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Research and Statistics

Infographic: Early shoppers push up back-to-school season

Kristin McGrath
Juan Rodriguez

by Kristin McGrath, and Juan Rodriguez

August 5, 2013

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Summary

Families are getting an increasingly early start on back-to-school shopping, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation.

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Crayons, pencils and notebooks on the shelves may seem out of place when students are barely halfway through summer vacation. Yet nearly one-fourth of families have already been out shopping for school supplies, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2013 back-to-school survey.

Back-to-school shopping season has steadily been creeping into summer. The percentage hitting stores at least two months early has grown by 2 percent since 2011 (from 21.8 percent to 23.9 percent). Meanwhile, the percentage of those who start shopping three weeks to a month early has shot up nearly 7 percent since 2011, with just under half of shoppers starting their shopping during this window. Those picking over what’s left, hoping to take advantage of final sales in the last days before (and the first days after) school starts are in the minority.

For its annual survey, NRF used Prosper Insights & Analytics to poll 5,635 consumers during the first week of July 2013. Results have a margin of error of plus or minus 1.3 percentage points.

 

Early back-to-school shoppers
See related:Credit card management 101 for new college students, More infographics

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Kristin McGrath is a Former editor at CreditCards.com.

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