Back-to-school shopping already on parents' minds

LOS ANGELES — Although summer vacations have just begun for many schoolchildren, parents already have back-to-school shopping on their minds.



According to the new Consumer Pulse survey of parents with kids in grades K-12 and college from Rubicon Project, 56% of respondents said they plan to spend more money per child than they did last year to prepare the students for the upcoming school year.



K-12 parents plan to spend on average $873 per student, while parents who also have college students are planning to spend more than $1,100 per student. Parents have also started their back-to-school shopping early. Nearly one-quarter of K-12 parents (23% have already begun and will continue to spread their purchases throughout the summer.



As signs of the improving economy and the growing student use of technology in the classroom, the Rubicon Project survey found that nearly two in five parents (38%) intend to purchase technology products such as laptops, tablets and mobile phones specifically to meet students’ in-class needs and requirements. On average, elementary and secondary school parents expect to spend nearly $400 on technology products, compared to $278 on apparel.



Saving money and finding great deals still lie at the heart of back-to-school shopping for many parents. Nearly two-thirds of parents surveyed (61%) said store sales and promotions are the top determinant of when they conduct their back-to-school shopping. Nearly three in four parents (74%) said they prefer to shop at a big box retailer or large chain store if it meant getting a better deal.



While the majority of parents continue to purchase most of their back-to-school items in-store, online shopping and even mobile shopping are becoming increasingly popular alternatives. Fifty percent of parents with college students clicked on an online ad in the past seven days, and nearly half of them (48%) also clicked on a mobile ad. About two in five parents of college students reported making a purchase within the past week based on a mobile ad (41%) or an online ad (42% they saw.



Half of parents surveyed (50%) said they typically spend the most time shopping or researching products online during the regular business hours of 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Two in five parents (39%) reserve their shopping until evening hours from 5 p.m. - midnight, while 11% are night owls or early birds who shop online from midnight - 9 a.m.