What students purchased foruniversity autumn term and where they looked for advice
Wave Nine –Fieldwork October 2022
Date: 25th January 2023
Report Prepared by:
Liam Clements, Research Executive
Barbara Bradshaw, Senior Market Research Consultant
Beth Wiles, Research Manager
The Student Room Group 2022
Background and Approach
WeaskedcurrentuniversitystudentsaboutthepurchasestheyhadmadebeforestartinguniversityinAutumn2022,andalsoaboutthesourcesof informationtheyusedtoresearchthesepurchases.
Summary of findings
• The majority (90%) of current student respondents had sought advice about what to take to university; on average each looked forinformation from three different sources prior to making their purchases. Two‐thirds had used The Student Room (66%) for advice on what to take. Information from their university (58%) and YouTube (52%) were also frequently mentioned.
• Almost all (97%) had made some purchases before staring university. Stationery (69%), kitchen equipment and tableware (65%), andclothes (58%) were most frequently mentioned. Indeed, among those living away for university almost all (92%) had bought kitchen items and two‐thirds bought room decorations.
• More than half (54%) purchased a new laptop, while 17% bought a new mobile phone or phone contract. Just 11% purchased insurance.
Methodology and target audience
These findings are from the 9th wave of The Student Room’s Navigating Changing Options Research. We repeat this survey regularly, so that we can help young people navigate these challenging times, to track changes over time and to deliver value to our clients and The StudentRoom. An online survey was shared with relevant members of The Student Room Community.
• The target audience was members of the TSR community currently studying at a university/HE college.
• Fieldwork took place between 17th October and 1st November 2022.
The Student Room Group 2022
Results tables: University purchases and information sources
The Student Room Group 2022
Almost all (97%) had made some purchases before staring university. Stationery (69%), kitchen equipment and tableware (65%), and clothes (58%) were most frequently mentioned. More than half (54%) purchased a new laptop.
First year undergraduate respondents were less likely than both continuing and final year undergraduate students to have bought stationery before starting university (60% cf. 82% and 77%).
Final year respondents were more likely than first years to have purchased textbooks (48% cf. 30%)
The majority of those living away for university had purchased kitchen equipment and tableware (92%), and two‐thirds (66%) had purchased room decorations. Among those staying at home for university, proportions buying these items were significantly lower (5% and 7% respectively).
Conversely, respondents staying at home for university were more likely than students living away for university to have purchased textbooks (54% cf. 30%).
Respondents remaining at home and commuting into university were also more likely to say they hadn’t purchased any of these items before starting university (8% cf. 1%).
Q: Which of the following, if any, did you buy for starting university? Please select all that apply (Multiple Response) (Base: 387)
The Student Room Group 2022
Purchases in preparation for starting university 3% 5% 11% 17% 37% 48% 54% 58% 65% 69% None of these Other Insurance Mobile phone / mobile phone contract Textbooks Room decorations Laptop Clothes Kitchen equipment and tableware Stationery
The majority (90%) had sought advice about what to take to university; on average each looked for information from three different sources. Two‐thirds of respondents had used The Student Room (66%) for advice on what to take. Information from their university (58%), and YouTube (52%) were also frequently mentioned.
Continuing undergraduate students were more likely than final year undergraduate students to turn to YouTube for advice on what to take to university (61% cf. 41%).
Similarly, continuing undergraduate students were more likely than first year undergraduate students to use ‘Which?’ for advice when deciding what to take to university (13% cf. 5%).
Respondents that were living away for university were more likely than those staying at home and commuting into university to use the following sources to access information about what to take to university:
• Information from my university (65% cf. 44%)
• YouTube (56% cf. 43%)
• Save the student (26% cf. 13%)
Conversely, respondents staying at home and commuting into university were more likely to consult Unidays (43% cf. 30%) or none of the listed information sources (15% cf. 7%).
Q: Which of the following, if any, did you look to for advice about what to take to university? Please select all that apply (Multiple Response) (Base: 385)
The Student Room Group 2022
10% 5% 6% 7% 10% 14% 21% 22% 35% 52% 58% 66% None of the above Student Hut TOTUM Customer reviews on retailer sites Which? Reddit Student Beans Save the Student Unidays YouTube Information from my university The Student Room
Sources of purchasing advice
Respondent
395 complete and partial responses were received, all were UK students aged 16 or over and currently studying at university. Any significant differences by stay at home versus move away as well as for current year of study are identified throughout this document.
Gender
Male (including transgender men)20%
Female (including transgender women)76%
Non‐binary / gender‐fluid3%
Prefer not to say2%
%s are rounded to the nearest whole number
Parent(s)
No50%
Prefer not to say3%
%s are rounded to the nearest whole number
2022
The Student Room Group
Profile Age 171% 1827% 1923% 20 19% 21 or over 30% Level / year of study Foundation year7% First year undergraduate44% Continuing undergraduate 26% Final year undergraduate 16% Postgraduate 6% Prefer not to say 1%
Stay at home/ Move away Attend a local university31% Move away for university 69%
went to university? Yes48%
For further information, please contact us: hello@tsrinsight.com or barbara.bradshaw@tsrinsight.com https://tsrmatters.com/tsr‐insight‐home/
2022
The Student Room Group
Thank you
