8/16/13
Nearly half of college students (48%) plan to commute to school from home rather than living on campus in the 2013-2014 school year, according to the National Retail Federation. This represents a 12% increase from the 43% who lived with their parents during the 2012-2013 school year [calculations by Research Alert]. Fewer than a quarter (23%) will live in dormitories, down from 26% last year, and 24% will live in off-campus housing near school, down from 25% who did so last year. The increase in students choosing to live with their parents may reflect overall economic worries; 81% of all back-to-school shoppers say economic concerns are changing their back-to-school spending habits.
Total spending by college students and their families on back-to-school expenses is projected to be $45.8 billion. Students and their families will spend an average of $836.83 on items such as apparel, electronics, and furnishings for college dorm rooms, down from $907.22 in fall 2012.
Electronics account for the largest proportion of total college back-to-school spending (24%), followed by clothing and accessories (15%) and shoes (8%) [calculations by Research Alert].
Discount stores and department stores are the top shopping venues for back-to-college items. Men are more likely than women to shop for these items online (40% vs. 34%), at electronics stores (26% vs. 16%), or via catalog (15% vs. 9%). Women are more likely than men to shop at discount stores (53% vs. 44%).
Almost two-thirds of college students and their families (65%) plan to begin their back-to-school shopping at least three weeks before school starts. One in five will begin one to two weeks before school, and 5% will start the first week of school. More than one in 10 (11%) won’t begin until after the beginning of the semester.
SOURCE: “2013 Back-to-College Survey,” National Retail Federation, Matthew Shay, President/CEO, 325 7th St., NW, #1100, Washington, DC 20004; 202-783-7971; shaym@nrf.com; www.nrf.com/backtoschool. Price: Available online at no charge.
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