Children in England are keen internet shoppers with more than half having bought something online， research has shown.
In England， around 53 percent of children aged between seven and sixteen said they had purchased① something over the internet.
More than half of children preferred buying things over the internet to buying them on the high street， while 61 percent of those who had purchased things online said it was easier to buy certain items over the internet than in shops.
However， boys were more likely to always prefer buying things online， while girls were more likely to still like the actual high street shopping experience.
The most common items for young people to buy over the internet were CDs and tapes or computer games and equipment②， both at 45 percent， while 43 percent of children had bought DVDs and videos and 37 percent had bought gifts.
Children spent most money on computer games and equipment， with 13 percent saying they spent more than 20 pounds online on these items a year， followed by 12 percent who spent more than 20 pounds a year on mobile phones and 11 percent who spent the sameamount on clothes.
We are not only seeing the emergence③ of a generation of young consumers④， but also keen cyber-consumers.
While children often lead the way in internet use within the family home， parents have an important role to play in ensuring⑤ they stay safe while online.
① purchase v. 买，购买
② equipment n. 装备，设备，器材，装置，铁道车辆
③ emergence n. 浮现，露出， (植物)突出体，出现
④ consumer n. 消费者
⑤ ensure v. 确保，确保，保证
网上购物的新生力量
一项调查结果显示，英国青少年正逐步表现出对网上购物的强烈兴趣，他们当中超过半数的人曾经有过在线购物的经历。
在英国，7岁到16岁这一年龄段的孩子中，有53％的人说曾通过互联网买过东西。
与去繁华的商业街购物相比，半数以上的孩子更愿意通过互联网购物。有过网上购物经历的孩子表示网上购物的便捷性要胜过商场。而且，男孩儿成为网上购物者的可能性要高于女孩儿，60％受调查的男孩儿称自己曾经在网上买过所需物品，而女孩儿仅为46％。女孩儿似乎依然更热衷于到那些繁华的商业街上亲身体会现场购物的乐趣。
在青少年通过网络购买的物品中，最常见的是CD、录音带或者是电脑游戏、游戏相关设备，买上述几种物品的占到了总人数的45％，购买DVD和录像带的比例为43％，还有37％的人在网上买过各种礼品。青少年们很愿意把钱用在购买电脑游戏及相关设备上，13％的人表示自己每年通过网络花在这些物品上的钱超过了20英镑；此外，12％的人每年花在购买手机上的钱超过了20英镑，还有11％的人把同样多的钱花在了购买服装上。
我们不应只看到新一代消费者已经浮出水面，我们还应意识到这些人都是网上购物的狂热发烧友。
由于一般情况下青少年总是一个家庭在互联网应用上的先行者，所以在保证孩子安全使用网络这一点上，父母们可谓责任重大。