SEATTLE — July 27, 2009 —
Bing shopping issued its first back-to-school shopping survey today, which indicates that while value still rules, 70 percent say significant discounts of more than 30 percent this fall could incent them to buy more.*
“This year, many shoppers will make major purchasing trade-offs in order to stretch their dollar, but 56 percent of consumers surveyed say they don’t plan to shop on the Internet,” said Bridget Tate, Bing shopping product manager. “These consumers may be overlooking big savings by not shopping online. For example, Bing shopping is offering even more cash back from hundreds of retailers on millions of products this August to help consumers save on important back-to-school items.”
Other findings from the Bing back-to-school survey*:
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In order to curb spending, 71 percent of Americans surveyed plan on trading down to focus on value over brand names.
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85 percent say they are at least somewhat likely to cut back on nonschool-related purchases in order to buy their kids clothes, shoes and supplies.
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65 percent cite clothing as the most important category to save money on, over school supplies, computers and electronics, and backpacks.
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41 percent are asking kids to cut back on eating out, while many parents are helping kids model new spending habits, such as spending less on luxury goods or involving them more in family spending decisions.
Consumers Can Capture Big Savings with Bing Cashback This Back-to-School Season
While many people may not consider the Internet their first stop for purchasing back-to-school items, as many as 75 percent will still use a search engine to inform a product purchase decision.** To help frugal shoppers make better decisions this back-to-school season, Bing offers two ways to shop and save and get cash back. If you know exactly what you want to buy and you just want to find a great deal, go right to Bing.com, perform a search and look for the cashback symbol. If you’re still browsing and still need to spend some time researching options, reading reviews and comparing prices, head to Bing shopping.
Starting Aug. 10, for a limited time during the back-to-school season, customers can earn as much as double the normal cash back on select items on Bing shopping. Every day, many product cashback offers can be found on Bing.com from major retailers including HP, Sears.com, Barnes & Noble Inc., Overstock.com, Foot Locker Inc. and more. Consumers can shop for name-brand items, and when purchases are made through the site, they get a percentage of the purchase price back as cashback. Cashback percentages can range anywhere from a couple of percent up to 10 percent or even 25 percent off, depending on the merchant and the product.
“Many people may not realize that some of the best deals are online — and it’s not just about the savings, you’re also getting a discount on time,” Tate said. “Every mouse click can save valuable minutes normally spent wandering through stores. It’s a great way to help get the most out of those precious last days of summer with the kids.”
About Bing Shopping
Online shopping is one of the best places to start looking for a good deal, but finding it online can sometimes take just as long as bargain hunting in a retail store. Microsoft Corp.’s new search experience helps consumers easily search and shop to make product purchase decisions a snap. And, it even offers cash back on many products. Top features include Bing cashback, which lets shoppers search for great deals online, shop from hundreds of the nation’s top retailers and get cash back on their purchases; Product Search, which gives shoppers organized product listings that can be sorted by best match, price or user rating and expert rating; and Opinion Ranking, which gives concise product information all in one place, from specifications to user and expert reviews. To learn more about Bing shopping and how to take advantage of Bing cashback, visit http://www.bing.com/shopping.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* Impulse Research 2009, commissioned by Bing shopping; 1,046 participants
** Ipsos 2009, commissioned by Microsoft; 1,156 participants
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