Back to School? Maybe
Retail Dive | June 24, 2020
Many areas are now opening back up, with retail stores and restaurants finding ways to cater to customers even as social distancing remains a priority. But the pandemic isn't over leaving students, and their parents and teachers, unsure of what school will look like in the fall.
Retailers that usually benefit from the back-to-school season are already grappling with this uncertainty about the return. Last week The Children's Place CEO Jane Elfers warned analysts that the back-to-school season, extremely important in kids' apparel, is already complicated by the fact that many school districts haven't announced fall plans.
"When we asked 'Are you going to spend the same or more?' the majority said 'more,'" SuperAwesome Chief Revenue Officer Ben Zagorski told Retail Dive in an interview. "How do you create the big moment, the freshness of going back to school? Creating digital experiences is going to be very important."
Over 80% of parents have already invested in electronics and other tech. Dosh's Wuerch notes "There's going to be more distance learning, and more email. The other interesting category is around hygiene, but also PPE gear for kids will start to surge."