Nearly Three-Quarters of US Back-to-School Consumers Will Shop In-Store, According to Sensormatic Solutions Annual Survey
July 10 2024 - 9:33AM
Business Wire
- Security, price and sustainability remain key factors for
back-to-school shoppers.
Sensormatic Solutions, the leading global retail solutions
portfolio of Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), released its 2024 U.S.
Back-to-School Consumer Sentiment Survey, revealing that customers
continue to prioritize in-store shopping for the coming school
year. The annual survey revealed that 74% of consumers plan to
conduct their back-to-school shopping in-store, remaining the top
choice for shoppers year-over-year. Additionally, 43% of shoppers
say they’ll utilize “buy online, pick up in-store” (BOPIS) for
back-to-school purchases (compared to 34% in 2023) and 25% say
they’ll utilize curbside pickup (compared to 19% in 2023).
This year’s back-to-school shoppers planned to start early, with
18% saying they intended to start shopping in June (an increase
from 11% in 2023). However, August is still expected to be the
busiest month for back-to-school shopping in the U.S., according to
the organization’s traffic insights.
“With the rise in in-store traffic this time of year, it is
critical that retailers look at their store operations and staffing
to ensure they are meeting and exceeding consumer expectations by
creating an environment that truly delivers,” said Grant Gustafson,
head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions.
“Getting it right means knowing your customers and being flexible
enough to adapt to their needs. Drilling down into historical
performance and shopper behavior insights can help retailers make
sure their back-to-school plans hit the mark.”
The survey also highlights the main factors on the minds of
back-to-school shoppers:
- Security: Forty-four percent of respondents note that
being safe and comfortable in store environments is one of the most
important factors they consider when choosing a retail
location.
- Price: This year’s survey found that 75% of respondents
consider price a crucial factor when shopping in-store. Due to the
state of the U.S. economy, 34% of respondents plan to spend
significantly less than in previous years. Strategies to manage
budgets include reusing supplies from prior years (51%) and
shopping at discount or second-hand stores (49%).
Additionally, many consumers are opting for
BOPIS to avoid shipping fees (42%) and control spending by
prioritizing specific items (21%). Still, 62% say they have made
additional in-store purchases unrelated to their original orders
when using BOPIS.
- Sustainability: Up from 77% in 2023, 83% of 2024
respondents said sustainability will play a role in their
back-to-school purchasing decisions. Shoppers are prioritizing
sustainable practices, such as using reusable shopping bags (45%),
choosing products with sustainable packaging (41%) and opting for
items made with eco-friendly materials like recycled paper and
biodegradable pens (38%). Additionally, 26% of respondents are
purchasing clothes and supplies from second-hand stores.
“Today’s consumers continue to expect more from retailers as it
relates to their shopping experiences, but, for the retail brand,
balancing what may seem like competing objectives is easier today
than ever before,” said Tony D'Onofrio, president at Sensormatic
Solutions. “Leaning into outcomes-based, data-driven technologies,
such as inventory intelligence, computer vision analytics and
shopper traffic insights during these high-volume periods can help
retailers make sense of what’s working and what isn’t so they can
adjust, adapt and execute with confidence.”
To learn more about what to expect this back-to-school season,
read the full 2024 U.S. Back-to-School Consumer Sentiment Survey
results. For more information about Sensormatic Solutions, visit
sensormatic.com.
About Johnson Controls:
At Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), we transform the environments
where people live, work, learn and play. As the global leader in
smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, our mission is to
reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and
the planet.
Building on a proud history of nearly 140 years of innovation,
we deliver the blueprint of the future for industries such as
healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums,
manufacturing and beyond through OpenBlue, our comprehensive
digital offering.
Today, with a global team of 100,000 experts in more than 150
countries, Johnson Controls offers the world`s largest portfolio of
building technology and software as well as service solutions from
some of the most trusted names in the industry.
Visit www.johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow
@Johnson Controls on social platforms.
About Sensormatic Solutions:
Sensormatic Solutions is the leading global retail solutions
portfolio of Johnson Controls powering operational excellence at
scale and enabling smart and connected shopper engagement. Our
intelligent digital operating platform – Sensormatic IQ – combines
the full Sensormatic Solutions portfolio, including third-party
data to deliver unmatched insights into shopper experience,
inventory intelligence, loss prevention and operational
effectiveness with advanced technologies, like AI and Machine
Learning. This enables retailers to act on prescriptive and
predictive data-driven outcomes to confidently move into the
future. Please visit Sensormatic Solutions or follow us on
LinkedIn, X and our YouTube channel.
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Media Jaclyn Messina Sensormatic Solutions by
Johnson Controls Work: +1 561-235-6458 jaclyn.messina@jci.com
Grace Torrance Matter on behalf of Sensormatic Solutions
Work: +1-978-518-4504 jciretail@matternow.com
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