Wether you are preparing to go back to school or college or are sending someone off, its best to shop around for the best back-to-school deals available.
Most stores offer back-to-school promotions, so it's up to you to figure out what you need, the best time to buy it and where to go -- especially whether you should buy in-store versus online. Many stores continue their deals through the second or third week of September, though sometimes sales can end earlier depending on the part of the country. Here are tips on where to shop, when to go and what to expect.
Supplies: There are always weekly deals out there, in which products like pens, glue sticks and index cards can cost as little as a penny but more often range from 50 cents to $2 at stores like Staples, Target, WalMart and Office Depot. But you're not the only one hunting deals. You'll benefit by shopping early in the week when the deals first start to ensure the shelves won't be empty when you arrive, says Jevin Eagle, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing at Staples.
"Our plan is not to sell out.... But you're better off shopping Sunday or Monday because it's limited quantities," he says, adding that the best deals are often two to four weeks before the beginning of school.
There are longer-lasting promotions. Office Depot has a free loyalty program and gives you discounts when you shop. Staples, on the other hand, offers a Back-to-School savings pass for $10 this year, which will get you a 15% discount on supplies ranging from backpacks to binders to calculators. Mr. Eagle says you need to spend $67 for the pass to break even.
Clothing and accessories: It's often easier to find discounts by checking online before heading to the store. Some shopping malls, such as those owned by Simon Property Group, have experimented with mobile applications to help consumers navigate stores and find sales and special discounts.
Stores like Target offer promotions through email, phone and Facebook. Shoppers can receive new mobile coupons every two weeks by texting "COUPONS" to Target (827438). Deals on anything from pants to tops to shoes occur throughout the summer and into early September, sometimes varying depending on location.
Technology: More students need laptops at earlier ages, but is your child one of them? For some, options like e-readers with WiFi access or tablets may be more efficient. Jim Barry, media spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association, says e-readers range from $80 to $180 and tablets go for $200 to $800.
Mr. Barry says it's important to check out any product, either through review websites like CNET.com or TechTarget.com, or by actually going to a store and testing it out yourself. "It will give you a little ammunition before you go into the store or go online to buy," he says.
Even Apple has changed its popular back-to-school deal. It used to give a free iPod with the purchase of a Mac laptop; now you get a $100 iTunes gift card.
And although scientific calculators are often required in high school, the price usually stays steady, stores say. Karol Boes from Austin, Texas, checked several stores to find one for her son. But she found they all cost about the same and ended up buying it at Target. The good news? If your child is still using a USB flash drive to transfer documents, the price continues to drop from previous years.