Apparel

NEW YORK — The average household is expected to spend about $285 on back-to-school items this year, with 39% of consumers planning to spend more than last year and 45% planning to spend about the same. 

According to a new study from the International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman-Sachs, 29% of households surveyed have started to shop for back-to-school items, which is lower than the 33% that had started at this time last year but more than in any other year since 2004.

Chicago – Crocs Inc. has selected ShopperTrak to provide retail traffic counting and analytics in store locations worldwide. In November 2012, Crocs started using a managed service from ShopperTrak at more than 170 stores. It completed a global rollout in spring 2013.

Columbus, Ohio -- Easton Town Center co-developers have announced that they will add eight new tenants to the development by August. The new tenants include:

Warrendale, Pa. -- Rue21 is partnering with Sony Pictures Entertainment to promote the release of "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.” The promotion awards a winner with two tickets to the Hollywood movie premiere; three additional winners receive movie prize packs.

In addition, Rue21 is hosting two legs of Sony Pictures' 10-market mall tour where fans can see the stars of the film, Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower. Rue21 is hosting the events at the Chicago Ridge Mall (Chicago) and Franklin Mills Mall (Philadelphia).

Average spending per school age child is expected to decline this year from 2012 levels, according to the National Retail Federation, setting the stage for heightened competition in an already intensely competitive seasonal selling period.

NRF said spending per child in grades K-12 would decline to $634 in 2013 compared to $688 last year and spending per college student would decline to $836 from $907. The trade group forecast total K-12 spending of $26.7 billion and total back-to-college spending of $45.8 billion for a combined market size of $72.5 billion.

City of Commerce, Calif. – 99 Cents Only Stores is opening new stores in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. and Kingman, Ariz. on July 25. Both will be the first 99 Cents Only stores in those municipalities.

The retailer will be offering special 99-cent deals on items such as flat-screen TVs and scooters to the first customers in line on opening day.

New York -- The National Football League has signed an exclusive agreement with Export Now to establish an official online store in China. Similar to its current U.S. e-commerce store, NFLShop.com, the China iteration will sell apparel, equipment and accessories branded with the logos of the NFL and its 32 teams over an e-commerce platform on China's Tmall.com business-to-consumer website.

The new online store is slated to debut in September, in time for the 2013 NFL season.

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate has represented the landlords in the renewal of five leases covering more than 18,500 sq. ft. in Hampton Roads, Va., retail properties.

Two of the leases were with Willow Oaks Associates, landlord of Willow Oaks Village Square Shopping Center in Hampton. The City of Hampton renewed a 7,778-sq.-ft. space, and Virginia ABC renewed its 3,300-sq.-ft. lease.

Mattress Firm renewed for 3,982 sq. ft. with JLP Chesapeake, owner of the Crossways Shopping Center in Chesapeake.