Dive Summary:

• The National Retail Federation has announced that it expects back-to-school spending totals to decline slightly from 2012 totals, setting the stage for a heightened level of competition among retailers.
• The NRF says that total spending for K-12 and college shoppers is expected to reach $72.5 billion.
• “As they continue to grapple with the impact of increased payroll taxes, Americans will look to cut corners where they can, but will buy what their kids need. It’s important to note, however, that spending levels are still well above where they were a few years ago,” says NRF CEO Matt Shay.

From the article:

As in prior years, the majority of the $634 average expenditure of parents of kids in K-12 will be allocated to apparel ($230), followed by electronics ($199), shoes ($114) and school supplies ($90). In the back-to-college market, where needs are more broad-based, apparel takes a back seat to electronics with spending on the latter category accounting for $203 of the average expenditure of $836 compared to $122 for apparel.