Consumer problems related to the youth
Part 1 : Trends in consumer issues and consumers' attitude/behavior
Chapter 3 : [Feature] Consumption by the youth
Section 2 : Consumer problems related to the youth
The number of consumer affairs consultations by the youth is declining.
- In any age group out of late 10s, early 20s and late 20s, the number of consultations related to the youth is decreasing in a long-term viewpoint, even when the population factor is taken into consideration.
- As they come of age and start their life as a member of the society, the number of consultations related to the people in their early 20s was approximately 39,000 in 2016, which is 2.4 times more of the number for late 10s.
- Although over 50% of the consultations in the late 10s were related to men, for people in their early 20s and late 20s, more than 50% of the consultations were related to women.
- As one of the reasons for this decreasing trend, although troubles arising from SNS is increasing, more than 60% of the late 10s and early 20s search on the Internet to find information and it is possible to discuss that they avoid troubles by themselves.
There are many troubles involving digital content or new life.
- Common consultations among the youth, for both men and women, are the issues of digital content related to "adult websites," "dating website," etc.
- Many of the consultations related to women regarding beauty, such as health foods and beauty salons. Consultations on debts are also increasing for people of 20 years & over, especially for men.
- There are cases in which people encounter in troubles (contract for renting apartments, payment of television subscription charges, newspaper subscription charges, Internet connection lines, etc.) when they leave their homes and start new, independent life to enter into universities or become members of the society.
- Cream: Digital content, Green: Cases largely observed in new life, Yellow-green: Relating to debts, Blue: Matters commonly consulted for men, Pink: Matters commonly consulted for women (beauty related)
Consultations related to troubles arising from SNS are increasing.
Consultations related to multilevel marketing are seen among the youth.
- Troubles arising from SNS are on an increase. There are several types of problems, and 60% of those are for women in their late 20s .
- Although the number of consultations related to "multilevel marketing transactions" (including dishonest business practices) has decreased than before, it is increasing among the youth.
- Many of the causes of troubles are being solicited by friends or colleagues right after they become the age of 20. For the past few years, there are also cases of being solicited by people whom one has never met but knows through SNS.
- The prominent consultation cases of 2016 include "Earning money through affiliations of online foreign casinos, and earning money in accordance with the number of people one recruits", etc.
The percentage of the youth encountering such troubles related beauty is high.
- Among young women, many of their consultations are related to beauty such as "esthetic services," "medical cosmetic treatment," etc. Most of the troubles are cancellations of a contract such as "I went to a beauty salon recommended by my friend and made a contract, but since my family is against it, I want to cancel my contract in midway stage," etc.
- "Health foods" such as diet supplements, etc. and "cosmetics" are also prominent, and many troubles concerning "repeated purchases" have occurred in 2016.
- Furthermore, there are consultations related to "contracts on being a model or a TV star," including cases such as "being suggested to take profile pictures, which as a result turned out to be charged for a huge amount for the shooting."
