New study finds online to be the main driver in kids’ purchasing decisions
More screen time and access to influencers and information online is driving kids’ purchase decisions and spending, reveals annual Kids Digital Insights 2019 study.
TotallyAwesome, Asia-Pacific’s leading kid-safe digital media company, has released its annual study on the online habits of children in the region. Started in 2014, the Kids’ Digital Insights report is one of the most trusted resources for media, brands and agencies.
While many of the digital trends amongst kids have been quite consistent over the years, new exciting insights from this year’s report reveals that children are basing their purchases on online content and influencers.
Close to 8 in 10 children have asked their parents to buy them something they’ve seen online with an influencer. Kids nowadays have influence on product purchase ranging from toys, snacks and drinks through to decisions what movies to watch, where to spend the weekend/holidays and even what toothpaste to buy!
“Now in our fifth year, the Kids Digital Insights study affirms our belief that kids are increasingly turning to online resources to drive their purchases. There is a clear journey to purchase,” says TotallyAwesome’s Chief Executive Officer, Quan Nguyen.
Apart from Influencers and kids’ own research, digital advertising plays a major role in purchase decision making. Indeed, after seeing an online add almost 1 in 3 kids claims to buy the advertised products and a staggering 79% are asking their parents to buy it for them
Media Habits
Over the last five years, we’ve seen the steady decline of traditional television viewing, with more children choosing to consume content on their smart devices. More time spent on digital devices means kids are getting their recommendations and resources online, leading to purchases.
The study also shows that traditional TV is the least preferred way to consume content, with only 23 percent of kids still claiming it to be their favorite device. The smartphone is the preferred device, a consistent result in the last three years. More than half of the kids in the survey possess their own devices. Digital continues to be the main source of information when kids search for new products as well.
“The Kids Digital Insights provides a reliable report on what kids are doing online, their online preferences, and how kids are spending their money. The study is a valuable asset for companies that are marketing to children,” adds Quan Nguyen.
The study was conducted on kids aged 4 to 16 years old across Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.