The Start of the 2020 School Year

In September, all students will head back to school to begin a new academic year. However, this back-to-school season will take place in a unique and unprecedented context due to COVID-19, inevitably requiring a number of adjustments. One thing is certain: as every year, this period will be crucial for e-commerce retailers selling school supplies and equipment.

An unusual back-to-school season

On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, French students, from kindergarten to high school, will return to the classroom, with school attendance having become compulsory again since June 22. This back-to-school season will clearly be different from 2019 due to the COVID-19 health crisis, both for students and teachers and for e-commerce retailers. Indeed, the lockdown clearly encouraged online shopping and changed the shopping habits of some French consumers, who moved away from supermarkets and hypermarkets.

When it comes to school supplies, analysis of recent seasons has shown that households are purchasing more thoughtfully and tending toward reduced consumption, encouraging brands to innovate if they want to increase their sales. Offering limited editions, focusing on more practical products or capitalizing on the highly popular pastel trend are some of the strategies adopted by brands this year.

A look back at 2019 for e-commerce retailers

The back-to-school season is a particularly busy period for parents and children looking for school supplies. It is also during this time of year that brands generate a significant share of their annual revenue. During the 2019 back-to-school season, stationery retailers generated €600 million in revenue, representing 31% of the sector’s annual sales.

Many consumers start making their purchases at the beginning of July, but the most significant peak occurs at the end of August. However, families appear to be spending less on school supplies. Indeed, although the sector generated nearly €2 billion in revenue in 2019, 1.5% less than in 2018, sales volumes fell by 4.1%. This can notably be explained by students reusing certain products from one year to the next and therefore favoring major brands, which are often associated with quality and durability.

Furthermore, hypermarkets and supermarkets, traditionally the main distribution channel, are facing competition from specialist retailers, online stores and discount retailers. Year after year, consumers are broadening their horizons and no longer turn exclusively to large supermarkets.

Looking specifically at online purchases of school supplies, Google searches increased by 13% in 2019 compared with 2018. In addition, French consumers primarily used their smartphones to prepare for the back-to-school season, with mobile accounting for 56%, desktop for 37% and tablets for 7%.

How e-commerce retailers can prepare for the 2020 back-to-school season

The back-to-school season is essential for retailers, both online and in physical stores, and it is important to prepare for it properly. This is particularly true this year, as the lockdown has clearly encouraged e-commerce.

General checklist

To make sure your e-commerce business is ready for the 2020 back-to-school season, here are our recommendations for this key period:

1. Create a product list, with or without a dedicated promotional offer for the period.
2. Give this product selection additional visibility.
3. Plan a dedicated budget.
4. Check product availability and stock levels.
5. Build audience pools in advance to capture high-intent users and retarget them during the back-to-school period.

In-depth recommendations

In addition to the recommendations above, we advise being present across several platforms and applying the following best practices:

1. GOOGLE
   • Generate interest and demand by publishing relevant content on YouTube.
   • Reach your hottest prospects with Discovery ads.
   • Target high-intent users through Smart Bidding and your audiences.
   • Increase your queries by 5 to 20% with Showcase Shopping ads.
   • Attract new customers with Smart Shopping campaigns using Machine Learning.
2. FACEBOOK
   • Use attractive, high-quality visuals.
   • Analyze and address negative comments and reactions from users regarding your company.
3. MARKETPLACE
   • If possible, create a dedicated store.
   • Give your products additional visibility based on existing marketplace offers.
   • Launch sponsored product campaigns to boost the visibility of your “Back to School” selection.