I remember when I was younger. The internet was only heard of by the posh and the corporate. Without such a powerful tool at our disposal we had to earn extra pocket money by washing neighbour’s cars, cutting their grass and walking their dogs. This bears such a contrast when compared to today where so much technology is available to us, giving just about anyone a good chance of earning money online. In fact, the internet is now full of entrepreneurial child-geniuses that make the internet a powerful and efficient tool with which to build a business (or, in some cases, businesses).
In the time I have spent online, I have often mingled with the aforementioned. I have talked to them, sought their advice and learned of their ways. I have met youngsters who monetize through YouTube, through their own T-Shirt businesses and online stores. Yet, among all these young prodigies and budding businessmen, the ones who really stood out to me were those that made a healthy living with the buying and selling of Counter Strike skins.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSy6gWjiwGA]
What Are Skins?
In the hugely popular first-person shooter game, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, skins are what are known as patterns for in-game weapons and also a wide-range of knives of different shapes, colours and patterns. These are highly collectable on the scene and can fetch up to a thousand dollars each. There is a phenomenal market for them and one dominated by the younger generation.
How This Market is Perfect For The Younger Generation
Amidst the professional online marketeers and shrewd businessmen of the specific community I frequent are a lot of gamers, casual and dedicated alike. Counter Strike: Global Offensive (or, CS:GO), is a widely popular game among the younger demographic and generates a lot of interest and oft even obsession. A lot of the users on the website I refer to seem to dedicate their whole lives to attacking or defending the bomb (the primary objectives in CS:GO). I have wrote before of how gaming can be bad for children, and by my words I firmly stand. However, In the case of CS:GO and its much-coveted skins we see these young gamers realising the true revenue-driving potential and thus, young businessmen are born. And how can that be a bad thing in anyone’s proverbial book?
A Real Opportunity
As mentioned, these young people hold a vast knowledge in CS:GO through many hours of playing. I personally feel that it is fantastic that this knowledge is being used to business centred ends and I’m fully behind anything that encourages the younger generation to work for their money and be creative. A lot of the time these oaks are created from acorns dropped within the community. Ideas are sparked from seeing other people bragging about their weekly incomes (which, incidently, can be astronomical) and thinking ‘I can do that too’. They then do a little research and discover just how much can be made by trading these digital delights and begin to work on setting up websites (which means learning whole new skill sets that are beyond valuable in today’s world), advertising and approaching larger companies for bulk discounts and building real business acumen. This experience (and, eventually money) allows them to further branch out, increasing their revenue, reputation and online presence. All this, stemmed from a love of games and a knowledge of the value of products related to their hobby can set our children up for a lifetime of wealth and stability.
Where Are These Sold?
Counter Strike Skins are sold in a number of different ways and places. Dedicated forums, websites and social media platforms are in abundance, and thriving sources of fellow gamers looking to increase their skin collections so they can digitally beat their chests as they display their newly-purchased shiny skins to their peer groups (offering what we all know as the best form of free advertisement, word of mouth). Alternatively, sites offer users money, discounts, coupon codes in return for their skins, which they then sell on for further profit. I have even seen these on eBay and Amazon receiving high interest and a lot of custom. The potential really is limitless, offering CS:GO skins vendors the perfect foundation to build a successful business in the field and, maybe more importantly, the asset we know as experience. I have the utmost respect for these people, these who have took it upon themselves to build a real life and a prosperous future. I can only fully commend their efforts and ambition.
