It’s clear to see that no one, not brands nor consumers, was prepared for the upheaval that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on. And with many US states still in uncertainty about certain aspects of updated reopening plans, we’re already predicting that the back-to-school shopping season might look different than ever before.
Back-to-School is a billion-dollar shopping season for US retailers with US parents purchasing a myriad of items from clothing and accessories to technology and electronics. In 2019 alone that spend reached over $26 billion. And while we know shopping habits have shifted, 41% of US parents expect that they will still spend the same amount or more on their back-to-school shopping this year.
When it comes to the major items being purchased in preparation for back-to-school, Deloitte found that many of these purchases still take place in-store. For instance, 62% of clothing and accessories shoppers plan to make their purchases in a physical store. The same was reported for school supplies with 62% looking to shop in-store for these items.
Brands still have a great opportunity to reach their consumers and bring them into their brick-and-mortar locations for the purchasing but they will need to adapt their strategies this year to make the most impact.