Each year, NRF works with Prosper Insights & Analytics to find out when, where and how American families will shop for school and college supplies. Here are just a few insights from this year’s consumer survey. https://nrf.com/resources/consumer-data/back-school-headquarters

1. 2016
BACK-TO-SCHOOL &
BACK-TO-COLLEGE
NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics

2. HISTORICAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SPENDING
(Total Spending in Billions)
Back-to-School Combined Total Spending:
2006-2016
Back-to-College Combined Total Spending:
2009-2016
Data Slice and Dice:
This year, those shopping for middle
schoolers plan to spend the most in
nearly every category. In 2015, those
shopping for high schoolers planned to
spend the most.
$$1177..66
$$1188..44
$$2200..11
$$1177..44
$$2211..44
$$2222..88
$$3300..33
$$2266..77
$$2266..55
$$2244..99
$27.3
$15.0
$20.0
$25.0
$30.0
$35.0
$40.0
$45.0
$50.0
$55.0
$60.0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
$$4411..22
$$4455..88
$$4466..00
$$5533..55
$$4455..88
$$4488..44
$$4433..11
$48.5
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
$15.0
$20.0
$25.0
$30.0
$35.0
$40.0
$45.0
$50.0
$55.0
$60.0
Total back-to-school spending has grown 55% over the past 10 years, while back-to-college spending
has grown 18% since 2009. Total combined spending in 2016 is expected to reach $75.8 billion.
Source: 2016 NRF Back to School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
nrf.com/backtoschool

3. 10 YEARS OF BACK-TO-SCHOOL
HOUSEHOLD SPENDING
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
$630.36
$673.57
$415.00
$515.00
$615.00
$715.00
$15.00
$115.00
$215.00
$315.00
Back-to-School Spending Per Household: 2006-2016$527.08
$563.49
$594.24
$548.72
$606.40
$603.63
$688.62
$634.78
$669.28
Overall back-to-school spending is up from last year, with shoppers
spending an average of $674 compared with $630 last year.
Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
nrf.com/backtoschool

4. WHERE WILL FAMILIES SHOP FOR
BACK-TO-SCHOOL?
Discount stores will continue to see the most back-to-school shoppers (61%),
though that’s the lowest level in the survey’s history. Online shopping has seen a
dramatic jump – a nearly 30% increase year-over-year.
Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
2015 2016
62.2%
56.4%
53.5%
35.6% 35.9%
22.4%
14.5% 13.4% 13.2%
6.6%
60.5% 59.6%
51.0%
46.0%
38.5%
21.6%
16.6% 16.4%
11.7%
6.2%
Discount store Department
store
Clothing store Online Office supply
store
Electronics
store
Drug store Local/small
business
Thrift
store/resale
shop
Catalog
Where Consumers Plan to Shop
nrf.com/backtoschool

5. WHERE WILL FAMILIES SHOP FOR
BACK-TO-COLLEGE?
Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
2015 2016
Where Consumers Plan to Shop
Discount
store
Department
store
Online College
bookstore
Office supply
store
Electronics
store
Drug storeClothing
store
Local/small
business
Home
furnishings/
home
décor store
Thrift
store/
resale
shop
Catalog
48.3%
44.9%
39.3% 39.1%
31.3% 30.0%
19.6%
16.5%
10.2% 10.6% 10.9% 11.2%
43.7% 42.5%
37.5%
34.4%
31.4%
28.3%
16.4%
14.3%
12.2% 11.3% 9.6% 8.5%
Similar to K-12, discount stores will continue to see the most back-to-college
shoppers (44%), though that’s the lowest level in the survey’s history.
nrf.com/backtoschool

6. Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
MOST SHOPPERS WILL SPEND THEIR
BUDGET ON APPAREL AND ELECTRONICS
Back-to-school shoppers plan to spend an average of $674,
of which 65% will be spent on apparel and electronics.
$50.00
$100.00
$150.00
$200.00
$250.00
2016
Back-to-school spending by category: 2006-2016
Clothing and
accessories
Shoes
School supplies
Electronics
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
$235.39
$204.06
$126.55
$107.76
$217.82
$197.24
$117.56
$97.74
$86.22
$94.02
$108.42
$129.24
$231.80
$98.34
$114.38
$228.14
$98.37
$109.75
$151.61
$234.51
$82.62
$93.59
$167.84
$204.67
$96.39
$102.93
$181.61
$225.47
$88.99
$104.53
$189.51
$220.60
$95.44
$129.20
$217.88
$246.10
$90.49
$114.39
$199.05
$23.850
$101.18
$124.46
$212.35
$231.30
nrf.com/backtoschool

7. 19.6%
42.8%
30.3%
4.3% 3.0%
23.6%
37.4%
23.7%
8.4%
6.8%
22.2%
50.9%
22.1%
2.1% 2.7%
26.1%
33.8%
25.1%
6.4%
8.5%
2015 2016
When BTS Shoppers Plan to Shop
2015 2016
When BTC Shoppers Plan to Shop
At least 2
months before
school starts
3 weeks to 1
month before
school starts
1-2 weeks
before
school starts
The week
school starts
After school
starts
At least 2
months before
school starts
3 weeks to 1
month before
school starts
1-2 weeks
before
school starts
The week
school starts
After school
starts
MORE COLLEGE AND K-12 SHOPPERS
ARE STARTING EARLY
73% of back-to-school consumers plan to shop approximately a month or two before school
starts. Additionally, over a quarter of back-to-college shoppers will start shopping at least two
months before school starts.
Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
nrf.com/backtoschool

8. STUDENTS TO CHIP IN FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL
For the majority of back-to-school shoppers, half or more of their spending is a direct result of
their children’s influence. Parents are getting savvier, though, and asking their kids to break open
their piggy banks and contribute toward the expenses!
The average amount a pre-teen plans to
spend of their own money on back-to-school.
The average amount a teenager plans to
spend of their own money on back-to-school.
In 2015, pre-teens planned
to spend an average of $18,
while teenagers planned to
spend an average of $33
(on par with this year).
Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
nrf.com/backtoschool

9. SHOPPERS PLAN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREE SHIPPING
More than 80 percent of back-to-school and college shoppers will take advantage of free
shipping, and more than half will buy online and pick up in store.
Reserve online Same-day delivery
Do you plan to take advantage of any of the following shipping services
when shopping online for back-to-school/back-to-college this year?
Back to School Back to College
Free shipping Expedited shipping OtherBuy online,
pick up in store
/ Ship to store
89.4%
54.2%
16.0%
11.1% 10.2%
1.7%
84.0%
53.7%
12.8%
5.8% 8.0%
2.3%
Men are twice as likely to use expedited
shipping as women (22% vs. 11%). – BTS
Millennial parents 18-24 years old are
also more likely to take advantage of
this compared to the general audience
(28% vs. 16%). – BTS
•
•
Data Slice and Dice:
Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
nrf.com/backtoschool

10. $626.1
$75.8
$21.4 $19.7 $17.3
$0.0
$100.0
$200.0
$300.0
$400.0
$500.0
$600.0
$700.0
Winter Holidays Mother's Day Valentine's Day EasterBack-to-School
/College
Total Spending (in billions)
Only showing top 5 holidays with highest spending
TOP FIVE SPENDING HOLIDAYS
Unlike Christmas or other gift-giving holidays, back-to-school and college spending are
“needs-driven” and not discretionary. However, back-to-school and college is the second biggest
consumer spending season for retailers online and in-store.
Source: 2016 NRF Back-to-School/College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics
nrf.com/backtoschool

11. NRF/Prosper Insights & Analytics’ Back-to-School Spending
Survey polls more than 6,000 consumers each year and
has a margin of error between +/- 1 to 1.3 percentage points.
nrf.com/backtoschool