August means back to school shopping begins in earnest and an expert says the retail season in Texas should be strong, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Back to school has become the second biggest shopping 'season' behind Christmas, and the back to school tax free weekend, which will be the high point of the season August 10-12 is the biggest single weekend for Texas retailers after Black Friday weekend.
Kelly Hollinger, who heads the Center for Retailing Studies at the Mays School of Business at Texas A&M says all signs point to a very strong shopping season over the next three weeks.
"There are indications this will be a very strong season," she told News Radio 1200 WOAI. "Last month's holidays showed a very strong uptick, and people have confidence, and wages are rising."
And more good news for traditional retailers. Back to school is the shopping season where traditional brick-and-mortar stores have a clear advantage over on line retailers. 96% of back to school shoppers are expected to spend most or all of their cash at traditional stores.
"Quite often, back to school means having to try on new shoes or new clothes, and find the right pencils or school supplies," she said.
Hollinger says traditional stores can provide a service that Amazon can't, at least not yet. Most retailers post lists of the back to school items that specific schools are demanding, making it easier for parents to make sure their kids have the right items when that bell rings.
She says the fact that there is a hard deadline of the first day of school for buying these items also prompts shoppers to do their buying locally.
Hollinger says tech is taking over back to school shopping, and gadget-buying has almost reached a tipping point.
"There are some studies showing that technology spending may even outpace apparrel in the coming years," she said. "That is a seismic change."
IMAGE; GETTY