Online giant targets its newest shopper: teens
Amazon’s new program gives teenagers purchasing power.
The online giant is giving teens between the ages of 13 and 17 their own login to use on the Amazon app. The service, which requires parental consent, enables teens to shop or stream content without supervision. However, parents still have the power to approve all orders or set pre-approved spending limits – a move that keeps parents informed of shopping habits, while still giving the young shoppers a level of autonomy.
Here’s how the service works: Teens send an invitation to their parent through either SMS or email. The parent will choose a payment method and shipping addresses for their teen to use when placing orders. The teen then receives an invitation to create their own username and password, and then download the Amazon App to start shopping.
Once their account is established, teens can begin to browse the app. When they place an order, parents will receive a text or email showing the item, cost, shipping address and payment information. Teenage shoppers can also include a personalized note like, “this is the book I need for class.”
Parents can approve the order by text or they can visit their orders page to further review the order. They also have the option to skip the approval step and set pre-approved spending limit. Parents receive itemized notifications for every order, and can cancel and return any item in accordance with Amazon’s policies, the online retailer said.
The program also allows parents to share their Prime membership with their children, at no additional cost.
“We’ve listened to families and have built a great experience for both teens and parents,” said Michael Carr, VP, Amazon Households. “For teens who have a parent with a Prime membership, they can also access Prime benefits at no additional cost, including fast, free shipping, Prime Video and gaming benefits with Twitch Prime.”
The online giant is giving teens between the ages of 13 and 17 their own login to use on the Amazon app. The service, which requires parental consent, enables teens to shop or stream content without supervision. However, parents still have the power to approve all orders or set pre-approved spending limits – a move that keeps parents informed of shopping habits, while still giving the young shoppers a level of autonomy.
Here’s how the service works: Teens send an invitation to their parent through either SMS or email. The parent will choose a payment method and shipping addresses for their teen to use when placing orders. The teen then receives an invitation to create their own username and password, and then download the Amazon App to start shopping.
Once their account is established, teens can begin to browse the app. When they place an order, parents will receive a text or email showing the item, cost, shipping address and payment information. Teenage shoppers can also include a personalized note like, “this is the book I need for class.”
Parents can approve the order by text or they can visit their orders page to further review the order. They also have the option to skip the approval step and set pre-approved spending limit. Parents receive itemized notifications for every order, and can cancel and return any item in accordance with Amazon’s policies, the online retailer said.
The program also allows parents to share their Prime membership with their children, at no additional cost.
“We’ve listened to families and have built a great experience for both teens and parents,” said Michael Carr, VP, Amazon Households. “For teens who have a parent with a Prime membership, they can also access Prime benefits at no additional cost, including fast, free shipping, Prime Video and gaming benefits with Twitch Prime.”