The survey found that teenagers will spend about the same amount as last year for certain apparel, supplies and accessories. Teenagers are expected to shell out an average of $31.64 for school items, compared to $31.74 last year. Pre-teens, largely reliant on their parents for an allowance, will spend less this year ($15.12 vs. $18.27 in 2010). When it comes to how much say children have in parents' buying decisions, nearly two-thirds of parents (61.2%) say their children influence 50 percent or more of back-to-school purchases.
Four out of five (83.7%) respondents say the economy will impact their spending plans. More shoppers than last year will purchase store brand or generic products (38.0% vs. 34.1% in 2010), and more will comparison shop online (30.7% vs. 23.2% in 2010). Additionally, many shoppers are making do with last year's items (29.7%) and spending less overall (44.6%) – trends also evident in NRF's 2011 Back-to-School survey.
“College students and their parents, who are likely also spending thousands of dollars on tuition, will be looking for ways to stretch their budgets and find good deals this year,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “To compensate, retailers will spread out their promotions to capture the attention of shoppers whenever they're in the mood to spend, and will use every resource they can to prominently promote everything from bedding to mini refrigerators and, of course, laptops and smartphones.”
Shoppers will also spend on clothing and accessories ($127.37), dorm furnishings ($96.84), food items ($94.60), school supplies ($61.48) and personal care items ($64.44). For those late-night study sessions, mom and dad may even put some meals “on them” and send their child to school with gift cards in hand, with the average person expected to spend $60.46 on gift cards or pre-paid cards.
Department stores won't only be popular with K-12th graders this year: college students will be sure to hit up their favorite store as well. Nearly half (47.6%) of families with college-aged children will shop at a department store, up from 42.5 percent last year. Others will shop at discount stores (53.9%), drug stores (19.4%), home furnishing or home decor stores (11.2%), office supply stores (33.4%), clothing stores (34.2%) and electronics stores (19.6%). Online retailers will see a nice boost in traffic this year – one-third (33.4%) of respondents plan to shop online, up from 28.6 percent last year.
This year's survey found that one-quarter (24.4%) of college shoppers will begin their shopping at least two months before school starts, the highest percent since NRF began conducting the survey in 2003. Others will head out three weeks to one month before school starts (28.9%), one to two weeks before (27.9%), the week school starts (9.4%) or after school starts (9.4%).
Like last year, most say their child will live at home (52.9% vs. 51.8% in 2010), though one-quarter (24.7%) will live off campus at a house or apartment. Eighteen percent will live in a dorm room or college housing and 3.6 percent will live in a fraternity or sorority house.
National Retail Federation - NRF
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