Back-to-school shopping is in full swing as kids get binders, jeans and everything else they need from stores and online outlets alike. As millions of dollars are spent each day, another number is rising–the projections for the holiday season shopping statistics.  Kathy Grannis, the senior director for media relations for the National Retail Federation recently told FoxBusiness the the back-to-school

Back to school means heavy shopping

season is a bellwether metric for retailers.”Back-to-school season can help retailers gauge consumers’ intentions…Having a clear sense of what consumers are looking for, whether it’s
more coupons, online shopping or promotions…retailers are going to
adapt.” Whether a strong back-to-school season means more revenue for retailers right now is still unclear, but after last season’s brutal winter–most small business owners will take any good news they can get.

While it is important to note that the weather made last holiday season seem hard and tough–revenues did actually climb for retailers year-over-year. According to retail industry tracker ShopperTrak, the number actually climbed nearly 3% to make it one of the best holiday shopping seasons in the last five years.

Even more interestingly is the trend of using the back-to-school season as a litmus test for certain products, roll-outs and executions. According to RetailMeNot senior editor Trae Bodge that means “Retailers are working hard to show shoppers what they can offer and
hope that they return later in the year. It’s about whetting the
appetite..This is something retailers rely on. We are seeing a lot of promotional behavior right now to get people in the mood to shop, to get them excited.” So as the kids go out for their pencils, paper and binders–know it could mean more for your restaurant, doctors office or more.