The waning days of Summer signal the start of back-to-school shopping for many consumers. Back-to-school season kicks off the key sales period for most retailers, the end of Q3 through the end of Q4. 

Here’s some good news for PC retailers. One recently released survey¹ indicates back-to-school sales are expected to increase 2.6 percent this year. The survey indicates tech products will be hot items. 

The back-to-school shopping period is second only to the Winter holiday season in terms of top spending holidays². Moreover, back-to-school shopping is generally driven by need rather than pleasure.

Having the right lineup of products for these eager consumers can ensure greater customer satisfaction and increased sales during this peak shopping period. 

The following three device categories are expected to be in high demand by back-to-school shoppers. 

Laptops

The ever-popular laptop continues to rule the roost as the top seller during the fall back-to-school sales period. These devices combine absolute convenience with the power needed to support the educational endeavors of students from elementary school through college. 

Ultra-thin and lightweight models are in highest demand thanks to their increased portability and powerful processors like those from the 6th generation Intel® Core™ processor family. 

Laptops will continue to grab the lion’s share of consumer attention this Fall and throughout the school year. 

2 in 1 PCs

Many consumers will look to purchase the 2 in 1 PC because of its performance, portability, and added versatility. The 2 in 1 combines the functionality of a laptop and the convenience of a tablet. 

Students can use the keyboard and touchpad to complete homework and then detach it when it’s time to kick back and stream movies or check up on social media accounts.

Devices powered by Intel® Core™ m processors offer razor-thin designs, long battery life³, and plenty of power. These are critical features for today’s student, regardless of age. 

Desktop PCs

Despite the increasing popularity of portable computing devices, desktop computers remain high on the list of most popular purchases for back-to-school shoppers. Today’s desktops come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The latest desktop PCs provide solid processing power in a smaller space, making them a great choice for dorm rooms and bedrooms. Desktop models with Intel® Core™ processors can offer the speed and power⁴ needed for researching projects, working toward deadlines, and managing multiple activities simultaneously. 

Meeting Customer Needs with the Right Devices

Devices powered by Intel® processors can provide the robust computing support needed throughout all stages of the educational experience. Students can achieve more in their academic endeavors with the right device.

With tech devices being in such high demand during back-to-school season, it’s more important than ever for your sales associates to know about your store’s product lineup and how to uncover and address the needs of shoppers. Encourage them to participate in the Intel® Retail Edge Program to be more informed about Intel® products and technologies and better prepared to recommend the right devices for this year’s students.

References:

©2016 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, Intel Core, Intel Atom, and Intel® Retail Edge Program are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

¹http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Retail-Sales-During-Core-Back-to-School-Shopping-Months-Will-Climb/1014165

²https://nrf.com/resources/consumer-data/back-school-headquarters

³Intel technologies’ features and benefits depend on system configuration and may require enabled hardware, software or service activation. Performance varies depending on system configuration. No computer system can be absolutely secure. Check with your system manufacturer or retailer or learn more at intel.com.

⁴Software and workloads used in performance tests may have been optimized for performance only on Intel microprocessors. Performance tests, such as SYSmark and MobileMark, are measured using specific computer systems, components, software, operations and functions. Any change to any of those factors may cause the results to vary. You should consult other information and performance tests to assist you in fully evaluating your contemplated purchases, including the performance of that product when combined with other products. For more complete information, visit http://www.intel.com/performance.