Find Online Savings: Your First Assigment For Back-to-school

ST. CHARLES, Ill. - Aug. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- ST. CHARLES, Ill., August 7, 2014 — As summer break comes to a close, back-to-school shopping is officially in full effect. Parents are searching for the best deals as they shop the school supply lists of their children in St. Charles Community Unit School District 303. Their start date is just around the corner after all, with classes beginning on Wednesday, August 20.

The second biggest spending season of the year, back-to-school sales are expected to soar 3% higher this year than in 2013, reaching nearly $75 million nationally, according to the National Retail Federation. They report that the average family with children in grades K-12 will spend roughly $670 on back-to-school apparel (http://www.imin.com/store-coupons/macys/), footwear, electronics, and supplies, which is 5% higher than last year. Families with college students will spend even more, reaching about $917 (up 10%).

Not surprisingly, a study by Deloitte Digital reports that digitally-influenced sales have increased from 14% to 36% since 2012. Could this statistic have an effect on back-to-school shopping?

According to a local survey conducted by St. Charles-based I’m In (http://www.imin.com), out of 150 families polled in the town, 48% say they will complete their back-to-school shopping online, due to factors like convenience and pricing. This is a result of finding more coupons and better deals on the internet, along with the ease of comparison-shopping versus brick-and-mortar stores.

It’s no doubt that coupon websites play a large part in why consumers choose to spend their earnings online rather than in a store. However, differing from standard sites like these, I’m In is a free service that offers consumers a new way to shop both online and in-store. Working with hundreds of merchants in various categories to deliver coupons, discounts, sales, and freebies, the company believes in making savings easy and convenient for their users by investing in technological innovations, including a mobile app, auto alerts, and smart recommendations.

Just in time for school, retailers like Macy’s, Microsoft, Office Depot, eCampus, and Amazon have partnered with I’m In to offer consumers exclusive deals they will not find elsewhere. With just a click of a button, parents can save big on laptops (http://www.imin.com/store-coupons/microsoft-store/), textbooks, clothing, and more.