It's not the way retailers hoped to kick off the back-to-school shopping season. Sales are down 7.7 percent, and the average family is spending $46 less than last year.
So what's going on? It's more back to basics than back to school.
"Basically, what we just got here were less supplies," mom Mary Jane Matter said after a shopping trip.
Matter and her daughter Arriana are getting ready for the sixth grade. Last year, they would have bought $120 worth of supplies. This year, the total is a mere $27.
"We're seeing parents be much more practical," said Ellen Davis, of the National Retail Federation. "We're seeing them taking price into account, and we're seeing them make bare-bones decisions."
Here are some other things parents should take into account:
As for Arriana and her mom, there is a whole new reality to this year's shopping season.
"I don't want to spend more than $20 on a backpack," Matter said. "We can do some shopping next time after the next pay day."
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WEB PRODUCED BY: Bill King
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