Incoming students may want to find the best college sales around, considering the rising costs of tuition, books and dorms.
Fortunately, many stores plan to cater to their back-to-school customers, especially emphasizing sales for dorm rooms.
Stores like Target even have shopping events specifically for ASU students.
"Target has spent considerable time identifying schools like ASU with an outstanding academic and institutional reputation to partner with for this event," said Leah Guimond, a Target spokeswoman.
She added that Target is hosting private shopping parties for 36 universities and colleges around the country for "welcome week."
The special shopping opportunity, for freshmen students only, will be held at the Target in Tempe Marketplace, located at 1800 E. Rio Salado Parkway.
A Target express bus will be available for transportation, and the event will be held from 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 20.
Students should bring their student identification cards in order to be let in.
"The shopping event is a great way to welcome students to campus, help them meet new people and ease their transition to college life," Guimond said.
Students can look forward to DJ music, games, prizes, snacks, Coca Cola sampling and gift bags, she added.
IKEA also has some sales for dorm room supplies and will host a college night from 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 27.
Students will need their ASU identification cards to IKEA’s Tempe location at 2110 W. IKEA Way in order to participate, as well as be entered in drawings for free decorating advice, free furnishings, gift cards and room makeovers.
University Housing and Residential Student Engagement partnered with IKEA for the event, said ASU Marketing Specialist Eliza Robinson.
"We are advertising about that as part of the residential weekend festivities," Robinson said.
There will be shuttles from the Tempe campus to IKEA at different locations on campus, such as McAllister Avenue and the ASU Gammage parking lot.
Robinson said the Target and IKEA events are the main student sales in the area, but many other places will have student-oriented deals as well.
Lindsay Bert, an exploratory health and life sciences freshman, said in an e-mail that she has already done some shopping.
“I haven't quite done all of my shopping yet because I'm waiting to see what can fit, but I bought my bedding and towels from Bed, Bath and Beyond,” Bert said.
She said she has also shopped at a few other places for dorm supplies.
“I bought my mirrors from IKEA and I have picked up little things from small vintage boutiques across the Valley,” Bert added.
Reach the reporter at reweaver@asu.edu.
