Study: Teens buy online but prefer reality to the virtual world

Virtual worlds may be garnering a lot of headlines across the US, but according to at least one report, these headlines may be a bit premature - at least for the teen segment. According to a new report from OTX and The Intelligence Group, teens actually prefer real world interaction to the virtual worlds offered online.

by Kristina Knight

That doesn’t mean, however, that teens aren’t going online. Quite the contrary, in fact, because the study found that teens spend an average of 11 hours each week in an online environment. Their favorite online activities? Instant messaging, social networking, listening to music and shopping.

The study finds that 58% of teens have purchased a product online but that more than three-quarters of teens prefer to shop in-store. The study also found that 54% of teens use instant messaging but that 46% prefer talking to friends over the phone.

What this indicates is that teens are possibly more complex that marketers originally thought. Rather than preferring the online world in total, teens are adapting to the online world but still prefer real world pursuits and in-person activities. This doesn’t mean that marketers targeting teens should avoid the Internet, though.

The study further found that teens are open to receiving ads online, especially if the ad is related to a topic of interest. So, advertising on a movie ticketing site, mobile services/accessories site or a favorite teen retailer will likely appeal to the market.