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Retailers have been advised to tap into the “back to school” feeling to help sales as the recession hits, according to research carried out by eBay Advertising
It comes as one in four consumers plan to set ‘‘fresh intentions’’ in September to mark the start of the new school year, its latest survey found.
Almost half of consumers surveyed said they expect to spend more in the next three months, compared to the last three, and 30% said they wanted to be inspired by brands as they look for “ways of reinventing themselves”.
This year’s top consumer resolution was to be more active, closely followed by eating healthily and being more organised.
Last year, eBay search results for yoga mats and gym leggings shot up overnight on 1 September, by 26% and 21% respectively, and retailers hope to see a similar trend this year.
While this trend was more common among those aged 16-24, the survey found one in ten people over the age of 55 feel the same way.
Harmony Murphy, head of eBay’s UK advertising, said: “When it comes to what consumers are looking for at this time of year, there is a clear focus on self-reinvention – presenting an unmissable moment for retailers to engage.
‘‘However, while popular purchases revolve around our health, looks and productivity, it’s important to remember that everyone will take a different approach to reinventing themselves. Ventures don’t get much more personal than this.’’
She added: ‘‘Retailers should refrain from a one size fits all approach and ensure their marketing campaigns are based on the freshest data available, to ensure they’re engaging audiences with messages that will really resonate with them and their current mindsets.”
