SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ebates.com, the pioneer and leader in online cash back shopping, today announced results of its 2013 Back to School Survey that found traditional back to school shopping at physical stores is stressful for a majority of parents (66 percent) and children (68 percent) alike. The national survey conducted online by TNS on behalf of Ebates.com in June 2013 was fielded among 1,000 adults and 501 teens.
Parents cited several reasons that traditional back to school shopping is stressful, including limited time and availability to shop (30 percent), finding a deal on "name brand" items (26 percent), managing demands of children who want to be trendy (27 percent), disagreeing with children on budget (23 percent), and managing demands for items not related to school (21 percent).
Students between the ages of 12 - 17 listed the top reasons back to school shopping stressed them out:
- Arguing with parents about buying items not directly related to school - 36 percent
- Disagreeing with parents on how much to spend - 29 percent
- Disagreeing with parents on fashion/style choices - 27 percent
- Purchasing desirable brands - 22 percent
- Disagreeing with parents on which stores to shop at - 18 percent
The survey also found that children and parents were in disagreement when it came to choosing what to buy for starting the new school year. Popular items among students, but not their parents, were tech gadgets, including a laptop (44 percent), smartphone (36 percent), and tablet/e-reader (28 percent). Parents instead listed more traditional school supplies such as paper notebooks (53 percent), No. 2 pencils (47 percent), and books (41 percent).
Both groups prioritized clothes (first for kids vs. second for parents), shoes (second for kids vs. fifth for parents), and a backpack (fourth for kids vs. third for parents). Parents ranked tech gadgets— including a laptop (17 percent), tablet/e-reader (5 percent), smartphone (4 percent) and iPod/mp3 player (3 percent) — among the lowest in importance on their shopping list.
|
Top Items Parents Want |
Percent of Parents |
Top Items Students |
Percent of Students |
|||
| 1. Paper notebooks | 53 percent | 1. Clothes | 60 percent | |||
| 2. Clothes | 50 percent | 2. Shoes | 54 percent | |||
| 3. Backpack | 48 percent | 3. Laptop | 44 percent | |||
| 4. No. 2 pencils | 47 percent | 4. Backpack | 37 percent | |||
| 5. Shoes | 44 percent | 5. Smartphone | 36 percent | |||
| 6. Books | 41 percent | 6. Tablet/e-reader | 28 percent | |||
When asked how much money they would spend on back to school shopping, 38 percent of adults said they would spend over $100.
"Clearly back to school shopping the old fashioned way is stressful, but it doesn't have to be," said Kevin H. Johnson, CEO of Ebates. "At Ebates, we make back to school shopping convenient, affordable and an enjoyable experience for everyone. Our customers can shop at Ebates.com from the comfort of home and get great deals on all the items on their shopping list."
Now through August 26, back to school shoppers can receive up to double cash back on select retailers via Ebates. For more details on specific retailers participating in the special Back to School offer, visit Ebates.com.
About Ebates®
Over 1,500 online stores have joined the roster of retailers that offer cash back, special deals including free shipping, and over 5000 coupons to members of Ebates.com. The free membership allows consumers to shop online at their favorite retailers while earning a percentage of every purchase they make; paid quarterly in the form of a "Big Fat Check" or through PayPal. From niceties to necessities, members of Ebates benefit from incentives at top-name merchants for everything from furniture to fashion and appliances to airfare. Because shopping with Ebates is hassle-free: no rebate forms to fill out and no points or miles to redeem, the site supports a strong community of savvy shoppers across the country and around the world.
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by TNS via its omnibus product on behalf of Ebates in June 2013, among adults ages 18 and older, and youths ages 12 to 17. For complete survey methodology, including raw data and weighting variables, please contact Jessica Cooper at Grayling.
