'Old spice' - Developing successful relationships with the grey market

The growth of the grey market in recent years is well documented. Many industries are now recognizing the importance of consumers eged over fifty, but fail to appreciate the sensitivities of delivering appropriate products and services. In particular, 50+ consumers are often treated in an inappropriately homogeneous manner. This article discusses the growth of the grey market, before examining the motivations behind the buyer beheviour of older consumer, and then goes on to develop a needs-based segmentation framework linked to customer satisfaction and relationship marketing. The article concludes by illustrating these principles in relation to the sports and leisure industry, and concludes with implications for markiting in general.