“Back to school” is the 2nd largest retail event of the year.
Take a piece of the $828 billion spent this season.
Back to school season in the US is almost here! Students of all types will soon be buying for the new school year, with an estimated 35% of sales going towards apparel and accessories. Nearly half of all shoppers plan to purchase items online (for more, see the data on NRF.com).
Data from TheShelf.com about back to school sales in 2016 (source).
As you can see above, back to school clothing sales actually peak in July and are driven most by “sales/promotions”. Pay attention to competitor pricing and promos to make sure that your campaigns get the sale.
Target audience: Parents and college students
Your largest audience for back to school purchase is young kids, but for Facebook ads you’ll want to target moms with children. However, don’t forget dads! Fathers, known to be impulse buyers, spend around 37% more than moms while shopping for back to school. When targeting college students, focus on freshmen—they’ll be in the market for new supplies during their first year away from home.
Back to school promotions
Data from NRF and TheShelf.com on back to school sales in 2016 (source).
As with any seasonal event, back to school is the perfect opportunity to launch some storewide promos and sales. In fact, 46% of shoppers said that price is one of their main deciding factors for back to school purchases.
Free shipping is important
A survey from NRF found that an astonishing 84% of parents said they wouldn’t buy back to school products online without free shipping (source). You can set up your own promotions on TeeChip Pro. For a step-by-step guide on setting up coupons, check out our last email here.
Design ideas for back to school
Here are some design ideas and themes to inspire your own back to school campaigns.
Youth t-shirts
While most TeeChip Pro sellers create campaigns for adults, back to school season is a good time to shift your focus. Try featuring your current designs in youth t-shirts to gain more interest in your campaigns.
Back to college
Many purchases this season will be for children under 18. Don’t forget about the college crowd. This demographic will be looking to decorate their dorm rooms and apartments, so products like posters, mugs, and even tote bags will be in higher demand.
Slogans and phrases
Slogan shirts are on-trend for the 2019 fashion season. Try your hand at some fun one-liners that would make any child (or parent) smile.
Fall weather
For many in the US, the beginning of school means the return of fall fashion. Try selling more cold-weather items like hoodies, sweatshirts, and long-sleeved shirts to increase interest.
Family ties
For the younger audience, campaigns that reference family are very popular on TeeChip Pro. Examples include: “Keep calm, my dad is a doctor”, “I love my quirky aunt (don’t let her pinch your cheeks), and “I got my smile from Daddy and my charm from Mommy”.
Call-to-action ideas for back to school ads
Back to school
- Shop our back to school sale and get XX% off! Your cool kid deserves a cool new shirt.
- Kid keeps growing? Get ‘em a cool new shirt for the new year.
- Start their year off right with a fresh new look! Skip the lines, order now!
- Buy the shirt they’ll love to wear to school. Now with free shipping during our back to school promo!
Back to college
- Got an empty dorm to fill? Shop now and get XX% off for our back to school sale.
- Get the perfect back–to-college look to start the year off right. FREE SHIPPING on all orders.
- Buy now, stay fresh. Back to college sale starts now!
- Fill that new apartment with some merch that’s just for you. Buy now and save!
General call-to-actions for back to school
- Buy now and get free shipping! Back to school just got a whole lot easier.
- Shop online for back to school and save big, now with FREE SHIPPING
- Time for some new clothes? Purchase now while it lasts!
