2015 Back-to School and College Retail Trends Infographic
Behind Holiday, Back-to-School is retail's second biggest season and often a barometer of how well retailers will perform the last half of the year. NRF’s annual survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, is among the most anticipated consumer research releases each year. The National Retail Federation asked online shoppers if they plan to use retailers’ omnichannel delivery options, including free shipping, same-day delivery, ship-to-store and reserve online. The topics they ask about each year — from school uniforms to living in a dorm — also yielded interesting insights. The 2015 Back-to School and College Retail Trends Infographic the top 10 trends as students get ready for school.
Not surprisingly, back-to-school shopping continues the shift to mobile with a whopping 40% of searches done via mobile device – that’s a 25% increase from 2013. Those searches are a combination of searching for products as well as finding retailers nearby that sell the products. Back-to-School and Back-to-College represents a $68 billion opportunity for American retailers, and new shopping trends are emerging as the long-promised omnichannel has finally become reality.
Retailers like Target and Meijer are making back-to-school shopping even easier. Technologies like Point Inside are helping retailers integrate store-specific shopping lists and interactive maps into their branded mobile applications. The maps show store layouts and guide shoppers along the most efficient path to pick up all the items on their list.
If you’re a retailer, this is an interesting combination of technologies to enhance the user experience and increase conversions:
- Ensure that you’re leveraging local search engine optimization in coordination with your inventory so that you’re easy to find online and your customers can find the products they need.
- Make it easier for consumers to find and buy the items they need when they get to the store.
Oh, and keep in mind that while many shoppers are waiting to the last minute, savvy shoppers are heading to the stores and online earlier than ever. 75% of all back-to-school shopping happened in the first two weeks of August!
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