Kids net a bargain
09 July 2005
Source: HBOS press release
Children are keen consumer cyber-surfers, with over half of seven to 16 year olds having bought something over the internet, according to new research from Halifax, the UK's largest savings provider.
This year's top internet shoppers are boys, 60% of which have bought over the internet at some point. The key area of activity is in Scotland, where children are leading the way in internet use with 80% having bought items over the internet.
Key findings of the Halifax research are:
Children are keen internet shoppers Almost half of seven to 16 year olds (53%) are internet shoppers, a 10% increase on the 43% in 2004.
Boys dominate internet shopping Fewer girls (46%) than boys (60%) buy items over the internet. This continues last year's trend where 37% of girls and 50% of boys bought items over the internet. ONS data regarding adults' internet usage supports this, with a higher proportion of men (62%) than women (48%) using it for purchases.
Scotland has the most experienced internet shoppers Scotland has the most experienced internet child shoppers with 80% having bought using this method.
East Midlands has the most inexperienced internet shoppers Only 36% of young people in the East Midlands have shopped over the internet at some point.
Age plays a key role in the number of young people that shop online Less than a third of seven to 11 year olds (29%), compared to almost three quarters of 12 to 16 year olds (73%) buy items on the internet. This is in line with general internet behaviours, for example, older children are more likely to go on the internet on their own and have greater financial independence. These findings also rival adults' internet shopping habits. According to the ONS, in October 2004, 61% of adults in Great Britain had used the internet in the past three months and just over half (55%) of them had used the internet to buy or order goods, tickets or services.
Children in high socio-economic groups are more likely to shop online Young people in higher socio-economic groups - A/B (62%), C1/C2 (53%), D/E (43%) are much more likely to shop online. This may be due to greater parental disposable incomes and availability of internet access.
More than half of children believe that internet shopping is preferable than shopping at the High Street 61% of the child internet shoppers actually felt that buying over the internet was easier than buying in shops for certain items. This is an increase on 2004's figure of 52%.
Boys prefer to shop online A quarter of males always prefer buying online (25%), compared to only 7% of females.
Girls prefer traditional high street shopping A third of females say that they prefer the actual high street shopping experience, as opposed to internet shopping 30% compared to 16% of males.
Have you ever bought anything over the internet?
Yes
Percentage (%)
Gender
Male
60
Female
46
Age group
7-11 years*
29
12-16 years
73
What area do you live in?
Scotland
80
North West
73
South East
69
Wales
64
South West
61
London
58
Yorkshire & Humberside
46
North East
46
West Midlands
43
East England
40
East Midlands
36
Source: Halifax Pocket Money Survey 2005
* For children aged 7 to 11, purchases made by parent on behalf of child.
Internet purchases - The most common thing for young internet shoppers to buy is CDs/ tapes (45%), computer games/ equipment (45%) and DVDs/ videos (43%.) This compares to CDs/ tapes (55%) and computer games/ equipment (50%) in 2004. A similar number of males and females buy all these items online, with the exception of sportswear/ equipment and computer games/ equipment, which a greater number of males buy.
Cheryl Millington, head of savings at Halifax, said:
'We are not only seeing the emergence of a generation of young consumers, but a
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