of the chosen channel. 

Lindh emphasizes that retailers who want to thrive must be able to adapt to changing shopping habits: "Although younger, digitally-oriented generations use social media for shopping more actively, it is clear that older consumers are also increasingly using new shopping channels. Ambitious merchants must invest in solutions that ensure a smooth and convenient shopping experience for all age groups." 

Data-driven strategies as a competitive advantage

As consumers increasingly move between different shopping channels, it is becoming more important for retailers to understand their behaviour throughout the entire purchase journey, including how they transition from one channel to another. The report shows that nearly a third of Latvian consumers expect to be able to purchase goods from retailers across various platforms – social media, mobile apps, or websites. 

"Data is easier to collect in online stores, but understanding consumer behaviour in physical stores requires new technological solutions," Lindh points out. He stresses that companies capable of collecting and analysing data across different channels can provide a more personalised and effective shopping experience – for example, by offering products online that a customer has previously tried in-store. This is also confirmed by the report's data – approximately one-third of Latvian consumers indicate they would be more loyal to brands if they could quickly and easily purchase products they have seen on social media in the online store. 

According to Lindh, retail has entered an era where every shopping experience must be smart, unified, and multi-channel – it cannot be limited to just the physical store. "Social media is no longer just a playground for the youth – it is becoming a shopping environment for consumers of all ages." 

 

*The Adyen Retail Report was conducted by Censuswide, surveying 41,089 consumers (aged 16+) in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the UAE, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and the USA. Data was collected from 26.02.2025 to 12.03.2025. 

About Adyen: 

Adyen is the financial technology platform of choice for leading companies. By providing end-to- end payments capabilities, data-driven insights, and financial products in a single global solution, Adyen helps businesses achieve their ambitions faster. With offices around the world, Adyen works with the likes of Meta, Bolt, H&M, eBay, and Microsoft.