It’s a given that school-aged kids thoroughly enjoy summer vacation and revel in their time away from the classroom – but when it comes to preparing for the upcoming academic year, their parents and primary caregivers can hear the school bell ringing well before children make their inevitable return to pencils, books and teachers’ dirty looks. In an effort to gauge consumers’ shopping preferences and intentions this back-to-school season, Burst Media surveyed 1,912 adults aged 18 or older who identified themselves as a parent or guardian of a school-aged child (or children). Two-thirds (66.0%) of these parents/guardians are also the household’s primary back-to-school shopper.

• Many are either finished or soon to be finished with their back-to-school shopping: overall, nearly one-quarter (23.5%) say they’ve finished their shopping as of early July 2010 and an additional one-third (33.3%) will hit the stores in mid-to-late July or early August.

• More than half (54.3%) of primary shoppers say they’ll either spend more or the same on back-to-school clothing and supplies this year compared to 2009, and close to half (48.9%) will likely use the web to research and/or purchase products this season.

• Parents and guardians raise their hands and say “yes,” they influence their children’s clothing and product preferences (41.0%), but other overall factors – including friends (36.9%), television, movies and/or music (24.2%), advertisements (23.1%) and brand names (22.8%) – play a significant role in shaping purchasing decisions.
  

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, consumers opened their wallets for school and spent $7.2 billion in August 2009 at family clothing stores – the most in any month last year aside from December.* Fast forward to summer 2010, and August is again poised to be one of the busiest months for back-to-school clothing and related product purchases – though July is fast on its heels. Of the Burst Media survey respondents who say they’re the primary shopper for their child(ren)’s back-to-school clothing and supplies, more than three in five (63.4%) are moms or female guardians – and close to one-quarter (23.5%) say they’ve already finished their shopping as of early July 2010. However, August is going to be as busy as ever: one-third (33.3%) of respondents say they plan to shop for school related goods in either early August or mid-to-late August. Breaking it down by grade level, 41.1% of primary shoppers for elementary and/or middle school kids (kindergarten through 8th grade) will shop in August; 42.4% will shop for their high school children (9th through 12th grade); and nearly one-third (32.9%) who shop for college-bound kids plan to do so in August this year. Interestingly, these findings are consistent with a Burst Media survey issued in June 2009, where nearly two in three shoppers (63.6%) planned to shop in July, August or September last year – with August accounting for more than one-third (38.6%) of back-to-school shopping.†     Insight #2: Shoppers are Spending on Their KidsThis School Year With the U.S. economy seemingly out of the woods in summer 2010, primary back-to-school shoppers are not holding back when it comes to spending for their children. When asked how overall spending this year will compare to last year, more than half (54.3%) of respondents said they will either spend more (23.9%) or about the same (30.4%). These figures are in-line with the findings from last year’s study and suggest sustained confidence in economic circumstances. Elementary and/or middle school children as well as college students will be the recipients of buoyed back-to-school spending with 26.9% and 28.1%, respectively, of their parents/guardians saying they will spend more this year compared to last year. Among shoppers for elementary and/or middle school children, two in five (40.5%) plan to spend less than $100 per child; 47.9% $100-$499; 11.6% more than $500; and 6.6% don’t plan on spending at all. Back-to-school shoppers for high school students will also be opening their wallets, with one-fifth (20.7%) planning to spend less than $100; 57.1% $100-$499; 15.9% $500 or more; and 6.4% not spending this season. Primary shoppers for college or university students are the segment looking to lay down the highest amounts of cash: 13.9% plan to spend less than $100; 46.2% $100-499; and more than one-quarter (26.2%) plan to spend at least $500 or more this back-to-school season. Some more good news for retailers: few primary shoppers plan to spend less (14.2%) this year versus last – a finding significantly lower than our 2009 study.     Insight #3: Back-to-School Online Ads and Coupons Can Impact Select Product Categories Primary shoppers for children across all age categories are likely to use the web to research and/or purchase back-to-school products this season: half (50.6%) of shoppers for elementary and/or middle school kids, nearly half (47.0%) of shoppers for high school kids and more than half (52.2%) of shoppers for college or university kids. Nearly half (47.1%) of back-to-school shoppers are influenced by online ads geared towards back-to-school shopping (17.3% report these ads are “very influential” and 29.8% say “somewhat influential”). Including a coupon or promotion in an advertisement is effective, as we found two out of five (41.2%) primary shoppers say web-based coupons and promotions geared towards back-to-school shopping would influence their purchase decision – and nearly the same number, 38.1%, report their purchase decision might be influenced. Traditional school supplies (pens, pencils, notebooks, etc.) is the top back-to-school item shoppers plan to purchase in 2010, with more than three in five (61.6%) reporting they plan to purchase such items. Other leading product categories back-to-school consumers plan to purchase include casual clothing (58.8%), shoes and sneakers (44.3% and 47.5% respectively), books (38.0%) and athletic clothing (31.3%). Technology products overall fared relatively low, at 20.4%, but a sizable 38.1% of primary shoppers for college or university kids specifically plan to purchase technology products (computers, handheld devices, etc.) of some sort for the upcoming school year.   Insight #4: Parents Influence Their Children’s Preferences (At Least They Think They Do) Numerous factors can obviously influence any child when it comes to their personal clothing and product preferences. In asking about the impact of influential factors (e.g., family, friends, celebrities, media) on what children want this back to school season, parents and guardians seemingly play a big role – especially (and not surprisingly) with younger children. More than half (54.1%) of parents or guardians of kids in kindergarten through 8th grade say they influence their kids, and this number drops considerably the older the students: 44.0% of parents/guardians say they influence their high schoolers and slightly more than one-third (34.8%) say they influence college or university students. Overall, 41.0% of parents/guardians say (or *think*) they influence their children. Not surprisingly, friends play a huge role as well in determining what kids want to get for school clothing and supplies: nearly half (48.8%) of shoppers for high school children say their kids’ friends play a role in shaping preferences, 43.5% of shoppers for college or university students cite friends as a factor and 42.0% of parents/guardians of younger children say friends play a role in purchasing decisions. Overall, 36.9% of primary shoppers say friends influence their kids. Of the several other potential factors listed in the survey, television, movies and/or music (24.2%), advertisements (23.1%) and brand names (22.8%) all play a significant role in influencing children’s products preferences. Diving deeper, primary shoppers think kids in kindergarten through 8th grade – at 30.5% – are more influenced by TV, movies and/or music versus older children. Shoppers feel high school kids are more likely (at 28.5%) to be influenced by any kind of advertisements, versus younger students as well as college students. The same holds true for brand or label names: 29.7% of parents/guardians think that brand affection plays an influential role with 9th – 12th graders.

