By some estimates, the back-to-school selling season will be lackluster this year as the combination of a shaky economy and a dearth of "must-have" items keep consumer purchases down.
Competition for scant consumer dollars will be especially intense among middle-market department stores such as J.C. Penney and Kohl's, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Some analysts expect that consumers may forego their usual back-to-school clothing purchases for needed items such as computers and textbooks.
Back-to-school, which is the second busiest selling period for retailers behind Christmas, is expected to be flat to slightly down compared to the same period last year.
Kohl's is looking to get a jump on the competition by launching its back-to-school campaign a week earlier this year. The chain is rolling out a new, exclusive line of girls' clothing and accessories from the Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne.
New ads from Kohl's will feature music and screen celebrities including Lenny Kravitz and Hayden Panettiere talking about their memories of "favorite fashion moments." Kohl's is running a contest on Facebook inviting consumers to share videos in the same vein.
J.C. Penney is looking to set itself apart for those going back-to-school with exclusive brands including Fabulosity clothing and accessories designed by Kimora Lee Simmons and the Dorm Life home furnishings line. The chain plans to rollout five exclusive brands for back-to-school; the most it has ever debuted at any one time.
"It's a huge time of the year for us, and we're spending against it," Mike Boylson, Penney's chief marketing officer, told the Journal.
Discussion Questions: What will it take to succeed during this year's back-to-school shopping season? Which product categories do you think will have the toughest time? Will results indicate anything relative to the upcoming Christmas shopping season?