Recently, I read an article about the internet habits of millennials and I’m embarrassed to say that, when online, I spend my time much like 14- to 34-year-olds. We are browsers. We poke through an endless array of products, read reviews, compare prices but rarely buy anything.
It’s highly unproductive. It’s very fun.
In April, The Intelligence Group, a youth-focused research firm, released a survey of 1,300 millennials, nearly half of whom reported that they find the act of browsing for a purchase far more satisfying than actually acquiring the item. In other words, the report concludes, “e-commerce has become its own form of entertainment,” with Americans spending increasingly more time looking at products without making a purchase. The Intelligence Group calls this behavior “fauxsumerism.”
As an enthusiastic fauxsumer myself, I believe that the behavior is in no way limited to younger people, and I see the trend as important for the aquatics industry to understand.
If fauxsumers are the wave of the future, then it’s imperative that facilities and waterparks respond by getting as much content online as possible, especially images and reviews. I’m amazed by the number of venues that don’t update their websites or stay active on social media.
To help you get started, there's a wonderful article in this digital edition about how to train lifeguards to rescue a scuba diver at the bottom of a pool. Read it, enact it and post about it. It really makes a difference.
