Back-to-school shopping - 78% of consumers plan to spend more according to an ICSC survey

New York, NY The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) released its annual back-to-school consumer survey results, finding an overall uptick in spending. In-store purchases continue to dominate, with a whopping 95% of back-to-school (BTS) shoppers planning to spend at physical stores, while omnichannel trends like click and collect are also gaining traction. In total, the average BTS shopper is expected to spend $657 in purchases.

Seventy-eight percent of BTS shoppers expect to spend more this year, a significant increase compared with those who planned to do the same in 2015 (67%) and 2014 (50%). When asked why their spending would increase this year, 48% noted a need to replace wardrobe and school supplies, 44% cited that school requirements have changed and 35% stated that the items they plan to buy are more expensive than last year.

“Back-to-school shopping is considered the second biggest spending season of the year and according to ICSC’s survey, this season is shaping up to be the strongest of recent years,” said Tom McGee, president and CEO of ICSC. “As we’ve seen in our other surveys, the majority of consumers intend to shop primarily in stores. At the same time, there is a continued interest in leveraging omnichannel strategies such as click and collect as consumers integrate technology into their shopping experience.”

Ninety-three percent of BTS shoppers plan to shop at a mall or shopping center. When asked why they prefer to shop in physical stores and shopping centers, the top reasons included:

• Ability to physically see, touch or try on merchandise (42%)

• Avoid shipping costs (34%)

• Convenience of one-stop shopping (33%)

While the majority of back-to-school shoppers (95%) will spend at physical stores, many also plan to spend online from retailers with brick-and-mortar locations. As a result, 97% of BTS shoppers will spend in-store and/or online at retailers with a physical presence.

Click and collect is resonating with consumers. Thirty-three percent of shoppers will make a purchase online to be picked up in a physical location. What’s more, 84% of those shoppers will make an additional purchase when picking up their online order. 

Sixty-two percent of BTS shoppers plan to conduct research online before shopping. Eighty-six percent will use their mobile device while shopping in-store, primarily to compare prices (58%), retrieve discounts (45%) and view ratings (34%).

Over three-quarters (77%) of BTS shoppers will purchase school or office supplies, 68% will buy apparel or footwear, and nearly half (47%) will spend on electronics. On average, all BTS shoppers will spend nearly $280 on electronics.

The back-to-school shopping season is starting and ending earlier this year, with more consumers planning to spend in July and less in September than 2015. Almost one-third of those surveyed have already started spending and 6% have completed all their shopping needs. August remains the most popular time to shop with 87% of Americans planning to do their shopping then; 49% of shoppers believe this month is the best time for back-to-school deals, promotions and discounts.

Methodology

The ICSC Back-to-School Survey was conducted online by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of ICSC from July 7-10. The survey represents a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,023 adults 18 years of age and older.