We recently asked college students across the country about their back-to-school shopping plans and here’s what we found.
Keep calm. They’re still enjoying summer.
Even if store shelves are stocked in early July, most college students (77%) plan to wait until a few weeks or a week before classes start to begin their back-to-school shopping. Only 11% said they plan ahead and start shopping months in advance.
They’re logging off and walking in.
Despite the fears that bricks-and-mortar stores are on the decline, the majority (76%) of college students said they plan to do their back-to-school shopping in-store, and only 24% of students plan to do the majority of their back-to-school shopping online. When asked where they plan to shop, 71% of students plan to shop at a mass retailer (such as Walmart or Target).
I have $$$ to spend here.
College students report a budget of approximately $237 to spend on back-to-school supplies this year. And, they expect their parents to chip in about $71.
Students say they’re conservative … with their spending.
Seventy-nine percent of college students say they expect to spend the same or less than last year on back-to-school supplies and 21% plan to spend considerably less.