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Back to school: sales boost as schools return
dents always go to school on 1st
September regardless of whether
it falls on a work day or on the
weekend. Since 1984, 1st September has officially been known as
“Knowledge Day” there.
The product group School Articles, Stationery enjoys a very
special attraction at Kids India
2016, because this year a special area in Hall 6 is dedicated to
school and stationery products.
As the long holidays end, a new
adventure begins for many students. This adventure is particularly significant for those just
starting primary school. Students need a good deal of kit for
their first day (back) at school.
There are many items to buy,
such as backpacks, notepads,
pens and pencils, etc.
The Schultüte or school cone,
a German tradition now known
all over the world, is often bigger than the children themselves.
This school cone has already es-
tablished itself in many parts of
the world. School cones can now
even be bought in the US. Kids
in Kazakhstan also receive a bag
on their first day of school. Like
the school cone, it contains lots
of sweets and pencils. Kazakh
students also bring their teachers
flowers at the start of the school
year. The flower tradition can be
found in Russia as well, where stu-
In Japan, children pack their
own schoolbag, a Randoseru, the
evening before their first day of
school. Besides slippers and gardening tools, origami paper is
also an important component for
those entering primary school in
Japan.
But the start of the school year
also means lots of money flowing into the coffers of retailers selling toys and stationery.
This is the most important time
of the year for them. Shops sell
most school supplies between
July and September. In the US,
the back-to-school season has
the strongest sales of the year
after Christmas. This is also a
time of sales tax holidays, i.e.
days when the states don’t levy
any taxes. This also helps simulate sales. Parents in Germany
spend EUR 238 on average on
school supplies when their children start primary school. In the
US, up to USD 580 is spent on
primary school students. In 2012
already, Russian parents were
spending between USD 345 and
USD 530 depending on how old
their child was.
The National Retail Federation
(NRF) estimates that total expenditure in the US at the start
of the school year amounts to
some USD 75 billion. According to the NRF, 37% of consumers use a smartphone to research
their stationery products. And
the GfK market research institute in Germany has stated that
90% of German parents look
into various products before purchasing a school bag. One in ten
investigates school backpacks in
store before going online to buy
one. Only one in five do their research online and also purchase
online.