Young consumers in the United States spent more time on the Web than on any other media in May 2008, according to a study by DoubleClick Performics and ROI Research, eMarketer reported.

The study targeted children in the United States, between ages 10 and 14, and found that 83 percent of respondents surf online for at least one hour every day.

Moreover, four out of 10 respondents used online search to learn about products or services after seeing ads. Many said they used search engines to find out where to buy, check prices or to start researching from scratch.

The study is quite intriguing, because based on the definition by the U.S. Department of Commerce, only consumers ages 14 and older are considered online shoppers and buyers, eMarketer reported.

According to DoubleClick, search ads were appropriate for this age group because they consumed both online and offline media.

“To capture the demand generated in complementary channels, marketers should incorporate search ads into other online and offline marketing campaigns,” Stuart Larkins, senior vice president at DoubleClick Performics, said in July.

According to a Harris Interactive report, even if the 10-to-14-year-old age group does not make purchases themselves, they influence family buying decisions, eMarketer reported.

Teens and young adults between ages 13 and 21 had far more influence than 8-to-12-year-olds. However, children still held sway in many purchasing decisions at home, according to eMarketer.