This year parents are expected to spend about $828 billion (yes that’s billion with a b) to send their kids back to school with everything they need to ace the year. In the grand scheme of things, this retail holiday is a huge opportunity. For many brands, it accounts for roughly 17.2% of annual sales and 68% of their Q3 sales. But while this market is growing, buying habits are constantly changing and timing is everything. So knowing what parents are looking for and when, can help a lot when planning out your marketing strategy.
The first day of school can vary widely from state to state, which is why this shopping season is typically several months long. So while kids in Arizona are already back in class, students in Massachusetts still have a few more weeks of freedom. But start date craziness aside, there are a few general trends we’ve been tracking. For example as The Shelf infographic illustrates, parents tend to buy more back to school clothing in July than they do in August or September. The same is true for supplies like notebooks and pencils. Food and snacks however reach their peak in August.
By the time it’s all said and done, the average family with grade school aged kids will spend about $606 on back to school shopping lists this year. And with roughly 50 million kids enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school you can see how this equation adds up to that billion dollar figure we mentioned earlier.
Infographic by: www.theshelf.com
The first day of school can vary widely from state to state, which is why this shopping season is typically several months long. So while kids in Arizona are already back in class, students in Massachusetts still have a few more weeks of freedom. But start date craziness aside, there are a few general trends we’ve been tracking. For example as The Shelf infographic illustrates, parents tend to buy more back to school clothing in July than they do in August or September. The same is true for supplies like notebooks and pencils. Food and snacks however reach their peak in August.
Infographic by: www.theshelf.com
