Consumer Behavior

Back-to-school means back into stores

Photo by istock.com

July 30, 2021

When it comes to back-to-school shopping, more than one third, 76%, of U.S. consumers plan to shop in a store which reflects a return to pre-pandemic shopping habits, according to a Sensormatic Solutions consumer sentiment survey.

The third annual poll also revealed BTS shoppers are already busy buying clothing and other items this month, according to a press release.

"As consumer shopping habits shift, so too should retailers' technology," Kim Melvin, global leader of marketing, Sensormatic Solutions, said in the press release.

"Flexible and scalable technology can help create new shopping experiences required to keep up with changing customer expectations and varying comfort levels for in-store shopping."

Additional findings include:

• 54% said they shop online.
• 33% will buy online, pickup in store.
• 22% will use curbside pickup.

"In 2020, most communities hadn't reopened their schools for in-person learning, which impacted retailers from apparel to big box and office supplies," Amy Shulman, global head of professional services, Sensormatic Solutions, said in the release. "Trying to understand traffic trends when most schools in 2021 are expected to be open necessitates looking back to the most recent year when that occurred, which in this case is 2019. Doing so not only allows retailers to assess the ever-changing retail traffic environment, but also helps them understand expected shopper patterns, which is critical for staffing and supply chain optimization, such as last-mile delivery."

Consumers plan to spend the most on apparel and school supplies this year.

Consumer confidence about shopping in-store reached new highs in June, according to the release. Sixteen percent of consumers said they shop at enclosed malls most frequently, compared to 9% in spring 2021.