An empirical study exploring factors influencing Tweenagers’ purchase intention

India has emerged as the most dynamic market. In a fast paced performance driven economy there is much to grapple within the awe of swift changes. Country like India has seen a paradigm shift in its social structure in the last decade which has impacted the behavioral pattern of its people. Rise in discretionary income, multiple income households, increasing materialism, nuclear family becoming a more convenient and practical option and postponement in marriages and conception complication have all shaped up a new parent- child relationship. Children are increasingly getting recognized as an independent consumer group. They are now a consumer force most marketers are trying to reckon with. They have discretionary income to spend and also influence family purchases. Individual factors can decide the buying roles and participation of children in purchase related decisions. Factors such as age, gender, family type etc. can determine the child's purchase intention. It is imperative for marketers to gain understanding of the segment if they want to cater to this highly profitable slice of the marketplace.

A special age-group, Tweenagers, has progressed in the recent years, and has become the apple of the marketers’ eye. In the academic world, most researchers have delineated "Tweenagers" as “8–12 year olds". Children (under 12) and teens influence parental purchases everywhere. As the children grow they shift from mere recognition of advertisements, brands and logos to cognition. They begin to rationalize the communication made to them and their sense of interpretation takes front seat. Tweenagers are fully aware of the purpose of advertisements. From mere spectators in the buying decisions, the children grow up to become an influencer and a buyer too.