Blackboard Jumble
– Families spend $63 billion on kids’ stuff annually, one third of it on school gear including clothes.
– The average budget is $408 per student.
– Apparel/accessory sales rose nine percent to $97.7 billion for third-quarter ’98.
– Youth spending accounts for an estimated 11 percent of annual retail sales.
– The shopping window has widened as teens do “peer recon and review” – checking out hallway styles in the first few weeks of school before shopping.
– Spending on stationery and office supplies varies by grade level and number of computers in the home: Households with no computer (43%) average $81; homes with one computer (40%) average $146; homes with two or more (17%) average $271.
– Parents plan to spend 10 percent to 20 percent more than last year on pens, notebooks, and other supplies.
Sources: National Retail Federation
School & Home Office Products Association
