Gadgets Claim More Space in America’s Backpacks; Intent to Buy Electronics for Back-to-School Up 9%

  Gadgets Claim More Space in America’s Backpacks; Intent to Buy Electronics
  for Back-to-School Up 9%

   – More parents say they’ll choose prepaid and joint credit cards to help
                      college students manage finances –

Business Wire

NEW YORK -- August 28, 2012

Eighty-three percent of Americans say they are hitting the stores for
back-to-school shopping this year, spending an average of $867, and more
shoppers plan to put gadgets on their school checklist according to the latest
American Express Spending and Saving Tracker. In addition to the tried and
true back-to-school expenses, intent to buy electronics, including tablets,
e-readers and cell phones, rose 9% from 2011. And with smart phones becoming
the standard in 24/7 contact, consumers plan to spend $358 on cell phones—more
than double the $154 they said they’d spend in 2011.

For the full report, and past Spending & Saving Tracker surveys, click here.

“The data shows digital devices like tablets and e-readers are increasingly
becoming back-to-school necessities, and not just nice-to-haves,” said Claire
Bennett, EVP Loyalty & Membership Benefits, American Express. “The lift in the
electronics categories could bode well for many retailers.”

Over one-third of parents (36%) expect to purchase some kind of electronics
for their children for the school season—up from last year’s 27%, filling
backpacks and outfitting desks with laptops (15%), scientific calculators
(15%), cell phones (12%) and tablets/e-readers (9%). While parents intent to
spend on electronics has grown overall since last year, scientific calculators
as well as tablets or e-readers grew the most, up 5% from their 2011
Back-to-School spend.

Shop-peer Pressure: Who Determines the Back-to-School Spend?

While many students will accessorize with the latest technology, most (86%)
will still be spending on more traditional clothing and accessories. Almost
half (46%) of parents report that their child is the single most influential
party in determining what wardrobe items they will buy for back-to-school. And
with age, comes independence...at least when it comes to choosing clothes. On
average, children will be allowed to pick out their own clothes while shopping
by the age of 12. Parents predicted their children’s friends would have little
influence over their wardrobe purchases for back- to-school—3%, down from last
year’s 7%.

Back-to-School Trade-Offs for Mom and Dad

The trend of parents making sacrifices in order to foot the back-to-school
bill continues this year: 68% of the parents polled estimated that they would
need to make trade-offs in their own lives to afford purchases for their
children this season. Over half (52%) were prepared to sacrifice dining out,
followed by purchasing clothing for themselves (39%), and spending on
entertainment (39%), and travel (33%).

Back-to-College Money Management

School expenses don’t end when the first day of class begins, especially for
college students. With many leaving home for the first time, parents plan to
help their newly independents manage money while away from the nest. About a
third (34%) will dole out weekly allowances, consistent with 2011, however
more parents are helping them establish good “plastic” practices. Twenty-eight
percent will give their students prepaid cards (up 15% from 2011) or opt for a
joint credit card linked to their account (17% vs. 13% in 2011). American
Express Cardmembers can also opt to get their college student an Additional
Card with Custom Limits that lets them set, change or remove spending limits
on linked accounts.

The American Express Spending & Saving Tracker research was completed online
among a random sample of 2002 adults, including the general U.S. population,
as well as two sub-groups—Affluents and parents of school age children.
Interviewing was conducted by Echo Research between July 17 and 20, 2012.
Overall the results have a margin of error of ± 2.2 percentage points at the
95% level of confidence (or ± 4.0 among Affluents and ± 3.0 among parents of
school age children). Affluents are defined as having a minimum annual
household income of $100,000. Parents of school age children are defined
parents of children in grades kindergarten through college.

About American Express

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access
to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business
success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on
facebook.com/americanexpress, foursquare.com/americanexpress,
linkedin.com/companies/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and
youtube.com/americanexpress.

Key links to products and services: charge and credit cards, business credit
cards, travel services, gift cards, prepaid cards, merchant services, business
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Contact:

American Express
Melanie Backs, 212-640-2164
melanie.l.backs@aexp.com
or
Ogilvy Public Relations
Anne Norcia, 212-880-5311
anne.norcia@ogilvy.com