America's Research Group

Back To School Survey

Highlights

Consumers plan to spend $336.48 on back to school in 2001, compared to $313.02 in 2000.

Economy/job fears are not a big factor for lower spending - only 15.8% express concern.

Kids will spend 43% of the family’s back-to-school budget.

Top five fictional characters:

Barbie/Ken	6.4%
Pokemon	5.3%
Power Puff Girls	4.1%
Scooby Doo	4.1%
Winnie the Pooh	4.0%

Top five non-fictional characters:

Britney Spears	12.4%
N’Sync	7.3%
WCW Wrestlers	7.0%
Back Street Boys	5.5%
The Roc	3.6%

Top five sports team logos:

NASCAR	8.3%
Chicago Bulls	4.8%
Atlanta Braves	3.3%
Dallas Cowboys	1.9%
NY Yankees	1.9%

Consumers have spent $245.12 of their planned clothing purchases with 58.4% planning to have it done before school and 22.1% are finished with back-to-school.

Of those with shopping left, 62.0% are waiting for better sales.

Top seven stores to shop this year:

Wal-Mart	46.0%
Old Navy	26.4%
JCPenney	22.9%
Sears	29.0%
Target	15.4%
The Gap	15.9%
Kmart	16.5%

38.2% have either a half day or one whole day of shopping left to complete their shopping and 36.9% need to take 2-3 days.

34.0% plan to buy their back-to-school clothing in 3 stores, but 48.3% plan to shop at either one or two stores this year.

Tax rebate checks arrive just in time to add $79.22 to their back-to-school clothing.

Interestingly, 80.8% say the rebate checks will have no impact on their spending this year, but 16.0% say it will help them spend more than what they had planned.

Kids are left unattended for an average of 1.3 hours each day.

The TV shows parents try to get their kids to watch:

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire	16.8%
Touched By An Angel	10.9%
Blues Clues	7.8%
Crocodile Hunter	7.3%
Sesame Street	9.1%
National Geographic	6.8%

The TV shows parents try to get their kids not to see are:

South Park	22.0%
Sex and the City	12.8%
Jackass	15.9%
Wrestling	10.5%
The Sopranos	9.5%

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