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Electronics Retailers Expect Big Back-to-School Season

South Burlington, Vermont - August 19, 2009

     Evan Bartlett is starting college this month, and back-to-school shopping means dropping some cash on a computer.
     "I don't think you can do anything without a computer anymore," said the St. Albans resident, who will be a freshman at St. Lawrence University. "It seems to me you absolutely need one just to get by in college."
     Bartlett just got a Mac and now he's shopping for accessories. It's not just for writing papers -- he says a computer is a lifeline.
     "A lot of music, for school work, just to keep in touch," he said. "Now it seems like more and more, you need a computer to keep in touch with people."
     The Vermont Retail Association says consumers like Bartlett are making electronics a bright spot in this otherwise down economy.
     "The National Retail Federation estimates that back-to-school shopping will be slightly down from last year, but they anticipate an 11 percent increase in electronics purchases," said Tasha Wallis, executive director of the Vermont Retailers Association. She says that uptick is likely because it's not just college and high school students buying computers.
     "I think electronics have become more ubiquitous and children at all levels of education are using them," she said.
     Small Dog Electronics says that trend has been a boost to its business. Back-to-school is its second biggest sales season of the year -- just after the holidays.
     "While really it was college kids that need the computer and printer in their dorm room, because everyone else had them, it's getting younger and younger," said Small Dog's Geoff Blanck. "It's been seniors and juniors in high school, but now it's younger from there. Now you've got middle school kids coming in now and getting their setup."
     Not only is it younger students, but students are also buying more extras like back-up hard drives and portable flash drives that drive up the prices. Many stores, though, are offering back-to-school specials.
     "You can get that full package, get your student set up, for about $1,500," Blanck said.
     And this year people buying electronics have an extra bonus. The state's sales tax holiday falls during the peak of the back-to-school shopping season, on Saturday, August 22.
     "Here in South Burlington it's a 7 percent benefit," Blanck said. "And you couple that with some aggressive sales and back-to-school promotions, these are the best deals you're going to have all year."

Kate Duffy - WCAX News