This is a great time to use co-op funds to promote brands that fall under the “Back to School” category – and there are plenty!! Although some kids already started school as early as the first week of August (yikes…that had to be hot!), many more just started this week (right after Labor Day). I know that a lot of parents just try to start their kids with a few staples and the schools, and sometimes the teachers themselves, send out a list of requirements for the kids once they start. Folks are still trying to finish their summer plans and activities and are grateful for a couple extra weeks to get all this done. Quite a lot of folks think the “staples” – like notebooks, pencils, backpacks, etc. are the “main event” when they are the cheapest items. Listed below we will look at what really is involved in back-to-school spending. If you work with any clients in any of these categories, you have a lot of opportunities to help them tap into their co-op funds.

“Real” Back-To-School Spending

  • Nationwide total back-to-school spending tops $41 to $43 billion a year!
  • The K-12 average spent on school supplies; things like pencils, notebooks, backpacks, is $118-$146 per student.
  • The average total spent per child is $860 – $890 when you add the clothing, shoes and electronics to that school supply list.
  • Then you have items such as back-to-school eye exams (for new glasses or contacts), and haircuts, and the dollar amount just goes up. For instance, 71% of parents make a new hairstyle or trim a reliable part of their routine before sending the kids back to school to help them look neat and feel confident.

Below are just a few of the Back-To-School brands, and high-level guidelines that appear in the Platform:

Brand Name – Products/Services – High-Level Guidelines

JanSport – Backpacks, Luggage, Mountain Gear, etc.
They offer the JanSport Market Development Program (MDP). Contact your customer’s JanSport rep at the VF Corporation.

Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. – Cosmetics
Retailers (Studios) earn 10% of their current year’s purchases as their co-op accrual fund. Reimbursement is up to 60% for traditional and digital advertising.

De Rigo REM Eyewear – Eyewear
This manufacturer produces 18 different brands, with names such as ESCADA, FILA eyewear, GAP, Lucky Brand, Porsche Design and more. The practitioner/optical shop earns 5% of current year’s purchases as their co-op accrual fund. Reimbursement is 50% for traditional and digital advertising.

Summary
To find out more about our Co-Op Connect Platform, or our Co-op Concierge Services call us at 877-990-2667 or email [email protected].

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