Dive Brief:
- More than half of college students are using their smartphones to comparison-shop, according to a new study from Synchrony Financial, in the most tech-friendly back-to-school season in history.
- Social media assists 46% of college students and 30% of parents with school-aged kids search for deals and coupons via smartphone.
- Brick-and-mortar stores still dominate purchase activity, with 80% of college parents, 74% of college students, and 77% of K-12 parents buying in-store.
Dive Insight:
Smartphones are changing the way parents and college-aged kids shop for school, according to a new study from Synchrony Financial—or at least when it comes to researching a purchase and finding the best deal.
Substantial portions of the more than 2,000 parents and college students surveyed used their phones to look for coupons or deals online between July 7-14, the survey said—more than half of college students and more than one-third of parents with kids K-12. Social media also helped shop for bargains, with almost half of the 46% of college students and 30% of parents with school-aged children turning to their phones.
While price is an overriding concern, stores still play a vital role in the multichannel experience, the survey indicates. More than 80% of the parents of college students and 74% of the students themselves completed purchases in-store.