The new term has started and with the back-to-school market being worth an eye watering £620m in 2016, it is no wonder that retailers are wanting to gain a slice of the apple. The acceleration in market growth in 2016 was due to the increase in spend on sportswear items, so we expect in 2018 this will be the same pattern with the recent success of the England football team in the 2018 World Cup inspiring youngsters to take up active sports such as football.
Making the right impression is on the top of everyones list at the start of school, there isn’t a better time to use point of sale displays and in-store marketing to market and advertise ‘cool’ products. Fashion and accessories such as stationary and small electrical goods are always a best seller when it comes to back-to-school shopping. Whilst on the other hand parents are wanting to make sure their kids are eating food that’s healthy and nutritious.
Though kids want the very best to impress their school mates when they land back into School early September, the main thing on the parent’s minds is finding the best price. This spans over online and offline channels in order to price compare on products ranging from treats to schoolwear. Before getting started on some top tips for back to school campaigns, it is always important to price compare online and offline to see if your prices are competitive. If not, is there a way you can entice the customer into your store to make a purchase? Offering incentives such as free pencil cases etc are a great way to close on a sale.
Product dumpbins are always a great back to school marketing point of sale unit to remind frantic parents of the smaller items their children might need at school. Stationary, gadgets and other small items are a perfect way to remind forgetful parents. Positioning these near to the tills and other points of purchase will create impulse purchases.
When parents research back to school items, they will rely on a mixture of online and offline experiences to influence their journey. An eventual decision will likely be made after a combination of viewing a product on TV, researching online and interacting with the product in-store. Shoppers who follow an omni channel path to purchase are shopping more frequently and are reportedly spending 3.5 times more than other shopper types!
Utilising a strong social media strategy is important during the back to school season, whether this is for high school, college or for university. The average time spent on social media by the average person differs for each social media channel, however it is important to utilise the channel that you will be able to create targeted messages for the demographic that shops at your store. Social media and blogs are beginning to be the starting point of many consumer’s journeys to purchasing a product. Feature your products across multiple online channels to gain maximum exposure. Entice the customer in-store with store only offers and discounts.
Want to know how you can harness the power of back-to-school in-store marketing? We have created an infographic to make it easy for your to digest everything you need to know to make an impact in 2018/19.
Want to know how you can harness the power of back-to-school in-store marketing? We have created an infographic to make it easy for your to digest everything you need to know to make an impact in 2018/19.
Put me on your website!
