Average family has completed less than half of back-to-school shopping

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Although some students already have returned to school, the average American family still has more than half of its back-to-school shopping to complete.

According to the survey released today by the National Retail Federation, the average American family had completed 41.6% of back-to-school shopping as of Aug. 11; families of college students had completed 41%; and 30.5% of families with school-age children (kindergarten through high school) hadn’t even started their shopping.

The retail trade group said in July that total back-to-school and back-to-college spending would reach $47.5 billion this year. According to the earlier survey, families of students in grades K through 12 will spend, on average, $548.72 on school merchandise, a decline of 7.7% from $594.24 in 2008. Families of college students will spend, on average, $618.12, up slightly from last year’s $599.38.

‘Unique and creative marketing campaigns coupled with the right prices will be the key to driving sales as the summer comes to a close,’ said Mike Gatti, executive director of the Retail Advertising and Marketing Assn., a division of the National Retail Federation.

Back-to-school shoppers are carefully watching prices and looking for deals and coupons this year.

Those who already have begun their shopping said sales or coupons have influenced nearly half (47.8%) of purchases so far this season; 43.4% said coupons influenced them to shop at a particular store. Advertising inserts (42.1%), newspapers (32.2%), in-store promotions (32.1%), word of mouth (29.9%) and direct mail (16.2%) also strongly influenced decisions on where to shop.

“The days of mom or dad letting children put whatever they want in the shopping cart are over,” said Pam Goodfellow, senior analyst of strategic initiatives at BIGresearch, which conducted the survey. “Parents don’t want to send their kids to school in clothes that don’t fit or with a calculator that doesn’t work, but they are making careful spending decisions based on price instead of giving kids free rein to pick out whatever they want.”

The survey also found six out of 10 (62.2%) American families who have shopping left to do will head to a discount store. Additionally, 44.8% will check out a department store, and 31.8% will head to a clothing store.

The poll of 8,543 consumers was conducted from Aug. 4 to 11 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1%.

-- Andrea Chang