The consumption codes for this year's back-to-school season in the United States are all hidden in these trends!

As consumption returns to rationality, affordable prices have become the mainstream trend for American parents' back-to-school shopping this year. According to Mintel research, 58% of American parents said that back-to-school shopping this year has put pressure on their financial situation, a figure that was only 19% in 2019.

What is the consumer psychology of American parents during the back-to-school season this year? Through what channels do they shop? What are the different consumer trends? This article will take you to find out.

According to new research from Mintel, 57% of US parents say their children’s preferences are the main factor in deciding their back-to-school purchases, a finding that is consistent across consumer surveys of both moms and dads.

Mothers ranked school recommendations (41%) and discounts (40%) second, while fathers ranked brand familiarity (32%) and social media (33%) second. Retailer recommendations (15%) and other parents (13%) were ranked last by parents.

Regardless of how products are selected, mobile shopping has become the main channel for American parents to shop during the back-to-school season. According to the survey, nearly half (47%) of American parents shopped through mobile devices this year, compared to only 17% last year.

Millennial parents are most likely to shop online (71%) and via a mobile device (51%), compared to just 40% of Generation X and older parents who shop via a mobile device.

Mintel analyst Brittany Steiger pointed out that social media is a marketing channel that cannot be ignored during this year's back-to-school season in the United States. TikTok's influence and popularity are growing, and brands and retailers can reach Generation Z and young parents by launching their own challenges or tags, or participating in existing challenges or tags.

Some emerging technologies that improve the convenience of online shopping will also play an important role in the back-to-school season. Virtual try-on functions and flexible payment methods such as BOPIS (buy online and pick up in store) can help improve the convenience of online shopping. In the eyes of 71% of American parents, convenience is more important than price when buying back-to-school supplies.

But price remains a key factor driving back-to-school shopping, with 89% of parents taking advantage of major sales events and retailer discounts to buy back-to-school supplies.

When asked about back-to-school shopping options, Walmart was the top choice for 65% of parents. Target dropped in the rankings among parents (50% in 2019 vs. 46% in 2021), while Amazon rose in the rankings (45% in 2019 vs. 53% in 2021).

Overall, shopping pressure, convenience and price level are the three key factors that determine American parents' back-to-school shopping this year. Especially considering the surge in inflation and economic uncertainty, saving and cost-effectiveness have become the focus.

Members of Amazon Prime and Walmart+ will also seek to maximize membership benefits. Sellers can put some cost-effective products on the shelves in a timely manner to meet consumer expectations and ensure sales. This is a new opportunity.

Editor✎ Ashley/

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