Meijer Back-to-School Survey Indicates Shoppers Starting Early, Planning More Shopping Trips to Find Best Deals

Retailer prepared to meet needs as survey shows increased emphasis on E-readers, tablets, apparel and art supplies

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Jul 16, 2013, 08:00 ET

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., July 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Meijer will remain a back-to-school destination this year, offering the lowest prices on the hottest items and brands that will kick-start a successful school year as the back-to-school shopping season begins even earlier and continues throughout the summer as shoppers search for the best deals.

In a survey of Meijer shoppers, 40 percent reported that they would have their back-to-school shopping completed before the start of the school year, many checking off their lists throughout the summer. In addition, Meijer also learned that 90 percent of shoppers plan to spend the same or more than they did last year, with an increased emphasis on electronics like E-readers and tablets, apparel and art supplies.

"At Meijer, we understand how busy the start of the school year can be, which is why our broad selection on today's hottest trends and classroom essentials makes it easy for parents and students to find exactly what they need at a great low price," said Peter Whitsett, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer.

Based on the trends, Meijer is helping start the school year off right:

Licensed Products: Meijer continues to see a buying trend in licensed backpacks, lunch kits and assorted school supplies. Top choices this season include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Lego, Monsters, Inc., Spiderman, Hello Kitty, Iron Man and Monster High.
Fun and Funky: Key trends for older shoppers feature geometric shapes in chevrons, stripes and bright colors in a range of products, while younger shoppers favor products with light-up capabilities.
Accessories: Neon is a hit in the paper goods and accessories category, and Meijer will have everything from erasers and pencils to portfolios and notebooks in a wide assortment of shades. Meijer will also have a section dedicated to Sharpies in all colors with coordinated black and white portfolios, notebooks and binders.

When it comes to how much shoppers will spend, nearly 77 percent of families with school-aged children say the state of the U.S. economy will impact their back-to-school spending plans, according to the National Retail Federation. However, 90 percent of Meijer shoppers surveyed said their budgets will be the same or more this back-to-school season with the median spend between $101-$150 per student and $201-$250 in total. Parents also won't be the only ones opening their wallets: 15 percent of parents expect their students to help pay for a portion of school expenses and nearly 30 percent will get help from grandparents.

Back-to-school shopping at Meijer would not be complete without Back-to-School Bucks, both in print and through the retailer's free digital coupon program, mPerks, which allows deal-seeking customers the ease of digitally clipping the always-popular coupons without having to cut, print or even present a coupon upon checkout.

Once customers sign up at mperks.meijer.com, they can preview and select coupons for their favorite national or Meijer own brand products that are then stored in their personal mPerks account until redeemed or expired. The applicable coupons are then instantly redeemed when shoppers enter in their mobile phone number, which serves as the mPerks account number, at checkout.

About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 201 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. As a pioneer of the "one-stop shopping" concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings. Additional information on Meijer and the ability to shop for more can be found at www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer and @twitter.com/MeijerPR or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.

SOURCE Meijer