Consumers Prepare for Back to School

LTK, the global creator marketing platform, released the findings of its 2023 Back to School Shopper Study, revealing insights into consumer behaviors and attitudes towards back-to-school shopping this year. Back to school is one of the biggest retail moments of the year with 65 percent of the general population intending to shop during this time, and despite economic concerns, 81 percent of shoppers plan to spend the same or more as last year with purchase decisions driven by price and quality. As shoppers begin their shopping journey, more are turning to creators for help as a majority of the general population (63 percent) now shop creator recommendations.

The study found a substantial percentage of consumers across generations are preparing for back-to-school shopping. Gen Z leads the pack with 77 percent intending to shop, closely followed by 76 percent of Millennials and 74 percent of Gen X. Back-to-school shopping isn’t exclusive to students or parents; 42 percent of Millennials and Gen Xers who shop for their kids also plan to shop or themselves, further fueling the excitement surrounding this shopping season.

Despite 72 percent of the general population expressing concerns about the current economic climate, 81% of consumers plan to spend the same or more on back-to-school shopping this year. Among those intending to maintain or increase their spending, Millennials lead the way at 85 percent, closely followed by Gen X (83 percent), and Gen Z slightly trailing (71 percent). Compared to last year, the general population intends to spend more in four categories: traditional school supplies, electronics, clothes and shoes and beauty.

Consumers are kicking off their shopping earlier this year. By early July, 35 percent will have begun their back-to-school shopping, up from 31 percent in 2022. Furthermore, 62 percent of shoppers state they will have started shopping before the end of July. As Gen Zers head back to college, more than half will start their shopping in late July through early August. When it comes to shopping preferences, 76 percent will shop online while 73 percent will shop in stores.

The most sought-after categories during the back-to-school season include fashion, shoes, backpacks and lunch boxes, core school supplies, accessories, personal care products, food and beverage, cleaning supplies, electronics and health and wellness products.

Price and quality are paramount for the majority of shoppers this year, with quality gaining more significance over convenience compared to last year’s trends. Gen Z and Millennials place an even higher emphasis on price than the general population, with 53 percent intending to compare prices across multiple stores, 40 percent waiting for significant sales events and 31 percent ready to switch brands for better-priced items.

Creators have significant influence over shopping behaviors, especially among Gen Z consumers. Creators are 3.5 times more influential to Gen Z than social media ads. An overwhelming majority of Gen Z (75 percent) and a significant number of Millennials (67 percent) base their online purchases on recommendations from creators. Similar trends are seen for in-store purchases, with 77 percent of Gen Z and 67 percent of Millennials expressing that they rely on advice from creators when shopping in physical stores. In addition, 45 percent of Gen Z and 41 percent of Millennials say they follow creators who share back-to-school content.

The reported data is from a survey conducted in May 2023 among 1,084 participants, reflective of the US population with 97 percent confidence.

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