The 2016 Back-to-college spending survey presents the spending habits of college students and their parents including when and where they’ll shop, how much they’ll spend, and on what products. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/back-to-college-survey.html

1. Spending plans Spending plans
Student influence
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THE PARENT PERSPECTIVE THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
Category spend Category spend
Purchase power
Digital influence
Back to College 2016
$1,345 average total spending
estimated by parents - similar to
last year
$1,082 average total spending
estimated by students
Spending peaks with freshman and
declines in the senior year
67% plan to use debit cards – the group’s primary
method of payment
67% plan to use credit cards –
the group’s primary method
of payment
16% expect their kids to
contribute more than half
of budget
57% say they will contribute
more than half of budget
75% say shopping is
heavily influenced by the student
83% will buy used books
to stretch the budget
90% expect to
shop before mid-August
Top destinations are
bookstores (63%) and
discount/value department
stores (53%)
86% expect to begin shopping
by mid-August
In-store purchases
still prevail
Top destinations are bookstores
(71%) and online stores (64%)
Expect to spend almost as much
online as in-store
82% research online before
buying in the physical store
79% will seek out free shipping
87% will shop throughout
the summer to take
advantage of deals
Early & in-store
86%
College
supplies $521
$312
$253
$321
$673
$392
$388
$202
$196
$473
$279
$378
75%
Clothing
& accessories
61%
Household
appliances
& supplies
47%Dorm furniture
& supplies
36%
Computers &
hardware
21%
Electronic
gadgets
Plan to buy Average
spend
Plan to buy Average
spend
Electronic
gadgets
32%
Dorm furniture
& supplies
40%
Computers &
hardware
44%
Household
appliances & supplies
55%
Clothing
& accessories
79%
College
supplies
94%
Copyright © 2016 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.
Source: Deloitte Back-to-College Survey 2016
#1 use of
smartphone in
shopping journey:
find store location
45% will use social media to
inform their purchase decisions
#1 use of
social media in
shopping journey:
view promotions
Device most often used for shopping:
smartphone – by of shoppers71%