Online retailers step in to cater to special needs of the elderly

NEW DELHI: E-tailers in India are coming up with products and offerings exclusively for senior citizens, turning their attention to a category of consumers that they had hitherto ignored in their rush to reach the growing young population in the country.
Mumbai-based Rahul Upadhyay, whose Seniorshelf.com caters exclusively to senior citizens with mobility aids, toilet safety products and items meant for arthritis patients, said the venture was inspired by a personal experience when he went to visit his parents and then spent three hours looking for a blood pressure machine.
"It was just not available. That is when I realised that there is virtually no retail - online or offline - which is catering to the elderly while they are the most vulnerable ones. Despite having the means, senior citizens in India are mostly left to fend for themselves and in many ways the market has ignored them as a consuming class with needs of their own," said Upadhyay, who was encouraged by the growth of e-commerce business in the country to take the plunge.
A similar situation faced by the promoters of oldisgoldstore.com led to the opening of this south India-based online and offline company, which sells health care products exclusively for the senior citizens.