Shopping online
Online shopping is common enough that retail outlets are blaming
reduced sales on increased competition from online stores. Buying
online can lead to bargains and access to unique items made
globally.
It often requires a credit card, which can be difficult for
young people under 18, and involves the risk of credit card fraud
if the vendor is untrustworthy or doesn't have adequate security in
place. PayPal is considered a safer way of making transactions,
especially when dealing with unfamiliar individuals or businesses,
because the vendor receives payment without ever seeing the
customer's bank details. PayPal accounts can be authorised to make
payments direct from a credit or debit bank account, or money can
be deposited into a PayPal account from bank accounts with no
authorization to access those accounts. As such, parents could
deposit a set amount into their child's PayPal account, giving them
some autonomy and practice at managing money, without giving them
free access to their credit card.
For consumers that can't or don't wish to purchase products
online, they will still often "shop around" online by comparing
prices quoted on the websites of different retail outlets.
Moneymaking online
There are a number of ways a young person could make money
online.
- Consumer surveys and competitions with cash, raffle or voucher
rewards require a low level of technical proficiency, but can
generate income.
- Some user-managed sites, or profiles on bigger sites such as
YouTube, host ads and offer the content providers a portion of ad
revenue.
- Other sites allow users to sell craft items, like Etsy, or
receive commission on designs like Threadless t-shirts.
- Some multiplayer online computer games allow users to make, buy
and sell items to be used in the game, such as clothes for your
avatar to wear in Second Life).