Discrete Parental Review for Children’s Purchases
One innovative site, called BillMyParents, solves the problem of credit card security or out-of-control spending
by a child. Parents sign up for the service, which charges a 50 cent fee per shopping cart transaction, and the
child can shop on participating sites from that point on. In the meantime, parents never have to share their
credit card information or hand over their card to their child again. The child can shop online, using their
email address as an identifier, and they can make product decisions on their own without having their parents
overtly limit their individual style or embarrass them in front of friends. Once a product is selected, the parent
is notified about the purchase via email and then approves or denies each specific purchase. If a particular item is approved, the
parent’s credit card information is processed through BillMyParents and the product arrives via mail a few days later. More credit
card security for the parents, more individual choice for the child, and more oversight too. Not a bad way to smooth out the family
dynamic—all through the Internet www.billmyparents.com
Self-Service Product Samples

Teaching Kids the Value of Time
UK-based Gizoo.co.uk started thinking about parents
Whenever a new product is introduced, one of the
and how they are often burdened with driving their
most challenging tasks is getting people to try the
children from place to place without any thanks. After
product. Most of the time, a veritable army of people
a bit more noodling, someone came up with the idea
is needed to distribute samples, and that can get
that kids can learn the value of other people’s time
expensive. Now, Belgium-based Fosfor has come up
by creating a product that requires some form of
with a concept called Boobox that can drastically
payment to the parent for being their de facto taxi.
reduce the number of people handing out samples
In the end, they came up with the concept for Dad’s
by developing a kiosk that can do it automatically. The kiosk would
Cab, the 2009 Gift of the Year Award winner, that
display an attractive advertisement for the samples and require passers
includes a “meter,” which doubles as an alarm clock,
by to send a free SMS message via their phone to an arranged number.
and an assortment of “forfeit cards” that require
In return, the consumer is sent an activation code that gives them
the child to do a particular task (e.g., tidy up your
access to the sample. Because the phone is identified, only one sample
room) in exchange for the ride. At the very least, it’s
per phone is allowed, which eliminates any worry about hording the
an excellent tool that helps
sample product. In addition, Boobox can adjust to sample products of
children appreciate the
different size, weight, or form. It also includes a refrigeration system
value of other
that can allow vendors to dispense samples of dairy product or cold
people’s time.
drinks. Just place the kiosk in a high traffic area and all you have to do is
www.gizoo.co.uk
restock it at regular intervals. www.fosfor.be
 ThinkBusiness June 2009 
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