Chart 1: Types of items purchased by students online (click to enlarge)

54% of those I surveyed bought books online. By buying books online from sites, such as amazon.com, students can save hundreds of dollars at the beginning of every quarter. Students are required at least during the academic year, at Christmas break, to leave campus. If they are not from the vicinity their only option is to buy plane tickets home. 58% of Stanford students said that they bought e-tickets because it was a fast and inexpensive way to fly home. Because 96% of students live away from home they are not able to be present during special occasions (Unofficial Guide to Stanford). By shopping online a gift can be delivered quickly and efficiently to someone far away. Even though one might not be physically present online stores provide us with a way of making our presence felt. On the other end of the spectrum, students stated that they did not purchase music or movies online. The rest of this web site explores why this is the case.