Are college students cheap? New research on student buying habits and price sensitivity

The stereotype of the broke, cheap college student doesn’t hold up to the data. According to our research on student buying habits, this generation is willing to spend on quality — especially when it comes to self-care.

Students are willing to spend on quality

Students today are willing to invest in quality products, even when it means spending more. This is especially true for products they use daily or associate with self-care. 53% of students say quality matters more than cost when buying personal care products.

Brand values matter, but students still love a good deal)

Brand values also matter to many students. When asked how brands can appeal to college students, 38% said that brands should align with the causes they care about, second only to offering discounts. Brands that flex their values can differentiate themselves and justify a higher price tag.

Students weigh multiple factors when making buying decisions

Fewer than 50% of students named cost as the most important purchasing consideration in any category we studied. For example, when asked about their shopping preferences for common household products, students consistently favored more expensive, name-brand options over cheaper alternatives. Our research indicates that overall, students weigh multiple factors when deciding what to buy, and not all factors matter equally across all categories.