According to The NPD Group’s 2017 Back-to-School Report, 65 percent of U.S. consumers who have the option to purchase pre-packaged school supply kits from their child’s school or PTA have chosen to do so at least once. The majority of these consumers—45 percent—have purchased a school supply kit on more than one occasion.
The top reasons consumers have decided to purchase such packs are because it is convenient (56 percent) and includes everything the student needs for school in his/her respective grade level (51 percent). One-third of consumers reported spending $100+ dollars on one kit.
Among consumers who chose not to take advantage of the pre-package program, the leading reason is because students like to pick out their own supplies (45 percent), followed by the view that they are too expensive (41 percent). These sentiments tie in with consumers’ emphasis on price savings and selection in choosing where to shop. K-12 shoppers prioritize where to shop based on the best/lowest prices (58 percent), sales/discounts/promotions (54 percent), and having a wide selection of products to choose from (50 percent).
