Two in three Baby Boomer women (65%) prefer to purchase apparel online because they dislike the service they receive in department stores and 13% only buy their clothes online in order to avoid the in-person hassle, according to Vibrant Nation.

More than eight in 10 (84%) find sales staff are indifferent, inexperienced, invisible, and "outright rude." An additional 32% claim an "age bias," pointing out that younger sales associates ignore older consumers. Only 16% feel sales associates are well-trained and helpful.

Women tend to purchase their clothes based on appearance (59%) and comfort (28%) rather than price (8%). Two in 10 (19%) spend at least $250 a month on clothes. They seek inspiration from other women (32%), catalogs (27%), and magazines (21%).

Most (47%) purchase clothes whenever they are in the mood to do so, whereas 24% only buy when something is needed, 15% shop seasonally, and 11% shop only during major sales periods.

[Source:  Survey conducted by Vibrant Nation.  (per EPM Communications.  Marketing to Women. Jul. 2010.)]