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There’s No Place Like Home (Unless It’s Your College Dorm Room)
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Newest nationwide online study shows college students enjoy most of the comforts of home |
Rochester, NY and Cranbury, NJ, August 23, 2001 — The days of spartan dorm rooms and almost empty off-campus apartments appear to be a thing of the past. Consider that ownership or easy access to a refrigerator or microwave is almost universal among college students aged 18-24. The majority of college students also own televisions, VCR/DVD players, and video game systems.
These are among the findings of the inaugural wave of the 360 College ExplorerTM Outlook Study. The study, which covers all types of college students (residential/non-residential, 2 year/4 year, full-time/part-time and undergraduate/graduate) as well as young adults who are not enrolled in college, has been developed by MarketSource Corporation and Harris Interactive (Nasdaq: HPOL). The survey of 3,867 young adults was conducted online in April 2001.
"The deprived college student stereotype is truly passé," said Derek White, Senior Vice President of the 360Youth Division at MarketSource. "Whether they live on campus or off, with their parents or on their own, college students aged 18-24 represent a formidable consumer group. This is a group used to getting what they want, when they want it. The desire for instant gratification does not necessarily go away when teens enter college; and with college students aged 18-24 spending over $50 billion per year, there is a lot to gratify!"
Among other topics, the study examines ownership of a variety of electronic equipment, appliances and technology products. While those students living off-campus (including those living with their parents) own a wider variety of these categories, students living on-campus experience many of the "comforts" to which they have been accustomed. In addition to owning items necessary for schoolwork, like computers and printers, the ownership of entertainment items like televisions, stereos, VCR/DVD players, and video game systems is also widespread.
"This study is unique in that it gathers information from all types of college students aged 18-24. It recognizes that the college population is more than the stereotypical four-year, full-time student," stated John Geraci, Vice President of Youth Research at Harris Interactive. "For example, the study shows that two-year students have higher levels of discretionary spending than four-year students. That additional discretionary spending is partly reflected in the higher levels of ownership of most electronic, appliance and technology products."
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LEVELS OF OWNERSHIP: ELECTRONIC/TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS (SELECTED LIST) |
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Item Owned |
% College Students 18-24 Who Own |
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All Students |
Live On Campus |
Live with Parent |
Live Off Campus |
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Computer |
87% |
85% |
87% |
88% |
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Television |
84% |
70% |
93% |
89% |
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VCR/DVD Player |
79% |
64% |
87% |
84% |
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Stereo |
79% |
71% |
80% |
83% |
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Printer |
75% |
68% |
80% |
77% |
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Answering Machine |
60% |
49% |
63% |
69% |
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Video Game System |
52% |
40% |
58% |
55% |
360 College ExplorerTM Outlook Study
MarketSource Corporation/Harris Interactive
3,867 Interviews Conducted April 2001
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APPLIANCES |
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Item Owned |
% College Students 18-24 Who Own or Have Easy Access |
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All Students |
Live On Campus |
Live with Parent |
Live Off Campus |
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Refrigerator |
98% |
95% |
98% |
100% |
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Microwave Oven |
95% |
93% |
96% |
95% |
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Freezer |
87% |
74% |
93% |
91% |
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Stove |
81% |
57% |
92% |
90% |
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Oven |
79% |
54% |
90% |
89% |
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Toaster |
68% |
36% |
87% |
76% |
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Coffee Pot |
60% |
43% |
74% |
61% |
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Toaster Oven |
37% |
25% |
45% |
39% |
360 College ExplorerTM Outlook Study
MarketSource Corporation/Harris Interactive
3,867 Interviews Conducted April 2001
About the Study
The 360 College ExplorerTM Outlook Study is a new online college survey from MarketSource Corporation and Harris Interactive. The study covers a variety of topics about the 18-24 year old college market, from market power and influence, to technology adoption and views, brand and category usage, and hopes and dreams for the future. The study is conducted twice yearly (fall and spring semesters) completing a minimum of 6,000 interviews annually with both college students (2 year and 4 year/full-time and part-time) and 18-24 year olds who are not enrolled in college. Data in this release were collected in April 2001. Complete data from this study is available on a subscription basis.
About Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive (Nasdaq: HPOL) is a worldwide market research, polling and consulting firm. It is best known for The Harris Poll and its pioneering use of the Internet to conduct scientifically accurate market research. The Harris Interactive Internet-based forecasts for the 2000 election were the most accurate in the history of the polling industry. With expertise in pharmaceutical, health care, automotive, finance, ecommerce, technology, consumer packaged goods and other markets, the firm has spent 45 years providing its clients with custom, multi-client and service bureau research. In February 2001, the Company acquired the custom research group of Yankelovich Partners, a leading consultative marketing and opinion research firm. Through its U.S. and Global Network offices, Harris Interactive conducts international research in multiple, localized languages. Harris Interactive currently maintains a database of more than 7 million online panelists – the largest of its kind. For more information about Harris Interactive, please visit the Company’s website at www.harrisinteractive.com. EOE M/F/D/V
About MarketSource:
MarketSource Corporation's 360Youth Division provides sales and marketing solutions to reach the teen and college markets. For 25 years, MarketSource has serviced over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies through a comprehensive mix of media and promotional programs. The Company delivers the young adult population through proprietary school-based media (Campus Source and High School Source), cooperative and custom sampling programs, events, guerrilla field marketing and e-marketing. MarketSource's special partnerships with Follett Bookstores and Loews Cineplex Entertainment extend this reach to popular social centers and destinations attracting this young adult demographic.
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