With nearly one-quarter (23.5%) of back-to-school dollars already spent this season, clothing and school-related product marketers and advertisers have a distinct opportunity to target the primary shoppers in market right now – in mid-to-late July, August and September 2010 – with branding messages and incentives to take action.

Give Consumers a Reason to Purchase While They’re Engaged with Content

Promotions, coupons and other priced-based incentives are the most popular kind of advertising with consumers. Nearly four out of five (79.3%) primary shoppers say they’re either influenced or may be influenced by web-based coupons or promotions geared towards back-to-school specials. Marketers and advertisers who leverage couponing and promotional tactics – especially within relevant content – have the opportunity to reap the most benefit.

Be Creative with Your Creative

Children’s shopping preferences and influences are shaped by a variety of factors, many of which spill beyond the boundaries of the computer screen. Ensure your messaging is creative and consistent across all media, and use the powerful and innovative units available exclusively online – including interactive, video and social sharing – to effectively carry your brand into the context of quality websites that kids (and their parents or guardians) spend the most time on. In addition, brands should keep in mind that per our findings, women comprise the majority (63.4%) of the primary back-to-school shopping contingent. Creative that resonates with moms or female guardians will likely prove to be the most beneficial.

FOOTNOTES:

*U.S. Census Bureau: “Facts for Features - Back to School: 2010-2011.” June 15, 2010.

†Burst Media: “Burst Media Research Reveals Back-to-School Shopping Habits.” June 18, 2009.

Burst is always adding quality, content-rich sites to its networks. All sites are subject to a rigorous screening process before being accepted into our networks. Burst also regularly reviews sites to ensure they continue to meet our standards. Our continuous auditing process guarantees your advertising message is placed in a high quality content environment, and receives the maximum exposure it deserves.

Below are just a few of the many interesting Burst sites focused on technology gadgets and devices:

	SuperSchoolSavings.com teaches people how to stretch their budget when shopping for school supplies, clothing, or snacks. The site regularly posts retailer offers, coupon codes and specials to help both parents and students save money on school needs.
	GreatSchools.org is the countries leading source of information on school performance. GreatSchools enables parents to support kids' educational success by providing helpful tools, ideas and resources. Through articles, slide shows and community-driven content, the site engages parents in a conversation about the best ways to help children grow up to be life-long learners and good citizens.
	WorkItMom.com was founded to provide a community where working moms can share their experiences, advice and support that can make their daily juggle a bit more manageable. The site is a vibrant community where moms are invited to write personal essays, join discussions and invite their working mom friends to contribute tips and thoughts on parenting.