Back-to-school shoppers thinking about tablets

Likely to come as a surprise to relatively few people, a study from online shopping site PriceGrabber® shows that tablet computers are expected to be a hot-ticket item for back-to-school shoppers this summer.

In a survey of nearly 4,500 consumers, PriceGrabber finds 46 percent of consumers plan to spend more on back-to-school shopping this year than they did in 2011. Respondents say they will buy most of the same items as they have in other years -- paper, pens, tissues, etc. -- but 40 percent also indicate they will purchase new technology this year, with many expecting to buy tablets.

"PriceGrabber survey data also shows an increased consumer appetite for tech products with more back-to-school shoppers planning to purchase electronic tablets this year compared to 2011," says PriceGrabber general manager Graham Jones in a statement. "Tablet computers are lighter in weight and more portable allowing students to carry them from class to class and providing back-to-school shoppers with an alternative to more expensive laptops."

The tablet isn't the only new option for back-to-school shoppers, however. This summer, more returning students will be looking into Ultrabook™ computers, which offer the portability of the tablet coupled with the functionality of a laptop. Though price has been a hurdle for Ultrabooks so far, Intel® has said it expects to see certain devices come down to as low as $699 before the school year.