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The Internet is hugely popular with the youth market. In fact, an incredible nine out of 10 teenagers use the Web! (Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2005)

But what do they do online? Well, they play games…they talk to their friends…they share photos…they describe their daily lives in blogs (online diaries)…and, increasingly, they SHOP! Any by “shop,” we don’t just mean browse; the same survey found that 43% of teens who use the Internet actually BUY online — using their parents’ credit cards!

The good news for eBay sellers is that eBay is where teenagers like to shop the most…it’s the number-one online shopping mall for 12 – to 17 year-olds according to a recent survey by comScore Media Matrix. In fact, the survey found that the site attracted nearly five million visitors in this age group during January 2005!

Amazon, the second place online shopping site, was way behind eBay with three million teenage visitors in January. The reason? eBay is not just a shopping experience — its auction format means that the site doubles as online entertainment, providing an interactive experience teenagers can talk about with their friends.

This trend may surprise those of you who imagined eBay to be off-limits to teenagers, with the obvious barrier being the need of a bank account and credit card to use Paypal and make online payments.

But the reality is that, even though eBay states that their site is not available to children, they also say that those under the age of 18 can use the site with the supervision and involvement of their parents or guardians. In other words, they can use their parents’ credit cards and eBay accounts to make purchases with their permission!

And that’s exactly what a large number of teenagers are doing!

How to take advantage of the growth of teenage eBay buyers

With the right know-how and products, targeting teens on eBay can be a very profitable strategy for the savvy eBay seller.

Step #1: Research the teenage market

When it comes to finding out what teenagers like buying online, most teenagers can be found at the online versions of the same store they frequent at offline shopping malls. Web sites popular with teenagers promote socializing, games, music, fashion, and sports.

Knowing this, some retailers created standalone websites for young people. Check out Macy’s, Crate and Barrel, and Pottery Barn to see how they are targeting this age-group.

Step #2: Sell products suitable for the teen market

Brand names mean everything to this age group. Being in the know and having the latest gear is very important to teenagers who spend much of their time, energy, and money on the latest trends and fashions.

Popular brands include:

• Apple iPod
• Nokia
• FCUK
• Nike
• Gap
• Guess
• Old Navy
• Nintendo
• Oakley
• O’Neill
• Sony
• Quiksilver

Here are some ideas for specific eBay product categories where teenagers are likely to hang out:

• Cell phones and accessories
• Video games and accessories
• MP3 player and accessories
• Fashion items
• DVDs
• Jewelry and cosmetics
• Sportswear and equipment
• Music

Of course, teenager’s buying habits reflect trends and — like their moods — can change overnight, so it’s important to keep up and not buy too much stock of an item that may have lost it’s “cool” factor before you can sell it all.

Step #3: Design your auction pages with teenagers in mind

The principles of proper design still apply when designing your auction pages so that they will appeal to teenagers.

One thing to remember, though, is that teenagers tend to have shorter attention spans than adults, so pages of copy outlining every little feature and benefit may be wasted on this audience. You should, however, strongly emphasize the big stand out benefits of the item and pay attention to the images you use to show off your items in their best light.

In addition, don’t forget that it’s not the teenagers themselves, but their parents, who will be buying the item. So your products descriptions should include all the usual details about shipping, return policies, warranties, and so on.

Note: If you decide to make the teenage market the focus of your eBay business, you should be aware that you may experience more instances of bids having to be withdrawn, winning bidders pulling out of buying your item, and unclear communication. That’s because you may be dealing with youngsters who don’t fully understand the rules of eBay and who may even bid on items without their parent’s permission — leading to non-paying winners.

Don’t forget: eBay is the number-one online shopping destination for millions of teenagers across North America and beyond…so if your product could appeal to this market, be sure to take advantage of these tips!

P.S. Get eBay tips like these and order your very own copy of the eBay secrets by clicking here today!