Back-to-school shoppers not in a hurry
Chicago -- Shoppers are making retailers wait for the back-to-school rush.
The majority (65%) of shoppers will start back-to-school shopping in the next few weeks, according to JLL’s Back-to-School Survey, which also revealed that 88% of shoppers will shop at a brick-and-mortar store for either school supplies or clothing, placing minimal online orders for merchandise.
“Retailers can’t expect to get the customer without creating an experience and providing superior service, but during the back-to-school season, it is well-priced and quality goods that drive shoppers. Families armed with lists prefer a ‘one-stop-shop’ to buy everything they need,” said Holly Rome, JLL’s director of retail leasing.
Respondents in the nationwide survey indicated their top three destinations for back-to-school shopping this year include WalMart, Target and Macy’s, with 90% of consumers expecting to spend up to $500 on back-to-school shopping this year.
In other highlights from the survey:
1. Cha-Ching is King: The number one factor — across income levels — affecting where consumers shop for back-to-school supplies was price; 70% of shoppers ranked it as either number one or two in importance, underscoring why supercenters are so popular for back-to-school merchandise.
2. All About Value: Quality was the second most important factor in deciding where to shop, with 46% of shoppers ranking it as a one or two. This trend may explain why dollar stores were considerably less popular with shoppers for back-to-school supplies. This ranking was fairly consistent across income levels and even across budgets.
3. Customer Service and Convenience Takes a Back Seat: Normally brick-and-mortar retailers are focused on creating an experience and differentiation with service, but back-to-school shoppers ranked these two factors least important. While still crucial factors for retailers and owners of retail property, during the back-to-school shopping chaos, value trumps service and convenience.