Canadian Parents Turn to the Web for Back to School Shopping

- Ebates.ca helps parents send kids to school with the essentials without breaking the bank -

TORONTO, Aug. 8, 2013 /CNW/ - Long gone are the days when a pencil and eraser were all kids needed to begin a new school year. Considered one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year, back to school is now synonymous with new fashions, accessories and more - all of which can add up and put a strain on parents' pocketbooks. A recent poll by Ebates.ca, Canada's leading cash back shopping site, reveals the majority of parents (65%) plan on spending at least $100 per child. The top purchases? Clothes, shoes and school supplies. However, 21% of parents say they'll also be adding electronics to their shopping cart.

"At this time of the year, many retailers offer savings on school supplies, including computers and tablets," says Adrienne Down Coulson, General Manager, Ebates Canada, and a mom of two. "At Ebates.ca, we've compiled a list of money-saving tips that we're excited to share with parents before they start their back to school shopping."

Ebates.ca budget-friendly back to school shopping tips include:

• Shop online: Time is money! Join the 50% of parents who have done back to school shopping online to avoid crowds at the malls and save time and money on transportation. Many retailers also offer free shipping - Ebates.ca has a specific page that lists all free shipping deals across Canada, which can help drive down costs.

• Turn it into a game: Tell your kids to search the web for the best backpack at a target price. If they find a backpack they want that is lower than the specified price, they keep the money saved as a reward. You still get to make the final decisions while teaching them about budgeting.

• Comparison shop: Use the web to comparison shop for your back to school needs. Once your decisions are made, start your shopping trip at Ebates.ca.  This way you can ensure you get the best price plus earn cash back.

• Take advantage of sales, promotions and coupons: Ebates.ca members are regularly notified of exclusive sales and promotions so they can save money and earn cash back on their purchases. These reminders are ideal for the 89% of parents who indicate sales are the biggest factor in their purchasing decisions.

"Nearly 40% of parents polled said shopping at this time of year is typically a battle zone between them and their kids. At Ebates.ca, we want back to school shopping to be a positive experience for families," says Coulson. "Make the experience fun by browsing the internet together. Set a budget and let your kids search for their favourite styles and colours."

To help parents save even more, from August 6 to 26, Ebates.ca is offering double cash back on purchases at popular back to school stores such as Sport Chek, Sears, Indigo and more.

For more information on the latest online deals through Ebates.ca, visit the website. Additional back to school poll results can be viewed in this infographic.

About the Ebates.ca back-to-school survey:
Ebates Canada conducted an online survey of 1,056 of its members across Canada who are parents. The survey was conducted from July 11 to 16, 2013.

How Ebates.ca works:
To earn cash back when shopping online, you simply begin your online shopping at Ebates.ca, click through to one of the partner retail sites, like Amazon.ca, Ebay.ca, Old Navy or Expedia, and then complete your purchase on that site. Ebates.ca then tracks your purchase and you receive a percentage of everything you buy back in cash. Then Ebates sends consumers their cash back account balance in the form of a cheque, called "The Big Fat Cheque." Ebates.ca has been open for nearly one year and Canadians are embracing cash back shopping. Canadian orders through Ebates have increased 350% year over year and its Canadian membership has grown by 438%.

The Ebates brand supports a strong community of more than 12 million savvy shoppers around the world. Founded in 1998, Ebates.com has paid over $100,000,000 in cash to its members all over the world.

Image with caption: "As Canadian parents turn to the web for back to school shopping, Ebates.ca, Canada's leading cash back shopping site, polled its members to see how much they're spending and what they're buying. (CNW Group/Ebates.ca)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130808_C4631_PHOTO_EN_29677.jpg

SOURCE: Ebates.ca

Carolyn Abbass / Jessica Squibb
Paradigm Public Relations
416-203-2223
[email protected] / [email protected]