When it comes to shopping for back-to-school supplies and clothes, the most important influencers may not be the people paying the bills.

According to the GfK MRI American Kids Study, virtually all (94%) children ages 6 to 11 say they influence the back-to-school items or clothes their parents buy for them. Over six in ten (61%) girls ages 10 to 11 say they have “a lot” of purchase influence, compared to 44% of girls in the 6-to-9 age group.

Watch an MRI video of results from this research.

Boys seem to feel they have less shopping clout, with only half (50%) of those 10 to 11 – and 37% of those ages 6 to 9 – reporting they have “a lot” of effect on back-to-school supply or clothing purchases.  
In the new report, seven in ten (69%) parents with children ages 6 to 11 say that their child joins them for back-to-school shopping at least half the time. For parents of girls ages 10 to 11, that figure jumps to 81%.

MRI’s study also shows that kids ages 10 to 11 are 47% more likely than the average child to have shopped or looked at things to buy on the Internet in the last 30 days; but children ages 6 to 9 are 23% less likely to have done so.

“They may not have mobile wallets yet – but young kids still have huge influence on their parents’ purchases in the back-to-school season,” said Lisa Tyler, VP of Sales at MRI. “At a time when almost half of children 10 to 11 are Internet shoppers, it is little surprise that they might have information and opinions about the supplies and clothes they need. Marketers need to honor and tap into this essential influencer group – in the leadup to school, as well as throughout the year.”   

MRI’s Survey of the American Consumer® represents the gold standard in traditional planning and consumer insights. It is accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC), which conducts annual audits of MRI’s methodology, fieldwork, analytics, and data handling systems. On behalf of clients and the industry, the MRC assures that audience measurement services are valid, reliable, and effective.

MRI’s American Kids Study™ mirrors the Survey, capturing demographics, media usage, lifestyles, and attitudes for kids ages 6 to 11. MRI also asks caregivers to monitor and contribute to the research. The result is a reliable national sample of the 44 million households sheltering some of the country’s most influential consumers. Note: The American Kids Study is not MRC accredited.