AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- RetailMeNot.com (www.retailmenot.com), the largest online coupon site in the United States, reported today on the website's recent retail activity during the back-to-school shopping season.  Based on significant increases in coupon clicks for a number of the site's top back-to-school stores, retailers selling books, school supplies and apparel were among some of the top categories where consumers sought deals.

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For a full copy of this report, click here.

RetailMeNot researched its site activity and published a review of the most active retail categories, seeing increases in coupon click activity during back-to-school vs. non-peak periods of shopping. Based on a selection of top back-to-school merchants, RetailMeNot saw a surge in average daily coupon clicks for several retail categories during the back-to-school period (July 1, 2012 through August 20, 2012) vs. the prior three-month period (April 1, 2012 through June 30, 2012). The average daily coupon click increases for a sample of back-to-school categories on RetailMeNot were¹:

• Book retailers: More than 130%
• Merchants selling back-to-school supplies: More than 40%
• Stores selling apparel and shoes: More than 30%

In addition to looking at back-to-school-related site activity, RetailMeNot also announced the findings of a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, which revealed new shopping patterns among consumers with children headed back or already back in the classroom.  A small sampling of the results is as follows:

• Most parents (59%) say they usually finish their back-to-school shopping by the end of summer, according to a new poll of more than 1,000 parents conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of RetailMeNot.com. 
• Over half of all parents (52%) say that they often spend more on back-to-school purchases than what they budgeted.

The complete survey is available by clicking here.

Methodology

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted August 16–22, 2012. For the survey, a national sample of 1,010 adults aged 18 and older with a child under the age of 18 from Ipsos' U.S. online panel were interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the U.S. adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of 1,010 and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points 19 times out of 20 of what the results would have been had the entire adult population of parents in the United States had been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error. 

About RetailMeNot.com
RetailMeNot.com (www.retailmenot.com) is the leading consumer destination for collaborative online coupon, deal and promotional code hunting and sharing. Our mission is to help consumers save money and enjoy a hassle-free discount shopping experience. Since November 2006, our users have shared hundreds of thousands of deals and offers from retailers from across the globe. Online coupons are rated and ranked by users, ensuring that quality deals rise to the top and expired coupons drop down the list. RetailMeNot.com is operated by WhaleShark Media, Inc., the world's leading marketplace for online coupons and deals.

Shopping on the go? Download the RetailMeNot Coupons App for iPhone and Android phones to access Hot Deals, browse top coupons, popular stores and categories and get thousands of online and in-store coupons to shop when you want, where you want. Make sure to "like" RetailMeNot.com on Facebook, follow the company via Twitter @retailmenot and add us on Google+.

About WhaleShark Media, Inc.
WhaleShark Media, Inc. (www.whalesharkmedia.com) is the world's leading marketplace for online coupons and deals. The company's websites enable consumers seeking to save money to find hundreds of thousands of offers from retailers across the globe. WhaleShark Media experiences more than 400 million consumer visits to its sites every year. The WhaleShark Media portfolio of coupon and deal websites includes www.RetailMeNot.com, the largest online coupon site in the United States; www.VoucherCodes.co.uk, the largest online coupon site in the United Kingdom; www.Deals.com in Germany; web.Bons-de-Reduction.com and www.Poulpeo.com in France; www.Deals2Buy.com; www.CouponSeven.com; and www.CouponShare.com. WhaleShark Media is a fast-growing, profitable company funded by venture capital firms Austin Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, Adams Street Partners, Google Ventures, J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Institutional Venture Partners (IVP).

Be sure to "like" WhaleShark Media on Facebook and follow the company via Twitter @whalesharkmedia.

1. Fifty of the top back-to-school merchants on RetailMeNot.com were sorted into the following categories: apparel and shoes; books; consumer electronics; school supplies; department stores/multi-category; and home decor (defined as dorm room and bedding). Based on these categories, RetailMeNot reviewed average daily coupon clicks for merchants during the back-to-school period (July 1, 2012 through August 20, 2012) and compared that data versus the prior three-month period (April 1, 2012 through June 30, 2012).

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SOURCE RetailMeNot.com