As the school year winds down, there’s more than summer vacation to think about. Yep, it’s already time to start gearing up for back-to-school.
Shoppers spent nearly $75 billion on back-to-school and back-to-college shopping in 2014, up from $72.5 billion in 2013, reports the National Retail Federation. A whopping $27.38 billion of that 2014 spending was online, a 16.5% jump from the year before, according to eMarketer.
Back-to-school is a unique shopping season because it’s a concentrated burst of heavy spending on a very specific shopping list. This dynamic raises the stakes for brands and retailers to be in the right place(s) at the right time(s).
As back-to-school shifts from the traditional bricks-and-mortar experience to a unique omnichannel one, it’s crucial for marketers and retailers to keep up with customer habits and touch points.
Here are five homework assignments to start right now to make the most of back-to-school season:
- Begin marketing efforts early.
Nearly half (48%) of customers with elementary school children start shopping two or more months out and 43% start their research even earlier than that, according to Yahoo. Merchandising, promotions, product information and reviews that start in early summer gain the greatest visibility. The higher the price point—such as computer and dorm furniture—the earlier to start, as these purchases involve more research and reading up on product reviews. Content and promotions that are visible across all platforms starting early summer get the best visibility and reception.
- Shift seamlessly from screen to store.
Shoppers are transforming their experience into one continuous loop between screen and shelf—often at the same time. Most shoppers (73%) are “webrooming”—researching online while making purchase decisions in-store, says the International Council of Shopping Centers. eMarketer found that 39% of smartphone owners use their phones to find a local retailer for items they’re searching online—and 33% search for coupons for the store they’re currently in.
Shoppers shift between the screen and the shelf constantly; they expect flexibility and ease-of-use on every platform. Convenience is the key: Mix and match in ways that suit customers’ habits. Look at Walmart’s Savings Catcher app: Shoppers scan their receipts to price-check items against other retailers. If a competitor has a lower price, Walmart’s app refunds the difference in an e-giftcard. Customers get the best deal on products without having to price-check across multiple platforms.
- Bring action to mobile.
Beacons have taken off since last year’s back-to-school season. It’s a great way to trigger targeted offers in the moment. Macy’s introduced iBeacons in 800 stores during last year’s holiday season, sharing product information and coupons when a shopper was near certain products. Meanwhile, the profit margin on direct purchases made via smartphone jumped 147% in the last year, says eMarketer. Think of smartphones in two ways: as a purchase trigger and a cash register.
- Pump up social media.
Hey, everyone wants to know what the cool kids are doing and social media is the perfect way to keep up. In 2014, 64% of consumers said social media played a role in their back-to-school shopping. And 63.5% said they’ve bought an item for back to school after seeing it on social media, according to Crowdtap’s Back to School Social Media Study 2014.
As back-to-school shoppers look for inspiration online, visual imagery and user-generated content can be powerful influence factors as they choose products and retailers. Nordstrom recently created a microsite to help its Instagram followers jump directly from a posted product to the site for further exploration. This site aggregates multiple “Instagram Picks” and helps the follower make the leap to additional product information, user reviews and point of purchase. IKEA Russia rolled out a “pseudo-site catalog” within Instagram for its Millennials-targeted PS product line. These two approaches to social merchandising help brands bridge social media into sales.
- Test for the winter holidays.
Holiday spending eclipses back-to-school eightfold, with $602 billion in holiday sales last year, NRF reports. Savvy brands and retailers can use back-to-school to test out new channels, merchandising, and promotional hooks. There’s enough scale to show results, and enough lead-time to tweak holiday plans as needed.
Pencils up. Begin.
Megan Karman is the Marketing Coordinator at Tenthwave Digital. Her email address is [email protected].
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