Teens Equal Big Cash according to Frontline's Episode "Merchants of Cool"

           Teens, what can we say, we like to spend cash, and lots of it at some points. If you go to Arden Fair Mall on a regular weekend, you will see dozens of teenagers walking around with bags from major name brand stores like Footlocker, Victoria Secret, Journey's, Champs and so many more. What all of these companies have in common is the appeal that they bring to teenagers which allows them to bring in the big bucks from out of all of their pockets. In Frontline's 2001 Episode called "Merchants of Cool", they found out that back then, teens spent 150 billion on goods each year across America. Imagine what that number is at now 18 years later, it could easily be in the upper 800 millions to trillions maybe. It is crazy to think of just teenagers spending this much money, but why do they?
          Marketing businesses find the appeals of teens by celebrity promotions or just making something that fits perfectly in the current time frame and it draws all the money in. The reason this works is because when teens get one, all they want to do is pend it, not many save it for the future so these companies live off of impulse buys which comes from big promotions and sales. I for one have been a victim of this marketing scheme but I have learned to save money so I can have a really good use for it if I need it in the future. But where does this strain of money come from? Parents are most likely the source of money from most teens or they get it from birthdays, Christmas, other holidays, or maybe they actually have a job. When a teen gets that first paycheck in their direct deposit, you feel so powerful to have that type of money in your hand which leads to the impulse to spend.
          Teens will continue to be big for America's economy if it keeps rising at this rate because there is no real end in sight for it. As the days pass by, there will continue to be even more cash for teens to spend on goods which will help the big companies even more that draw them all in.