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JLL Podcast: How Back-To-School Shopping has Changed
JLL’s James Cook reveals the results of a new back-to-school survey of 1,000 parents. To bring the data alive, Cook spoke with JLL’s Elizabeth Faulkner, who is both a Boston-area parent and a retail property marketing expert, on his podcast titled, ‘Where We Buy’. She talked about her own back-to-school shopping habits, and how shopping centers have changed as they approach this key shopping season.
The survey noted the largest volume of shopping takes place two to four weeks before school starts, though roughly 5% of consumers wait until after school starts. That’s becoming a significant trend, points out Faulkner, since kids want to see what everyone is wearing and what’s tending. “Almost a second wave,” of shopping,” she said.
She notes malls used to have fashion shows in mid-summer to show what was going to be popular. She notes that’s changed with the emergence of Social Media and celebrity influencers, which drives the popularity and awareness of what’s cool and popular for back-to-school shopping now.
The mall has also adapted by integrating multiple touch points via technology to help deliver the right products for each shopping season. They’ve also evolved the buying transaction into an experience at the mall. That may include a fun element such as Instagram spots, or cool arrival experiences like the program put together involving Baggu gift bags that have become popular with celebrity influencers
Interesting JLL survey findings:
- Number of stores: More than 52% of back-to-school shoppers visit just one to two stores; while 32% of respondents went to three to five stores
- Store Types: The No. 1 response, at 69%, was discount department stores such as Target or Walmart; the second was online at 39%, while 30% say they go to office supply stores
- Top back-to-school stores were Walmart, Target and Amazon
- Key driver: Low price was the most popular response (37%) of where to shop, while the second biggest driver was if the store has what shoppers want (selection)
- Faulkner notes, shoppers can get top quality brands at discount prices now
- Kids participation: 9% of survey respondents said kids chose where to shop, though kids play a big role in choosing which products and brands to buy
- Category spending: clothing/shoes/accessories/apparel captures nearly 50% of back-to-school spending
- Total spending: 40% of respondents say they spend $100 to $250 on back-to-school, while 21.3% were spending in the $250 to $500 range
For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser
