If you’ve started buying back-to-school clothes and supplies for the kids, you’re in the company of more than a third of consumers, a shopping center trade group said Tuesday.
It’s mid-July, but 34 percent of shoppers have begun to buy, and most — 83 percent — are shopping in stores or ordering online and picking up in stores, according to a survey by the International Council of Shopping Centers. The store pickup option is good for retailers, because most shoppers leave with more than the item they came for.
Nearly 70 percent of back-to-school shoppers expect to spend more this year, up from the half of shoppers with such plans last year, the survey showed.
Nearly 80 percent of back-to-school shoppers plan to use a mobile device in stores, either to compare prices, use digital coupons, check reviews, check item availability, or text friends and family for their opinions on what to buy.