Most parents can relate to the Staples Back to School campaign jingle “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. Until recently, most kids haven’t shared in their parent's enthusiasm for the Back to School season, and everything it implies. Many of us have experienced the reluctant feet dragging through the mall, or the constant bribery to ensure your kids go Back to School with at least the basics.

Now retailers are getting smarter, and engaging students directly in the Back to School shopping season. This season, savvy retailers are introducing social shopping in their on-line stores, in virtual worlds, and on trendy microsites that allow students to ‘try on’ clothes online before placing an order. You can even get your friend’s feedback on your item before buying, through advanced shopping features and social commerce. In fact, 74 percent of parents who shop online for back to school items are allowing their kids to participate in the process, under their guidance, according to a NFO WorldGroup survey*. This demonstrates the growing trend towards kids’ influences over parents’ purchases and what ultimately ends up in the shopping cart. According to this survey, the kids are the ones suggesting which sites to visit up to 42% of the time. 

Allowing kids to participate in the online purchasing process is helping to create enthusiasm this Back to School season, and for parents, the convenience of online shopping cannot be denied. Those most excited, perhaps, are the retailers looking to boost otherwise slumping sales. Studies show that even with a greater array of offerings in every category, Back to School budgets are still declining, although less than in the previous year. So this season, Back to School means back to basics with consumers spending less and looking for greater value. The same studies show that on-line spending is higher in every category when compared to Brick and Mortar spending, so retailers can look to their online campaigns to supplement in-store revenues. More importantly, retailers should consider Back to School as a prime opportunity to enhance brand awareness, positioning, and wallet share. It’s not all elementary.

We’ve taken a deeper look at the challenges and opportunities facing retailers this season, and arrived at the Top 5 Engagement Strategies for Back to School Shopping.

Download the Cactus Commerce white paper on the Top 5 Engagement Strategies for Back to School Shopping: http://www.cactuscommerce.com/resources/Pages/WhitePapers.aspx

*NFO WorldGroup Survey (http://www.clickz.com/864351).