The National Retail Federation says 61% of consumers plan their back-to-school shopping around retail sales events starting in July.
According to statistics shared in a recent article from the Radio Advertising Bureau, the NRF says 64% of shoppers expect their children will be back in the classroom mostly or entirely in person this coming school year, and 56% of shoppers are looking forward to the upcoming school year. According to a Ziff Media Group survey nearly six in 10 say Back-To-School shopping will be a bigger deal to them this year than in past years.
Radio-listening parents (ages 25-54) of school age children are even more excited about the new school year. According to MRI-Simmons research during an April 2021 study, these parents are actually 14% more likely than the U.S. population at having their children return to school post-COVID.
Number two on the back-to-school shopping list is school supplies — everything from standard pen and paper, to smartphones, tablets, and laptops. At the very top of the back-to-school list for parents and students alike is shopping for traditional clothing rather than the relaxed “athleisure wear” that many defaulted to during 2020, and that equates to increased profits for stores. Parents with school age children 12-17 years old are 79% more likely to purchase suits or dresses, and parents with 6-11 year old kids are 157% more likely to buy those apparel items.
Back-To-School Means Back To Brick-And-Mortar
Though online shopping spiked during the pandemic, parents appreciate the brick-and-mortar shopping experience for the back-to-school season. The Ziff Media Group study showed that the top reasons for in-store shopping was the ability to get their purchases right away; the tactile experience of being able to see, touch, and try-on items; convenience; and discounts that are available only in-store.
Radio Reaches Back-To-School Shoppers
MRI-Simmons found that radio reaches 73% of parents with one or more child at home, and based on a March study from Nielsen 50% of adults always have the radio turned on when they are driving to school.
In regard to the on-air messaging you should use to bring these radio listeners into your store, the Radio Advertising Bureau says that focusing on deals may be a good way to communicate with the general consumers, but 71% of radio-listening parents say they buy based on quality and not on price (MRI-Simmons).
If you’re a retailer that sells merchandise parents need for their children returning to school, highlight your available inventory, your wide selection, and the quality of your products to get attention (and business!) from radio-listening mom and dads who are ready to spend like never before on back-to-school supplies and apparel.
