The back-to-school season is upon us again and it continues to evolve. The Internet is climbing as one of the top shopping destinations; mobile and digital continue to influence the purchase process; and the dedicated summer shopping season is seemingly of less importance as consumers will wait until the last minute to shop — with some even completing their purchases after the school year begins. It is no longer your parents’ back-to-school season and we are exploring what is driving consumers’ decisions in 2014. For more information, visit http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/Industries/Retail-Distribution/back-to-school/index.htm.

1. Back-to-College 2014
Rising to the head of the class
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College students will return to their campuses and classrooms soon. They will strive to graduate with honors. Deloitte surveyed over 450
parents of college students to determine the top honors and consumer shopping trends likely to impact their college spending plans:
Digital & Mobile
Social Media
Destinations
Top shopping destinations:
89%
of college families plan
to use social media sites
in their back-to-college
shopping and of those...
Discount/value
department
stores
Book stores/
university
stores
Internet,
excluding
auction sites
indicated that their college student
owns at least 1 or more credit cards.
Financial
on average this year compared
with $1,360 in 2013.
Families* expect
to spend
$1,223
*including
children
Smart phones Computers
84%
MP3 players
51%
rank as the most popular electronic devices owned
by college students.
59%
42%
of college parents will likely use
their smart phone device while
in the store to comparison shop
and find the best prices.
of college parents are likely to
purchase more items online to
find the best prices.
77%
62%
44%
44%
...will visit retailers’
social networking
sites compared with
34% last year.
46%
79%
are more likely to
purchase from online
retailers who offer
free shipping during
the back-to-college
shopping season.
College households
expect to take on average 4
shopping trips when purchasing
back-to-college items.
41%
www.deloitte.com/us/2014Back2School
@DeloitteCB
#Back2School_D
Deloitte conducted its second annual Back-to-College survey of 453 parents of college students from July 5-10, 2014. The survey has a margin of
error for the entire sample of plus or minus five percentage points.
This publication contains general information only and is based on the experiences and research of Deloitte practitioners. Deloitte is not, by means of this
publication, rendering business, financial, investment, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional
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52%
of college
parents
own
tablets.