Tween Entrepeneur Lessons - GirlSense.com
by
on March 04, 2007,
I see a lot of press releases about Web 2.0 community sites, and most of them, quite honestly, I skip right over. For some reason, one released last week caught my eye. GirlSense was being re-launched as a free site, and while I wasn't familiar with its previous incarnation, the concept of the site caught my eye.
Designed for tween girls, who actually make up a large consumer base, the site features your standard pink flowers and games designed for the typical Hannah Montana fan. Where it gets interesting, however, is in one of the main features of the site: building a tiny little web empire within the community.
GirlSense has several areas where girls can design their own fashions, decorate and stock a boutique, set prices for their creations, and even buy “advertising” on the site using site currency called G-cents that they earn by selling their creations. Additional base products to customize fashions and accessories are also available by spending G-cents, so the more items you create and sell, the more you can build your empire.
The trouble with most 2.0 sites when it comes to letting children online is safety, and GirlSense goes out of their way to ensure the safety of its community members. Prominent links include tips for staying safe online, and every registration is copied to a parent's email address for verification. Once online, the site monitors user interaction for any problem behavior. Messages are passed between members via “Notes” so email addresses can remain hidden.
The downside to the free launch is that there are some activities or ads for products, but it's much less invasive advertising than you see on children's television. Most of the message board chat seems to have to do with empire building, and the girls on the site seem very focused on building and marketing their businesses.
It's often tough to find community sites for kids that protect privacy, have a community, and actually provide a worthwhile online experience, but GirlSense seems to have managed it. I let my tween loose on the site with parental supervision and she's already become quite the little Bill Gates, with a better handle on economics than I ever gained, informing me that she wanted to set her fashion prices low so that she could sell more and make money with the number of items purchased. She's designed advertising, evaluated competitors to see what products sell, and created her business accordingly. Hopefully more Web 2.0 sites with their sites set on the next generation of consumers will follow the same model, because this is definitely one of the better kid community sites available.
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kalipso
Mav
Orient expresS
Zagreb
Opensource 
Michael Fidler 
I’m 17 and when I stumbled across the site, it intrigued me enough to sign up, just for kicks. Now I’m harmlessly addicted. This whole experiment blending economics, marketing, psychology and design unfolded and hooked me. It’s fun to see what will work and what won’t.
The community is suprisingly supportive and friendly; I have yet to see enemies, drama or harsh words which is quite a feat considering you’re putting 10,421,381 preteen girls in direct competition with each other.
The biggest negative I see is that the sense of the entire place feeds the feminine stereotype. It is, ultimately, about makeup and skirts and dolls.
All in all, I would recommend Girlsense to parents who want to recommend a constructive, safe website to their kids
No boys though, the girls hate it when boys invade
Thanks for the comment, Lauren.
I agree about the stereotypes, but having a tween daughter, I can assure you that she is interested in accessories, shoes, and Hannah Montana. When we went shopping for school shoes, she somehow conned my mother into adding on THREE ADDITIONAL PAIRS of shoes. It’s the lowest common denominator for tween girls; for instance, you’ll find many, but not all, like horses, and they aren’t as much fun to make different colors.
I’m glad to hear that it appeals to older girls as well; I do like that it seems to be a safe place for my daughter to “hang out” online and was hoping she wouldn’t outgrow it too quickly and head for MySpace.
Great post, by the way. I’m glad an adult actually took a step back and analyzed this site a bit.
It appeals to preteens, it makes them happy and it’s safe. I don’t think anyone could argue with it because it’s overtly girly, considering places like Myspace are the primary competitors for a girl’s online time.
Obviously there is a sense of accomplishment too. Even if it’s not tangible; you do make progress, create items that other girls want, and meet new people with similar interests.
Your daughter and I share the same logic in pricing… have her look me up under RabbleWabble
i love that web site . if anyone wants to visit me my web name is washingtongirl67. i love that website. i got into the website because my bff tiana ekeh introduced me to it. i thought it had looked so much fun to make your own person and it takes a lot to get my intrest. i love you,
kayla
i luv this website! it’s really fun and cool. the only thing, though is that it can be too safe, i mean. i’m old enough to write or see comments, but since im half a year away of being 13. i still can’t!!! so, i can understand that some girls might feel a little too grown up to use the site. but still most of the stuff they have is really fun, oh and even teen users love it!!! well if anyone wants to come by. my user name is chocolatebug!
I love girlsense.com. My netname is popstar11496!
have u ever wondered how much it would cost to send ur daughter to a real deignig class. the solution is Girlsense.com my daughter has been going on it 4 years and her name is Joa15 she has a lot of views and is very well known on girlsense she is also really nice and is willing to be freinds with anyone that asks her. joa has been going on girlsense since she was 10 and she goes on everyday. id say it’s just a way of saving money in a good way were she can interact with preteens her own age and make clothes. her best friend on girlsense is SpeakUrVoiceSP she is reslly nice also. well girlsensense is under cunstruction and she is getting real mad and i wou;ld like to thank debra the maker of girlsnse,thnx so much it has been great for my daughter she is makin me sick with it’s under construction thing she is like basicly crying!!!joa has said to visit her boutique and rate and comment and go to SpeakUrVoiceSP!♥♥-thnx deb
p.s. i know debra the girlsense fashion editor!
i heard about it while searching for account games and im 15, and i am addicted, i have learned alot from managing money, stock and supply and demand! my username is SUNNYGURL910
***I MAKE THE BEST SHIRTS!****