Report

Excerpt: Back To School ’09—For the mega important back to school shopping season it seems as if the concept of frugality is the new black. Based on the results of the recently released Back To School Retail & Shopping report, the majority of teens and college students demonstrate a measurable level of frustration as it relates to what they need for the new school year versus what they actually desire. The report findings detail the purchasing conflict across a variety of product categories ranging from clothing to residence furnishings. What's more, the results highlight a significant difference in what younger students, led by incoming college freshmen, plan to spend this season compared to the older segment of students, mainly those students that will be entering their third or fourth year.

When all is said and done, teens and college students (and their parents) plan to spend an average of $614 on back to school-related purchases this season, compared to $619 last year. At first glance, given the state of the economy and related conditions, the spending number comes off looking quite rosy. That said, the major finding for this year's report is not really the spending number at all, rather it's a broad shift in attitude.