ecoATM Gazelle Survey Reveals the Barriers Parents Face in Buying Technology for Kids this School Year

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Aug 21, 2024, 12:10 ET

32% of parents are considering buying pre-owned or refurbished technology for their children for this upcoming school year due to the impact of inflation

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey from ecoATM Gazelle, the global leader in mobile device re-commerce, unveiled barriers parents in the US are facing when considering purchasing back-to-school technology for their children.

The survey of 1,000 adult American parents with at least one child between the ages of eight and 18 examined their experience and attitudes toward buying new technology, such as tables, phones and laptops, for their children for the upcoming school year. Key findings showed that:

Gazelle found that parents believe in the power of technology to transform student's academic performance, but often struggle with the cost and the pace of replacements.

Technology is Expensive, but Necessary
Despite the high cost, technology is becoming an essential part of school and social life for children.

55% of parents have gone into credit card debt, used a payment plan, or borrowed money from friends or family to pay for new technology for their children for school
56% of respondents indicated it is important for their child to be technology-literate in a digital world
A majority of parents (67%) felt that technology is necessary to access classwork and homework via online learning portals, as well as gain access to and learn about additional educational resources, like artificial intelligence (51%)

Despite Cost, Parents are Replacing Kids' Tech Frequently

66% of parents consider buying new tech for their children at least once a year, while about half (49%) are purchasing replacement devices at least once a year
77% of high-income parents buy tech at least once a year compared to 57% of lower income parents, highlighting the financial barriers to tech accessibility

High Prices Are Pushing Parents to Alternatives

41% of respondents are more interested in affordable, low-cost brands and/or deals for tech devices due to inflation
54% of parents indicated needing some sort of financial assistance to purchase tech for their children
Almost half (49.4%) of respondents are not choosing to buy a new tech device because it is expensive
41% of respondents are more interested in affordable, low-cost brands and/or deals for tech devices due to inflation

"With technology being a must-have in today's learning environment, parents want to make sure that their children are equipped with devices that can help them achieve their goals," said Stan Pavlovsky, CEO of ecoATM Gazelle. "As a father, I share these concerns and believe that parents should have accessible technology and not have to decide between buying a quality tablet or phone for their child's success in school or paying for groceries. At ecoATM Gazelle, we're committed to connecting kids to certified, pre-owned technology so they can thrive in today's digital world."

Learn more about ecoATM Gazelle's findings and back-to-school technology shopping tips here.

Methodology:

Data referenced in this report was derived from a custom survey designed on behalf of ecoATM via the online survey platform Pollfish, conducted on July 31, 2024. In total, 1,000 adult American parents with school-aged children between 8-18 years old, who have reported buying new technology for their children were surveyed.

About ecoATM Gazelle
ecoATM Gazelle is the global leader in mobile device re-commerce. ecoATM's rapidly growing footprint of more than 6,000 trade-in kiosks across the US offer instant cash for used smart devices. Gazelle is the leading online marketplace for refurbished device purchase and trade-in, providing certified, pre-owned devices in a simple, convenient way. Find a kiosk near you and price your device at https://www.ecoatm.com/.

SOURCE EcoATM, LLC