 Online Payment - The Teen Revolution.
Ok then all of you. Hands up who's bought anything online? Well, would you be surprised if I told you that 10 million 16-22 year olds (that's mostly you folks) buy stuff on the internet? No doubt the rest of you (2.2 million of you to be exact) are thinking: "Yeah, I would buy things online, but my mum/dad/brother/sister won't let me use their credit card - they say that I'll just rack up a gigantonormous bill which I won't be able to pay back!….oh, and what if someone gets hold of my bank details and spends all of my hard earned money; it doesn't grow on trees you know blah blah blah." Well until now, yeah ok, you might have a point. It is pretty difficult (if not impossible) to buy stuff on the net if you don't have any form of payment - but now, a whole host of companies have devised some really cool alternatives to having to beg for your dad's "flexible friend". Wallet sites are one of the alternatives on offer....  Basically, your parent's set up an account for you on one of these sites (DoughNET, RocketCash and iCanBuy.com being such examples) and, as these are in partnership with selected retailers - spending and balance details can be carefully monitored by your parents.
Debit Cards and Reservoir Cards are a really cool idea as well.... Ok, so Debit Cards aren't exactly a "new alternative" to buying online, but how about a dedicated teen debit-card for you guys who are just a-bit-too-young to apply for a normal card?  The new breed of Debit Cards are gonna be hitting the pockets of young people pretty damn soon, giving teens greater freedom and spending power. Some examples of these kind of card are Visa Buxx and PocketCard, which are linked to an existing account (probably one of your parent's; who have control over the card's limits - boo!) and can be used anywhere where Visa is accepted.
Reservoir cards are pretty similar too: Cybermoola, InternetCash and Splash Plastic look and act like a phonecard; but they do in fact work just like a debit/credit card - Bargain! You'll be able to buy and top up your cards in loads of shops, and the number of retailers who accept these cards will, fingers crossed in the future, be massive. What a great idea. FlashCash....  And finally, even boring-old-fashioned cash gets a bit of a online-makeover as well. Yup, if the peeps at Excite@Home are anything to go by, we soon could be buying stuff online and then paying for it via "FlashCash" at special terminals in garages or supermarkets. Just imagine, ordering the new Britney Spears CD online and then paying at your local Esso – sweet.
The Verdict? So which of these would Pupiline recommend? Well, we reckon that teen debit cards are the best idea – for a variety of reasons. Firstly, they’ll give you complete freedom – you’ll be able to shop online wherever you want, unlike wallet sites for example which seem to only let you shop at teen-orientated sites such as GraffitiOnline or Shred Shack. Secondly, a teen debit card can be used offline as well as online, and some will let you draw money from cash machines – meaning you can buy on-screen and on the street - cool. Ok and lastly, debit cards are totally convenient – why bother using a system like the FlashCash system when you can do everything in one go? A debit card will give you the power and the freedom to join the online shopping revolution – without having to kiss you dad’s feet! Read:
- Eddy Vista
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