5 key stats on shopper demographics

Low- and high-earning consumers are shopping at Walmart, while income groups splinter for off-price fashion retailers. Temu draws households from rural areas, and Amazon shoppers come in all ages. Here are five key stats from Coresight Research’s August 2024 report, “US Consumer Survey Insights Extra,” to help marketers refine their targeting strategies.

1. Consumers of all incomes shop at Walmart

Key stat: Compared with other retailers, Walmart has the highest shopper penetration across income brackets.

• Around half of households of all incomes have purchased nonfood products from Walmart, including 55.2% of those earning less than $25,000 and 48.2% earning $150,000 to $199,000.
• Walmart is also a go-to destination for groceries for all consumers, visited by ​​68.3% of households earning less than $25,000 and 44.7% earning more than $200,000.

What it means for marketers: No matter their income, consumers are drawn to Walmart’s value-driven mission and extensive product variety. Marketers can further their emphasis on value through ad messaging.

2. Temu shoppers are likely to live in rural areas

Key stat: Temu has the lowest rate of shoppers in urban areas (called an urbanness score in the report) compared with other apparel and accessories retailers.

• In the broader nonfood category, Temu ranked in the bottom-fourth in urbanness, following Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Walmart.
• Temu is one of the few retailers—along with Macy’s, Kohl’s, and TJX—to have a linear relationship between age and purchasing behavior. The younger the consumer, the likelier they are to shop at Temu.

What it means for marketers: Rural shoppers have less access to physical stores, increasing their reliance on ecommerce channels such as Temu. Marketers looking to expand their reach into rural communities should focus on digital-first strategies, including campaigns on mobile apps and social media.

3. Amazon draws older shoppers

Key stat: On average, Amazon appeals to slightly older consumers.

• 46.2% of shoppers over the age of 60 purchase nonfood products from Amazon.
• Amazon, in addition to Walmart and CVS, also has the oldest average beauty shopper.

What it means for marketers: Because online shopping is often associated with younger consumers, it’s easy to forget about the high ecommerce penetration among older demographics. Retail media advertisers, in particular, should keep that in mind when utilizing Amazon.

4. Not all off-price fashion retailers are frequented the same

Key stat: In the off-price fashion category, TJX is more popular among shoppers with six-figure incomes, while Ross Stores Inc. is more popular for shoppers earning less than six figures.

• TJX sees the highest penetration (18.8%) of households earning more than $200,000.
• Ross Stores sees the highest penetration (10.9%) of households earning between $25,000 and $49,999.

What it means for marketers: Even though both off-price retailers cater to cost-conscious consumers and offer discounted brand names, branding may have helped differentiate the TJX and Ross Stores. The retailers leaned into their most popular income groups, with TJX advertising affordable luxuries and Ross Stores highlighting affordable everyday basics.

5. Younger consumers spread out their spending

Key stat: Consumers between the ages of 18 and 44 are likelier than older generations to shop at a wider variety of retailers for food and nonfood.

• Consumers aged 18 to 29 hold the highest penetration of shoppers across nearly all of the food and nonfood retailers that Coresite tracked.
• For food and nonfood shopping, Walmart is the most popular destination among consumers aged 18 to 29.

What it means for marketers: Younger consumers enjoy exploring a wide range of brands. Marketers can win them over by making brands feel exciting and new, showcasing product launches and features.

This was originally featured in the Retail Daily newsletter. For more retail insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.