When it comes to back to school 2015 trends, one theme stands out as the most important: mobile. Mobile devices account for 19% of all U.S. retail eCommerce sales, and this figure is estimated to reach 27% by the end of 2018 according to Corra. In fact, 69% of ALL smartphone users use an Amazon app (as shown in our eBay vs Amazon selling infographic).
Mobile is quickly becoming one of the, if not the, most important aspect of a retailer’s marketing strategy. That includes your back-to-school strategy.
This post will cover some of the most interesting and consequential statistics found in our new infographic “10 Reasons Why Mobile Will Make or Break Your Back-to-School Success”.
To jump straight to the infographic click here
Back-to-School 2015 Shopping Trends
Imagine you’re in a store shopping for a new backpack. You think it’ll be simple: walk in, grab a backpack, and leave. When you get to the backpack section and you’re faced with an unexpected problem–there are so many backpacks to choose from! How do you know which one to choose?
You could put them on one by one. You could ask a sales representative to help you. But, if you’re like most people, you’ll turn to your phone.
This is the new trend of back-to-school shopping. In 2015, we don’t trust ourselves to make a decision alone. We fact check everything, look for reviews, and check for cheaper prices…all online, all with our phone.
One of the most interesting statistics in our infographic is that 96% of parents with school-aged children use their smartphones to compare prices. This means when they’re in the store shopping, they’re also looking online for a better deal. You need to make sure that you provide that better deal.
Back-to-School Shoppers Moving Online
People aren’t just using their smartphone in the store, they’re also leaving the store completely. 19% of consumers will leave a store to look for lower prices online. That means people are literally walking out the door because of mobile eCommerce. Remember that 96% of parents use their smartphone to compare school supplies prices. If you’re the result they find, you’ll be the company they’re leaving for.
Many people today don’t even make it to the store. 25% of back-to-school shoppers and 33% of back-to-college shoppers chose to shop online in 2014. And it was predicted that 46% of men and 31% of women would shop online for back-to-school supplies.
Everyone is turning to their screens for their supplies. This is why mobile with make or break your back-to-school revenue.
How Mobile Inadvertently Affects Our Back-to-School Shopping in 2015
Let’s admit it, we’re all afraid we’re being brainwashed by the media. But, it turns out you might be.
80% of mobile users’ purchasing decisions are influenced by the mobile channel, even though they may not use their devices to complete the final purchase. That means mobile is affecting how we shop, even when we’re not on a mobile in the store.
Mobile shopping has become a force-of-nature–the way we just do things now. If you’re a retailer, it highlights the importance of jumping on the mobile train.
When will Back-to-School Shopping Start in 2015?
Hopefully you’ve realized the importance of mobile for your 2015 back-to-school strategy, but how long do you have to prepare? According to Google Trends, the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August are the most popular time for the searches “back to school supplies” and “school supplies”.
That doesn’t leave you a lot of time to overhaul your mobile strategy. If you are currently executing a mobile strategy, look for ways to optimize it. Take advantage of location-based services or store-specific data.
If you don’t have time to execute a new mobile strategy, don’t fret. If mobile is this important for back-to-school, it will be just as important for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Christmas. And, it will be just as important for day-to-day shopping.
There’s no fighting the mobile trend, so jump on it now before it’s too late. (Even if you can’t make it in time for back-to-school 2015.)
If you enjoyed this post, check out the infographic below.
We want you to share it! An HTML code has been included at the bottom of the post, so you can embed it in your blog or anywhere else online.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments in the comment section below!
[…] merchandise must have online advertisements ready to go. A Multichannel Insights report stated 96 percent of parents will use their mobile devices to compare product […]
Great article and graphic! I was wondering John, if you had plans to do a follow-up article or graphic that reveals the actual stats from 2015’s B2S season. Now that it is later in the year? I am working with some retail partners and are trying to do a little convincing on the mobile front and would love to see it and share it if you do!
[…] Back to School Shopping Infographic by nchannel.com […]
[…] devices now account for 19% of all US retail business, and is estimated to grow to 27% by the end of […]