These days, back-to-school shopping encompasses much more than pens and paper. Extra long sheets, shoe racks, laundry hampers, bookcases, and lounging chairs are just a few of the items on Bed Bath & Beyond's checklist for college, which invites students to "Equip Your Space."
"Toiletries, storage containers, desk organizers, pens, pencils, notebooks, a mirror, new books ... I can't even remember everything," sophomore Kimlinh Tran said of her shopping list of items to purchase before moving on campus for the first time last year.
"For freshman year, I bought everything!" sophomore Rebecca Almeida said. Almeida splurged on "bedding, shower stuff, kitchen-type appliances, storage bins, decorative things, school supplies" in preparation for college.
According to the National Retail Federation's (NRF) 2004 Back-to-College Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, Tran and Almeida are not alone. Students will be hauling $25.7 billion worth of merchandise to campus this fall. Retailers are counting on a back-to-school spending spree during August and September to revive sales, which were sluggish in the early months of the summer.
Historically speaking, retailers should have nothing to fear; back-to-school usually comes second only to the holiday season in terms of consumer spending. The forecasts are also optimistic. When spending for children in grades K-12 is included, total sales should amount to $40.5 billion.
Some college students need to shop to spruce up a bare dormitory and turn it into a multifunctional space. A dorm functions as a place to study, sleep, and entertain, so undergrads often scope out amenities to turn a plain room into a comfortable home-away-from-home.
Junior Dave Czulada estimates that he spent close to $1,000 on dorm furnishings, including a futon, a 20-inch television, and state-of-the-art speakers. Czulada said the money was well spent, because all the trappings "make [the dorm] feel more like home."
Surveys find that not all students will spend similar amounts, however. Who's paying the most? The NRF says retailers are vying for the attention of two groups in particular: freshmen - first-timers who need to start from scratch - and juniors - many of whom will be moving off-campus and may need different gear.
The NRF has calculated the average amount of spending for a soon-to-be freshman at $1,205.97, most of which will be used on electronics such as computers, televisions, and personal audio devices like the Apple iPod. The average junior will pay around $811.83, with a third going towards furnishings.
Tran bought more the summer prior to her freshman year than she did this summer as a rising sophomore. "Last year I would say [I spent] $400-$500, and this year about $100-$200, including books," she said. Tran said she spent more her freshman year because she was unsure of what to purchase and what her roommate had already gotten. "Basically it was the first time for me to purchase things for my dorm," Tran said.
When it came time to prepare for the Fall 2004 semester this past summer, Tran found that "[she] had most of the items already. It's more like purchasing the things that are more reasonable."
"This time around, I did a little bargaining and shopped around, and took a lot of consideration in how to make my room nice, but at the same time less complicated for moving in and out," she said.
After freshman year, the next time college students seem to really dig deep into their wallets is when they become juniors. At Tufts, students are guaranteed on-campus housing for freshman and sophomore years, but many undergrads will transfer to apartments during their junior year. This can mean a whole new game plan for back-to-college shopping.
"I have definitely spent more money shopping for my apartment than for my dorm room," junior Alice Chiou said. Chiou, a Nebraska native, was unable to bring large items such as furniture with her to school, so she bought "things like couches, a desk, clocks, food, toilet paper, basically everything, all the little and big things."
Although freshmen and juniors are the two groups most targeted by retailers as big spenders, Czulada found that "my spending has not decreased after freshman year."
The second time around, he said, "I just knew what could fit in the rooms to make them better. Going in freshmen year, you have no clue what the room setup is going to look like."
Who's paying for the back-to-school gear? The NRF finds that the loaded shopping carts of merchandise are not completely a parent's burden. In addition to parents' spending, the typical undergrad will chip in an average of about $600 in personal funds to prepare for the year ahead.
To many, the satisfaction of a custom-designed room is worth the money. "When you first get your own apartment it is just exciting to decorate your place the way you want because it's your new home," Chiou said. "I feel like it's a sign of independence: even though my parents are supporting me, it's at least a step closer to being independent."
Students may find that a summer job, though decreasing the amount of fun-in-the-sun time, will pay off when it comes to the checkout line. Czulada, who worked on the computer systems of the Department of Defense this summer, is glad he can contribute when it comes to back-to-school bills. "I feel like I should pay for something, since my parents already pay $120,000 for three kids to go to school," he said.
And college students like Szulada have an abundance of places to "pay for something." Bed Bath & Beyond offers a college registry, allowing students to inform friends and relatives of their back-to-school needs. Walmart has devoted an entire section of their Web site to college merchandise, including a pre-made care package full of snacks to be delivered to a missed student. Circuit City touts its own checklist, tempting students with high-powered notebook computers, cell phones to call home with, and study-break aids like DVDs.<$>
I feel like I should pay for something, since my parents already pay $120,000 for three kids to go to school.
David Czulada - junior
It seems that Christmas really can come in July for retailers.
It's safe to say that back-to-school season, though dreaded by some students, has become an eagerly anticipated time for retailers
Almeida, Tran's roommate, also spent a great deal more her first year because of her uncertainty of what she would need. "[I] spent way more freshman year because I felt like I needed to buy a whole new room worth of stuff," she said.
Almeida, too, notes that this time she limited shopping to replacement and improvement, with a few finishing touches. "This year all I bought was some decorative stuff from Mexico [where she vacationed] and maybe three useful things like an extra closet rod and a different shower tote, since the first one broke," she said. "I pretty much have everything for sophomore year."
