GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – As student prepare to head back to school, whether in-person or virtually, parents are working to make sure they have the supplies they need to succeed.
“Back to school shopping this year is gonna be different than in previous years,” says Susan Bach of the Better Business Bureau, “I don’t think people will be spending as much on the traditional items that we’re used to seeing, like clothing or notebooks, pens and pencils…[they’ll be] spending on technology – computers, computer accessories, things like that.”
The issue, of course, with purchasing technology is that it can oftentimes lead to one – if not several – big-ticket items. If you do have to upgrade your computer or other technology to keep up with online classes, it’s recommended to do some research before pulling the trigger.
“Check out the company, check out customer reviews online, and you ask important things like what is the warranty,” Bach tells WTAQ News, “A lot of the big computer companies will offer a discount for as long as you can either provide a student ID or you are shopping online with a university-based email address.”
Usually, an email ending with a ‘.edu’ or other school district connection works just fine. People who decide to make those purchases in-store should ask about student discounts, especially if such promotions are not posted.
But along with online research and shopping comes cookies, sponsored ads based on your searches, and potential scamming situations. If you see a deal pop up on your Facebook feed that might seem like an incredible deal, it could be too good to be true.
“If you see a social media post or an online advertisement for some kind of item that you’re shopping for at a great deal, we really recommend that you not click on that ad…[It could be] bait, hoping somebody will click on it and then some kind of malware will be downloaded onto their computer,” Bach explains, “Go directly to the retailer’s website and see if you can find the same item.”
Another recommendation – using what you already have and only buying what you absolutely need to get the work done.
“It’s really important that you set a budget up front and that you go through your closet or last year’s school supplies to see if you can reuse anything,” Bach says, “Make a list with your child to make sure that you’re not overspending or purchasing things that you don’t necessarily need.”
For more information or recommendations for back to school shopping, head to BBB.org.
Comments