Penciling in more BTS spending

Consumers may have a bit more to spend for the 2011 back-to-school season, so retailers should tweak their merchandise plans to accommodate.


Perry James, an analyst at the NPD Group, said that over the past few years, dollar trends in school supplies have not kept pace with unit supplies. Consumers also have been waiting until the last minute to shop. “As the economy gets better, retailers should be careful about too many promotions late in the season,” James said.

While private label has continued to steal share in many segments, top-tier branded products are bouncing back in such segments as writing instruments and self-stick notes.

The article above is part of the DSN Category Review Series. For the complete Back-To-School Sell-Through Report, including extensive charts, data and more analysis, click here.