How to make the most of back-to-school shopping
It’s a new school year – and a fresh chance to engage customers and drive sales.
Back-to-school time is one of the big-ticket events on the retail marketing calendar, with good reason: research suggests that Australian parents and caregivers collectively spent $2.6 billion* on back-to-school supplies for their kids.
Uniforms, stationery, books and shoes take the lion’s share of spending, with tech, school bags, lunch boxes and water bottles bringing up the lucrative rear.
This year, with rising interest rates and inflation-impacted prices, parents will be expecting better value and more convenience than ever before. Here are some tips on how to engage your customers, and keep them coming back for more.
1. Time it right
Google Trends data shows searches for ‘school shoes’ and ‘school stationery’ start to climb very early in the New Year, so it’s never too soon to start planning. Tech giant Apple (Australia) traditionally starts its annual back-to-uni promotion on the first Wednesday in January, for example, with some knockout deals on gifts that Santa missed.
But that doesn’t mean you should try to pip your peers at the post and launch a campaign too early.
“We’ve generally seen most sales tend to creep forward in the retail calendar,” says Trent Rigby, director at retail strategy consultancy Retail Oasis.
“But back-to-school remains fixed in early January, which allows a good three weeks before kids return to school or uni. Running back-to-school sales earlier risks messaging getting mixed up in the Boxing Day sales.”
2. Stock up
You know the demand for school-related items will be high during the back-to-school shopping season, but how do you maximise the potential for sales?
- Stock up on fast-moving essentials.
- Check out your local schools’ requirements. Identifying what’s on their Term 1 lists, will ensure your products get sold.
- Look at the brands that are trending in schoolyards. Is there a new Disney movie on release? What is LEGO up to? Are people really still playing Pokémon?
“Kids live and breathe trends,” says Salena Knight, CEO, The Retail Strategists. “I know I can relate to being the kid without the trendy backpack or lunch box, and it still haunts me to this day! Being on top of trends, especially in the back-to-school market, will be the difference between selling out and getting stuck with stock you can’t move.”
3. Make it easy
Back-to-school season is busy for shoppers, especially parents juggling the needs of children across multiple age groups. If you can simplify the shopping experience, they will choose your store.
“Back-to-school shopping can be hectic, and convenience is a huge driver,” says Rigby. “Most parents prefer to get their back-to-school supplies in one shop or trip, so retailers should think of offering bundles or pack deals.”
"Back-to-school shopping can be hectic, and convenience is a huge driver."
Another way to streamline your offering is to provide guides or checklists of essential back-to-school items. Australia’s largest stationery retailer Officeworks has this down pat, further segmenting its back-to-school checklists by grade.
“If there’s one thing I’ve always been a fan of, it’s a checklist,” says Knight. “Sure, schools will often give kids a list of products that they need, but these aren’t going to include those trending products, or mid-ticket luxury items. By creating your own, and making it easy for customers to purchase, you’re much more likely to get the sale.
“Both online and instore, make sure you’re bundling products together for a one-click purchase. Creating a single purchase point, that teams up the trending bento box, insulated water bottle and freezer pack will increase your average order value and expose customers to products they may not have even realised they wanted/needed.”
4. Leverage your online assets
While the adults are off work (and with all that free time to look at their phones), this time of year is a great opportunity to get your messages in front of the right eyes. Put up a dedicated tab on your website, compose a snappy e-newsletter to showcase your range, take photos for social.
Consider organising a Facebook competition with prizes, engage your audience with a poll, sponsor a local school event and make sure everyone knows it.
“Think what additional value you can add online besides price and convenience,” says Rigby. “Blog content can be a powerful tool for building customer engagement and loyalty.”
Think school lunch ideas, recipes for fussy eaters if you’re a food retailer or advice on how to ease back-to-school stress.
Don't forget to download your free Afterpay assets for social, web and email to let your customers know all about your Back to School promos.
5. Price it tight
Affordability and price are always an important consumer driver, especially at this time of year, after a period of Christmas spending. And that’s expected to be more of a concern than ever during this back-to-school sales period.
“The hardest hit retailers are going to be those that cater to the lower end of the market, the consumers who are struggling,” says Knight. “I’d recommend they focus on bundles/packs and targeted offers and include payment options such as BNPL. Even the less price-sensitive consumer, is still going to be very value driven. The sense of getting a good deal is always a great motivator for shoppers.”
Quality is likely to be in the spotlight too, with shoppers looking to make their purchases last well into the school year.
“Rising cost of living pressures and inflation mean that parents are going to be on the lookout for value,” says Rigby. “Retailers will need to move beyond simple price comparisons, and demonstrate genuine value.”
*Source: Finder, ACARA, Futurity Investment Group
All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.
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