Title: Life lessons: how mothers teaching their children about shopping has moved online

Authors: Cara Peters; Jane Boyd Thomas; Ann Hackert

Addresses: Management and Marketing Department, Winthrop University, 701 Oakland Ave, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA ' Management and Marketing Department, Winthrop University, 701 Oakland Ave, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA ' College of Business Administration, Idaho State University, 921 South 8th Ave., Pocatello, ID 83209, USA

Abstract: Online shopping is increasingly popular among young consumers. Yet, this demographic group is the most likely to be victimised by cybercrimes. Understanding consumer socialisation can help identify ways to teach children about shopping safely in today's online world. Using consumer socialisation and social change theory as the theoretical foundation, this study aimed to describe how parents socialise their children as consumers. Data were collected via 36 semi-structured interviews with mothers of children aged 3-18 years. The findings highlight the mothers' mixed feelings about shopping with their children, particularly how the child's age impacted what and how they learned certain lessons, such as impulse control. Technological factors (e.g., calculating item value, specifying shipping information and handling digital money and payments) also appeared to drive changes in how mothers orient their children to the online shopping process. Theoretical, managerial, and social implications of this consumer socialisation are discussed.

Keywords: consumer socialisation; technology; mothers teaching children; online shopping; young consumers; children shopping online; shopping lessons; vulnerable population shopping; shopping safety; online shopping concerns.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTMKT.2026.150480

International Journal of Technology Marketing, 2026 Vol.20 No.1, pp.31 - 49

Accepted: 23 Apr 2025
Published online: 15 Dec 2025 *

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