Students and parents are expected to spend a combined average of US$ 956.93 on back-to-college merchandise, up from last year's US$ 880.52 - or US$ 47.3 billion* in total - according to the National Retail Federation's "2007 Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey," conducted by BIGresearch, reports MarketingCharts.

According to the NRF study:

• What students and parents will buy:
  • Clothing and accessories spending is expected to jump to $7.41 billion from last year's $5.78 billion.
  • Laptops, digital cameras, along with iPhones and other cell phones, should again be big sellers, with students and their parents expected to spend a total of $12.8 billion on electronics.
  • Over $15 billion will be spent on textbooks.
  • Other "essentials" for college students include shoes ($2.96 billion) and school supplies such as notebooks, folders and pencils ($3.14 billion).
  • Dorm and apartment furnishings spending is expected to reach $5.43 billion, up from last year's $3.82 billion. Young adults age 18-24 will shell out the most in this category, spending an average of $158.61.

• Where the spending will take place:
  • College bookstores (57.2 percent)
  • Discounters (51.5 percent)
  • Department stores (41.8 percent)
  • Office supply stores (35.6 percent)
  • Clothing stores (34.3 percent)
  • Electronics stores (20.9 percent)
  • Nearly one-third of consumers plan to shop online for back-to-college necessities.
• Students' living situation:
  • Half of those polled (49.7 percent) said they would be living at home during the school year.
  • More than one-fourth (28.6 percent) will live in off-campus housing.
  • One-fifth (18.7 percent) will stay in a dormitory or other type of college housing.
  • A small fraction (1.3 percent) will live in a fraternity or sorority house.

• Students living on-campus will outspend others by a wide margin as dorm dwellers are expected to spend $1,529.45 on college merchandise - nearly double what students living at home will spend ($774.86) and also more than students living off-campus ($1161.98)

• Freshmen, many with gift cards and cash from graduation gifts, will spend the most this year ($1,193.60). Sophomores, with an average of $748.29, are expected to spend the least.

* Figure indicates total extrapolation of U.S. population of adults 18+

(Also see "Back-to-School Spending to Top $18 Billion.")