Pi-Consulting

A new generation of Americans is growing up on computers, and the race is on to be little kids’ online “destination of choice”. Now nine-year-olds can dress up dolls in cyberspace, picking out their clothes, hairstyles and accessories online. If you don’t like the dolls at Cartoon Doll Emporium, you could always click over to Cyworld, Habbo Hotel, Webkinz or WeeWorld. Even mighty Mattel is getting in on the act, with BarbieGirls.com. Sites enjoying 3 or 4 million visits a month are re-thinking their free access policies, and adding ‘premium services’ for $5 to $8 monthly. At Webkinz, buying a toy at the toy store allows children to enter a secret code from the sales tag at webkinz.com. This activates a ‘virtual replica’ of the toy, which the owner can then control at the click of a mouse, walking the cybertoy through virtual environments, building it a house, and so on. Kids “want a say in the script”, say industry observers. Most site visitors are female, with many ranging in age up to 16 and older. Seems there’s often a little girl hiding behind the most sophisticated teenage exterior. Sources: New York Times, Pi.