PYMNTS Daily Data Dive: Teens Prefer Amazon, Experiences And Technology

Teenagers are online almost constantly and tend to prioritize experiences. A study by Pew Research Center found that Instagram is the favorite app among teens because they can share pictures of their “experiences” with their friends.

Digital adeptness has a huge effect on the lives of teens and shapes where they meet, shop and how they spend their money. Once-popular teen brands, such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap, are now struggling, while Amazon is the most popular retailer. Also, teens are spending less money on fashion and more on technology, including smartphones, tablets and wearables. Spending on clothing, footwear and accessories, for example, has fallen by 7 percent over the past decade, while spending on video games has doubled over the same period.

Here is the data:

92% | The percentage of teenagers that use the internet daily, according to the Pew Research Center

75% | The percentage of teens that have access to smartphones; more than half of these teens use the internet multiple times a day

41% | The percentage of teenagers who prefer to use Amazon for online purchases

24% | The percentage of teenagers who are online “almost constantly”

8% | The percentage of an average teen’s total spending that is spent on video games