Young Americans, while they are no longer the majority of the world's online youth population, account for roughly 60 percent of the world's online youth shoppers. The next step is actually making an online purchase. There are clear trends visible along age and gender lines. Video game purchases are generally made by male teens. Females of all ages are more likely to purchase books.
Females are also roughly three times more likely to buy clothing online than young men.
Sporting goods and computer-related purchases are popular among males. Forty-three percent of the youth surveyed reported using their own payment cards to buy online. Another 28 percent used the card of someone else, usually a parent. Electronic cash has been used by only 1 percent of those surveyed, but 23 percent report using cash on delivery, checks, money orders, bank drafts, or transfers. As for the future, only one in six youth regard purchasing anything online this year as very likely.