Aug 4, 2009 6:07 am US/Eastern
Money Saver: Back-To-College Sales For Students
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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School teacher Liza Gleason shops for back to school supplies at a Target store August 13, 2008 in Daly City, California.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The countdown is on for back to school, and when it's time to go to college, that brings a whole new level of buying into play.
College students like Dolapo Arowolo and their parents are making the annual pilgrimage for back to school shopping. "I'm so excited. It's my first year in college," said Binghamton freshman Dolapo Arowolo.
So what are the essentials for budget-conscious shoppers?
"A laptop, a butterfly chair a nice bedding set and probably a poster," said another student.
At Bed Bath and Beyond, there's a varsity push to lure in shoppers.
"Back to school is huge for us," a store employee said.
So you found all the right stuff, comfy chair, trunk for clothes, cubes for stuff, even fridge for drinks, but how do you get it from the store at home to dorm room where you'll be living?
Bed Bath & Beyond offers "Pack and Hold." Students shop at home, but to avoid shipping costs, pick it up at a store near the dorm.
"We'll pack it. We'll hold it. You pick it up, all that big bulky stuff, towels, pillows, bedding," said Ginny Shipley of Bed Bath & Beyond.
The new JC Penney at Manhattan Mall is pushing deep discounts to make sure back to school delivers. It's the second biggest shopping season after Christmas, with parents spending $7.6 billion last year and retailers hope the stalled economy won't give them an F in sales this year.
"To keep the customer coming in and give them the bargains they expect from us," said JC Penney worker Joe Cardamone.
And cash is a new trend. Parents trying to keep teens from racking up credit card debt are turning to web sites that allow payment from checking accounts, rather than credit cards.
"Shop on line and don't use financial info and don't use credit cards and get into debt and use the available funds you have," said Marwan Forzley, CEO of eBillme.
The following are some of the sales major retailers are offering:
J.C. Penney: Save 20 percent to 50 percent off junior's and young men's and women's apparel, shoes and accessories. Save 30 percent to 50 percent on Dorm Life items, including bedding, lamps and shelves.
Staples: Up to 50 percent off consumer electronics, furniture and office supplies bought on Staples.com.
Target: Two-for-$1 school must-haves like Bic pens, pencils and book covers, as well $5 to $7 T-shirts and shorts.
Wal-Mart: Discounts on electronics (get a Lexmark Inkjet printer for $24.98, $5 off its original price tag of $29.99), apparel and dorm furnishings, including lamps, bedding (sets start at $19.99) and storage units.
Kmart: Save on backpacks, jeans, tees and electronics. Free shipping on purchases of backpacks, tees and jeans totaling $49 or more on Kmart.com.
Office Depot: 10 percent off all purchases (excluding technology), with no minimum, through Aug. 30. Electronics offers include an HP Desktop a6528p computer, without monitor, for $399.99 (regular online price $519.99).
Circuit City: Among other deals, get a Compaq Presario Laptop for $499.99 after a $30 mail-in rebate and $100 in instant savings, or an HP ColorSmart printer for $89.99, originally $99.99.
Best Buy: Savings deals include a Dell Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor computer for $499.99; original price: $649.99.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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