With worrisome signs about the economy looming over the heads of consumers like dark clouds that just won't go away, new research from Publicis Group's MediaVest shows that parents are much more
focused during this back-to-school shopping season on basics like clothing and supplies with less interest in spending on bigger ticket items like computers, phones and software. And most
back-to-school shoppers will be paying strict attention to the prices they pay and say they'll be on the lookout for advertised sales, discounts and rebates, the research found. Last year, when there
was generally more optimism that the bad economic times were receding apace, coupled with high demand for Apple's new iPad mobile device, electronics purchases were the top priority for back-to-school
shoppers, per the research. But new fears of a double dip recession and other economic woes have altered priorities. The latest research comes from MediaVest's ongoing tracking study called the Civic
Observatory which draws on a pool of 1,500 respondents who were quizzed on back-to-school shopping issues from mid-June to early August.
