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Sales up for back-to-school
Youngstown
Students might not be thrilled about the start of classes this fall, but retailers are.
Back-to-school shopping sales are second only to winter holiday shopping, which includes Black Friday, according to the National Federation of Retailers.
An online survey of more than 8,000 consumers released July 15 showed that shoppers planned to spend more on back-to-school merchandise this year than last. The average family will spend $606.40 this year as compared to $548.72 last year.
“It appears that people are going to be spending back to where they were in 2008 before the recession,” said NRF spokeswoman Kathy Grannis.
Local retailers are seeing the increase.
“Last week we had a huge influx of people and same with this week,” said Alex Daw, an employee at the Target store on Boardman-Poland Road in Boardman.
Consumers at Target and other stores are shopping for clothing as well as school supplies including crayons, backpacks, lunch boxes and college-dorm furnishings. And they’re doing so with higher spirits than desperate Black Friday shoppers.
“Everyone who has been shopping here has been in a good mood and been understanding if we don’t have things in stock.” Daw said. “There’s a lot less tension” than on Black Friday.
Managers at Sears, J.C. Penney and Dillard’s at Southern Park Mall have seen more families and parents shopping with children recently. Many department stores began advertising their fall-clothing lines a few weeks ago. Several included coupons and highlighted summer sale merchandise.
Dillard’s had a kids’ back-to-school day Aug. 14 and invited parents and children in for games and prizes while they shopped.
Kathy Hendricks, the children’s department sales manager, said many parents shop for the school uniforms they carry. The Dillard’s shoe department has been busy as well. “I think they’re buying less, but they’re buying quality stuff,” said Katie Strague, sales manager for the shoe department.
Strague said Sketchers and Ugg brand footwear have been most popular selling for about $49 to $65 and $120 to $200 a pair, respectively.
Kris Siman, the store manager at Sears, said families are coming in to shop together. “Along with buying clothes, they’re also buying bookbags and stuff for the dorms,” she said. “We sold a lot of the back-to-campus stuff.”
Local consignment and second-hand stores, which have offered discount options throughout the recession, also saw increased sales this season. According to the NRF survey, seven out of 10 consumers said they would shop at discount stores.
Dena Stemple, a clerk at Fashion Replay, a consignment shop on Youngstown-Poland Road, Poland, thinks it has to do with re-selling popular lines to brand- conscious teens. “You can get it for like 20 percent of what it costs in at the mall,” she said.
Amanda French, a cashier at Plato’s Closet on Boardman-Poland Road, Boardman, said this year is likely the store’s busiest yet. She said the back-to-school season is like the Christmas season for them.
Though many schools had their first days this past week, several are still on summer break. The delay will extend the shopping season.
“We still have a lot of schools out until after Labor Day,” said Darcy McClure, store manager at J.C. Penney. “We haven’t reached our peak yet.”
Full results of the NRF survey can be found online at www.nrf.com.