SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Parents and teens don’t always see eye-to-eye, and when it comes to the back to school season, both sides agree they’d rather not be clothes shopping with each other. According to a new survey conducted on behalf of Ebates, a pioneer and leader in online cash back shopping, a majority of parents (84 percent) and teens (70 percent) surveyed find clothes shopping to be the least pleasant task they must undertake together in preparation for back to school.
The national survey conducted online by Instant.ly on behalf of Ebates in June 2015 was fielded among 1,014 adults and 507 teens. Parents and teens were of one mind, not only about clothing, but also about the other most-dreaded back to school shopping tasks, which include finding shoes, backpacks, and computers:
| Most Stressful Back to School Shopping Items for Adults | Percent of Americans Who Said This | Most Stressful Back to School Shopping Items for Teens | Percent of American Teens Who Said This | ||||||
| 1. Clothing | 84 percent | 1. Clothing | 70 percent | ||||||
| 2. Shoes | 66 percent | 2. Shoes | 46 percent | ||||||
| 3. Backpack | 41 percent | 3. Backpack | 36 percent | ||||||
| 4. Laptop | 28 percent | 4. Laptop | 25 percent | ||||||
| 5. Accessories | 29 percent | 5. Accessories | 24 percent | ||||||
“I am picky and [my parents] often suggest things I don’t like, which makes us both mad”
Survey respondents elaborated on why the parent-teen back to school shopping experience is likely to cause stress. Both parties attribute stress to difference of opinion and pained negotiations, with parents citing stressors such as: “My son is so picky” or “Having to negotiate what [my daughter] can and cannot wear to school.” Echoing the sentiment of many, one mother bemoaned her impulse to “purchase clothes I know won’t be worn.” Teens, on the flip side of the same predicament, blamed parents, saying: “My parents don’t agree with what I want,” “I am picky and [my parents] often suggest things I don’t like, which makes us both mad,” and “One of my parents can’t afford [what I want], and the other refuses to buy it.”
Neither Parents nor Teens Wish to Break the Bank
While both parents and teens dislike shopping together, they also share a mutual concern for the financial strain that back to school shopping is likely to bring. The Ebates survey showed that 58 percent of parents worry that they will not have enough money to buy everything their kids need for back to school and 45 percent of their kids share this concern, which outweighs either party’s concern about being able to agree on the necessary clothing and accessories.
Many teens voiced concern over negatively impacting their parents’ finances, saying things like “I don’t want my parents to spend a lot of money” and “I’ll pressure [my parents] into spending lots of money.”
Beyond finances, other top stressors around the more general back to school shopping experience include such things as “not being able to find the right size” and a distaste for lines and busy malls. Shockingly few teens (only 18 percent!) expressed concern about looking “cool” on the first day of school:
| General Back to School Stressors for Adults | Percent of Americans Who Said This | General Back to School Stressors for Teens | Percent of American Teens Who Said This | ||||||
| 1. I can’t afford everything | 58 percent | 1. My parents can’t afford what I want | 45 percent | ||||||
| 2. I won’t agree with my kids on necessary items | 45 percent | 2. My parents don’t agree with what I want | 46 percent | ||||||
| 3. I can’t find the right sizes or styles | 42 percent | 3. I won’t be able to find the right styles | 41 percent | ||||||
| 4. I don’t want to stand in line or brave the malls | 27 percent | 4. My parents don’t have time to take me shopping | 22 percent | ||||||
Parents: Log On, Already!
The Ebates survey also revealed that more than 1 in 4 parents are dreading the mall frenzy and long lines at brick-and-mortars.
"For the second year in a row, our annual back to school survey shows that back to school shopping at malls causes stress for both parents and teens,” said Kevin H. Johnson, CEO of Ebates Inc. "At Ebates, we want to minimize the stress and concerns shoppers are faced with, making their shopping experience as easy and affordable as possible. Back to school shoppers can use Ebates.com to find the best deals at over 1,800 retailers and to purchase all the hot items on their shopping list in time for the first day of school, AND earn cash back in the process.”
From now until August 31, back to school shoppers can receive up to double cash back on select retailers via Ebates. For more details on specific retailers participating in the special offer, visit Ebates.com. Shoppers can also download the free Ebates.com app at Google Play and the AppStore.
About Ebates
Ebates rewards consumers with cash back on purchases while also providing access to thousands of coupons, discounts, promotions and special deals, including free shipping, at over 1,800 retailers. Free membership allows consumers to shop online at their favorite retailers while earning a percentage of every purchase they make, paid quarterly in the form of a "Big Fat Check" or through PayPal. From niceties to necessities, members of Ebates benefit from incentives at top-name merchants for everything from furniture to fashion and appliances to airfare. Because shopping with Ebates is hassle-free—no rebate forms to fill out and no points or miles to redeem—the site supports a strong community of savvy shoppers across the country and around the world.
