Three quarters of parents carry out internet research to learn more about the products they consider as back to school purchases for their children, figures from Microsoft reveal.
A study carried out by Microsoft via its Bing shopping platform canvassed the opinions of 1,046 people ahead of the start of the new academic year.
For nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of respondents, school uniforms and clothing are a particular area of concern financially.
This compares with purchases such as backpacks, electronic goods and stationery.
Some 75 per cent of shoppers look to internet research to identify ways to save on such goods.
Microsoft found that, for 70 per cent of survey respondents, discounts of 30 per cent or more are likely to prove sufficient to persuade them into making a purchase.
Bridget Tate, Bing shopping product manager, says: "Every mouse click can save valuable minutes normally spent wandering through stores.
"It's a great way to help get the most out of those precious last days of summer with the kids."
Recent figures from Efficient Frontier showed internet advertising on the Bing platform has experienced a 16 per cent improvement in return on investment over the past year.
