National Retail Federation recently released the results of its back-to-school and back-to-college surveys in an attempt to determine the patterns of retail spending for this school year. On their list of the top ten trends, some are surprising. Below is a brief list of the results of the surveys. 

1. Spending on back-to-college merchandising is twice as high as spending for younger students. As the post high school crowd has more money to spend, more attention should be spent on this group.

2. Dads spend more money than moms on back-to-school purchases. Whether it’s because they shop in a hurry, have more confidence in the economy, or have a more difficult time saying “no” to kids, they spend more.

3. The economy is still going to have an effect on back-to-school shopping. Store brands or generic merchandise is “in.”

4. Shopping for back-to-school starts earlier this year than ever before, allowing parents more time to shop for deals.

5. On-line shoppers will spend more than those who only shop in malls. Retailers must make sure that their website represents their overall brand as much as their stores represent it.

6. Price isn’t everything. Customers may consider buying pricier clothing that will last longer to save on money in the long run.

7.  Although college freshmen usually spend more than older students, that will not be the case this year. The drop could be as much as 19%! 

8. College men will spend more on back-to-school merchandise than college women. This applies not only to electronics purchases (the expected), but to clothing, personal care, and dorm décor.

9. Kids are spending through their parents. Even though they don’t spend much of their own money, they greatly influence what their parents buy.

10. The sales expectations for back-to-school purchases may or may not apply to the holiday season. Back-to-school purchases are usually a necessity, but holiday purchasing can be more flexible.

 Are you ready for the challenge? CounterPoint POS Software can help you better manage your back-to-school sales. Whether it’s on-line or in-store merchandising, we can help you improve your sales. Call us at 425-672-4806 or email us for more information.