http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/business/back-to-school-shoppers-spending-more-on-electronics-1.2516039

Some back-to-school shopping has gone high-tech. As students gear up to go back to school and college this year, shoppers are spending more on electronics and gadgets like laptops, tablets, smartphones and wearable technology like smartwatches at Walmart, said Matthew Toolan, manager at the Wilkes-Barre Twp. store. “You can research on your phone, on your watch, on your tablet,” Toolan said. Apple Watch models in the electronics department at Walmart range in price from $199 to $399 and they have limited connectivity features where Wi-Fi is available. Laptops range in price from $149 to $499. Jeffrey Jacobs, sales associate in the electronics department, showed a popular laptop that catches people’s eyes — scarlet red with a 15-inch screen. “Now there are fancy colors and lightweight laptops and all of these thin screens,” Toolan said. Other popular sellers at Walmart include Straight Talk prepaid phones, Toolan said. “For moms and dads who want to be in touch with their children at after-school events but they don’t want to pay for a full phone program or add a line to their service, the Straight Talk phone is the way to go,” he said. “They can buy the minutes that they need and buy them when they need them.” Back-to-school spending on electronics and gadgets is expected to rise $800 million, a 29 percent increase over last year, according to Deloitte’s annual back-to-school survey. Overall, families plan to spend more than ever this year on all kinds of back-to-school supplies ranging from computers and dorm refrigerators to pencils and backpacks, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Proper Insights and Analytics. “Consumers are in a strong position given the nation’s growing economy, and we see this reflected in what they say they will spend on back-to-class items this year,” said National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay. “We’re expecting record spending and retailers are ready to provide students with all the items they need for a successful school year.” Walmart, the world’s largest retailer that also has stores in Pittston Twp., Dickson City, Hazle Twp. and Tunkhannock in addition to Wilkes-Barre Twp., puts out back-to-school items early and starts back-to-school sales around the Fourth of July. At the Wilkes-Barre Twp. store, Toolan said back-to-school sales have been strong across the board and consumers started shopping early. Walmart also offers a back-to-school app that helps parents search and shop for what supplies their children need, he said. Jennifer Duda of Mocanaqua brought her 8-year-old daughter Alexis to shop for back-to-school supplies at Walmart, and she said she expects to spend more this year. Duda formerly taught kindergarten and will now teach third grade at the Kennedy Elementary Center in Nanticoke and she shopped for items for her new classroom. Her daughter also will be in third grade at the same school and they shopped for supplies for her as well, like pencils, highlighters, glue, folders, a backpack and markers with “silly scents.” “I’m spending more than I probably typically would to make sure I have enough for her and for my classroom,” Duda said. According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary school through high school plan to spend an average $696.70 this year. That’s up from $684.79 last year and tops the previous record of $688.62 set in 2012. Families with college students are expected to spend an average $976.78, which is up from last year’s $942.17 and tops the previous record of $969.88 set in 2017. According to the survey, college shoppers plan to spend the most on electronics ($234.69), followed by clothing and accessories ($148.54), dorm and apartment furnishings ($120.19) and food items ($98.72). Spending on college-branded items is expected to average $62.22, up 17 percent from last year. Clothing and accessories will top K-12 families’ expenses at an average $239.82, followed by electronics such as computers, calculators and phones ($203.44); shoes ($135.96) and supplies such as notebooks, pencils, backpacks and lunch boxes ($117.49). Among K-12 shoppers, teens are expected to spend an average $36.71 of their own money, up from $30.88 10 years ago, while pre-teens should spend $26.40, up from $11.94 10 years ago. “Members of Generation Z are clearly becoming more involved with back-to-school purchasing decisions rather than leaving the choices up to mom and dad,” Shay said. “Over the years, both teens and pre-teens are spending more of their own money on back-to-school items.” Contact the writer: dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2115, @CVAllabaugh on Twitter