Consumer Behavior
Consumers will spend same, or more, in back-to-school shoe spend
August 8, 2022
A good majority, 78%, of U.S. families will spend the same, or more, when it comes to buying shoes for school this year and 21% will purchase exclusively online.
Those are top findings from a survey from the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, the footwear industry's business and trade organization.
The survey of 691 households was conducted by First Insight, according to a press release.
The report offers insight into how inflation and a potential recession will impact this year's back-to-school shopping season and explores consumer behavior shifts such as the role of social media, as both parents and children use major platforms and influencers to inform their purchases.
Additional findings include:
- 63% plan to spend $75 or less per pair of shoes, compared to 81% in last year's survey.
- 36% expect to spend at least $200 on back-to-school shoes this season, more than double last year's rate (17%).
- 67% of families are shopping online more due to higher gas prices.
- 61% plan on using social media for shopping, with Facebook leading the way.
- 21% of all families will purchase shoes exclusively online for back-to-school.
- 29% are spending at least $300 more per month on their total purchases compared to last year.
"FDRA's recent survey of 100 of the top shoe CEOs revealed their biggest concern as we start the back-to-school season is no longer supply chain issues but consumer behavior shifts as the economy slows and inflation continues to eat into pocketbooks. That is why this report is so important, because it gets us closer to understanding where families plan to shop, how much they are expecting to spend, and what is influencing their choices," FDRA Senior Vice President Andy Polk said in the release.
