Mass merchants are the No. 1 shopping destination for back-to-school this year

Key stat: Over three-quarters (77%) of US parents plan to visit mass merchant retailers for their back-to-school shopping, per a May 2024 survey from Deloitte.

Behind the chart:

• Total US back-to-school sales will reach $81.16 billion this year, a 3.2% increase YoY, down from 7.2% growth in 2023, per our forecast.
• Though the majority (65.1%) of US back-to-school sales will take place in-store this year, ecommerce continues to grow its share, reaching 34.9% of total US back-to-school sales this year, per our forecast.
• Services that connect the online and in-store experience (like mobile apps, buy online, pickup in store, and curbside pickup) will be key for retailers trying to boost sales this back-to-school season as parents look for the best prices and most convenient ways to shop.

Use this chart:

• Advocate for additional spend on in-store advertising and promotions.
• Illustrate the need to include off-price, department stores in back-to-school marketing efforts.
• Explore ways to boost traffic across lower-trafficked retailers like fast-fashion or bookstores.
• Emphasize the importance of value during back-to-school season.

More like this:

Methodology: Data is from the July 2024 Deloitte report titled “2024 Deloitte back-to-school survey.” 1,198 US parents of school-aged children (grades K-12) were surveyed online during May 22-30, 2024.