How 'bout that! Find out how Gen Y spend online.

We explore the latest findings from research into the online behaviour of Gen Y, and it isn’t what you’d expect.

Thanks to extensive research conducted by Flywheel, an innovative IT team based in London, we can finally know for sure which brands and retail experiences Gen Y LOVES and of course HATES.

According to Flywheel, “Gen Y feels very differently about the way they buy than previous generations.” Online spending of Gen Y, or people aged 18-33 years, by far exceeds that of all other generations, but they are also the most brand-conscious and therefore selective when it comes to purchasing.

Results found that 95% of the total 639 Gen Y participants LOVE the Amazon brand, way ahead of runner up Apple at 51%. Clocking in at No.1 for retail, travel was 69% purchased online as opposed to offline in 2012, and entertainment was second with an even 50/50 split between online and offline, showing an increase of 15% from the previous year. The most surprising figure of all according to Flywheel, was the amount of Gen Y’s buying their clothes on line at 27%.

So what does this mean for the average business? EASE. Reaching Gen Y is all about making it easy for the consumer, by being in the right place at the right time, carefully aligning your 4 Ps (price, product, promotion, place) for the easiest purchase possible, and taking your business online wherever possible.

You can see all the Flywheel findings here. 

Also see how Brisbane Mediations is finding its way to Gen Y through Facebook and Twitter.

Children and New Partners

When separated parents re-partner, their children react in a range of ways - some healthy and others destructive.

Each child's unique grief reaction and adjustment to their parents' separation should be considered before introducing them to even the idea of new partners.

After separation, it is most important to maintain open communication between children and parents. Whilst being as honest as possible with them, however, parents should not expect their children to instantly applaud or even accept a decision to re-partner, especially if the other parent sees the new partner as responsible for the end of the relationship. Similarly, children should not be expected to immediately treat a parent's new partner as a parent.

If expected to cope with such a major change prematurely, there is a risk that children will recoil from or even refuse a relationship with the re-parenting parent and that they will align themselves - sometimes exclusively - with the other parent.

The good news is that given time and sensitive support children can adapt to new parenting situations, including quite complex blended families in more than one household. The key to success is to introduce such changes at the child's pace, with support, and with sensitivity.

As children are treated with respect by new partners, trust can grow and relationships independent of either parent will hopefully develop. This process cannot be forced and relies on the maturity and patience of the re-parenting parent, step-parent and, of course, the other parent.

Denise Britton - Co-Principal, Brisbane Mediations