Newswise — One of the big issues for most parents as they prepare for school in the fall is how to pay for what their kids want and need for the new school year. Cheryl H. Bridges, director of the Center for Retailing Studies at Texas A&M University's Mays Business School, can address some of the issues listed below.
Cellular at Seven " The Firefly phone, which holds only four numbers, may be the answer for parents who want to keep in touch with their elementary students at the playground. Will higher gas prices influence what parents buy (or don't buy) for back to school? More colleges require or recommend laptops as wireless access becomes the norm on college campuses. This has boosted consumer electronic sales and changed the learning community. Where to shop for back-to-school? Where there are great values " discounters, department stores, specialty stores, the Internet. The high price of cool " iPods, iPhones, and computer notebooks are nearly ubiquitous among teens and this is another time for upgrades. What's too much? A National Retail Federation's survey showed that 15.2% of shoppers went online for back to school purchases in 2006. That's up from 11.8% the year before. This trend is expected to continue. Parents can save a bundle on back-to-school clothing if they (or their kids) can wait for September sales. Does anyone really wait? More than 30 years after becoming the largest group of schoolchildren in U.S. history, baby boomers have finally lost their record — to their kids. What are these parents buying for their kids that is different or new? Kid's Choice " who chooses the back to school supplies? A shift in parenting styles allows more choice (and consumer weight) to tots through teens. The 2007 "must have" items " clean-lined jeans without rips or tears; message T-shirts; backpacks and messenger bags designed to hold electronic gadgets; bed-in-a-bag or dorm-in-a-bag for new college students.
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