Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- The market
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- Figure 1: Consumers’ planned back-to-school spending (billions) – College and K-12, 2007-14
- Key players
- The consumer
- Only 11% of back-to-school shoppers plan to spend less in 2015
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- Figure 2: Planned back-to-school spending, October 2014
- Information used on path to purchase
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- Figure 3: Information used on path to purchase, October 2014
- Online and in-store back-to-school shopping
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- Figure 4: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping, October 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Back-to-school shopping participation
- The issues
- The implications
- Differentiation in back-to-school sales: Beyond discounts
- The issues
- The implications
- In-store and online back-to-school shopping
- The issues
- The implications
Trend Applications
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- Trend: Extend My Brand
- Trend: Life Hacking
- Trend: Experience is All
Market Overview
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- Key points
- Planned back-to-school spending for grades K-12
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- Figure 5: Consumers’ planned back-to-school spending (billions) – K-12, 2007-14
- Planned back-to-school spending for college
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- Figure 6: Consumers’ planned back-to-school spending (billions) – college, 2007-14
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Education budgets fall between 2008 and 2014
- Modest growth in education enrollment, driven primarily by increased college attendance
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- Figure 7: US population aged 3 and older enrolled in school, by grade level, 2000-13
- Figure 8: US population aged 3 and older enrolled in school, by grade level, 2000-13 (cont.)
- Students starting to go digital
Marketing Strategies and Innovations
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- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Back-to-school shopping starts giving back to schools
Social Media
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- Key findings
- Market overview
- Key social media metrics
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- Figure 9: Key social media metrics for select back-to-school retailers, December 2014
- Brand usage and awareness
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- Figure 10: Brand usage and awareness for select back-to-school retailers, October 2014
- Interactions with select back-to-school retailers
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- Figure 11: Levels of interaction for select back-to-school retailers, October 2014
- Leading online campaigns
- Online tools
- Charitable initiatives
- Video
- What we think
- Online conversations
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- Figure 12: Online mentions for select back-to-school retailers, by week, Dec. 15, 2013-Dec. 14, 2014
- Where are people talking about BTS retailers online?
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- Figure 13: Online mentions for select back-to-school retailers, by page type, Dec. 15, 2013-Dec. 14, 2014
- What are people talking about?
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- Figure 14: Topics of conversation for select back-to-school retailers, Dec. 15, 2013-Dec. 14, 2014
Participation in Back-to-school Shopping
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- Key points
- Nearly half of consumers went back-to-school shopping in 2014
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- Figure 15: Back-to-school shopping participation, by age, October 2014
- BTS Shoppers: Who are they shopping for?
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- Figure 16: Target audience for back-to-school products, by gender and age, October 2014
- More than one third of college shoppers are earning Bachelor’s degrees
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- Figure 17: Degree being earned by college back-to-school shoppers, October 2014
Retailers Visited for Back-to-school Products
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- Key points
- Online makes less frequented BTS destinations more competitive
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- Figure 18: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping, October 2014
- 25-34s visit the largest range of retailers
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- Figure 19: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Any shopping, by age, October 2014
- Fathers more likely to buy BTS items online
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- Figure 20: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – purchased products online, by parental status by gender and presence of children in household, October 2014
- College BTS shoppers turn to Amazon
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- Figure 21: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Purchased products online, by target audience for back-to-school products, October 2014
Planned Back-to-school Shopping Spending in 2015
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- Key points
- More than half of 25-34s planning to spend more on BTS shopping in 2015
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- Figure 22: Planned back-to-school spending, by age, October 2014
- Men show elevated interest in BTS electronics
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- Figure 23: Planned back-to-school spending for product categories, by gender and age, October 2014
- Planned electronics spending increases slightly after grade six
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- Figure 24: Planned back-to-school spending, by target audience for back-to-school products, October 2014
Consumers’ Back-to-school Shopping Behavior
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- Key points
- One in five BTS shoppers see shopping late as a good way to save money
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- Figure 25: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by gender, October 2014
- Quality versus price in back-to-school shopping
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- Figure 26: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by household income, October 2014
- Nearly 40% of parents say they would spend more on their children than on themselves
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- Figure 27: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by age, October 2014
Information Used on Path to Purchase
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- Key points
- Brand familiarity becomes more important with age
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- Figure 28: Information used on path to purchase – Any rank, by age, October 2014
- Fathers more receptive to TV ads
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- Figure 29: Information used on path to purchase – Any rank, by parental status by gender with children in household, October 2014
- Back-to-school shoppers and retailers’ expertise
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- Figure 30: Information used on path to purchase – Any rank, by back-to-school shopping experience opinions, October 2014
Desired Improvements to the Back-to-school Shopping Experience
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- Key points
- Discounts lead desired retail improvements
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- Figure 31: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by gender and age, October 2014
- Back-to-school shoppers seek faster checkout, larger product selections
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- Figure 32: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by household income, October 2014
- Fathers interested in product/service bundles
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- Figure 33: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by parental status by gender with children in household, October 2014
Opinions and Attitudes Regarding Back-to-school Shopping
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- Key points
- Creating positive in-store experiences among young back-to-school shoppers
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- Figure 34: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by gender and age, October 2014
- The influence of children on BTS shoppers
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- Figure 35: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by parental status by gender with children in household, October 2014
Kids’ Opinions about School and Advertising
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- Key points
- Kids’ freedom to select back-to-school brands
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- Figure 36: Kids' school supplies, by age, April 2013-June 2014
- Are there enough children-focused media?
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- Figure 37: Kids' attitudes regarding media, by age, April 2013-June 2014
Impact of Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Nearly half of Hispanics plan to spend more on back-to-school in 2015
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- Figure 38: Planned back-to-school spending, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Hispanics less interested in coupons, show elevated interest in price comparison tools
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- Figure 39: Information used on path to purchase – Any rank, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Hispanics face conflicting demands when shopping for back-to-school
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- Figure 40: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
Qualitative Research
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- Key points
- Back-to-school planning and research habits
- Technology and BTS shopping
- Consumers’ path to purchase: deciding what and where to buy
- Influence of others on back-to-school shoppers
- Back-to-school shopping frustrations
- The ideal back-to-school shopping day
Cluster Analysis
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- Figure 41: Target clusters, October, 2014
- Impassioned shoppers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Productivity-focused shoppers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Indifferent shoppers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Cluster characteristic tables
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- Figure 42: Target clusters, October 2014
- Figure 43: Target audience for back-to-school products, by target clusters, October 2014
- Figure 44: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Any shopping, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 45: Planned back-to-school spending, by target clusters, October 2014
- Figure 46: Planned back-to-school spending for product categories, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 47: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by target clusters, October 2014
- Figure 48: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 49: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by target clusters, October 2014
- Cluster demographic tables
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- Figure 50: Target clusters, by demographics, October 2014
- Cluster methodology
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Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- 2014 Back-to-school shopping participation
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- Figure 51: Back-to-school shopping participation, by gender and age, October 2014
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- Figure 52: Back-to-school shopping participation, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Who consumers purchased back-to-school items for
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- Figure 53: Target audience for back-to-school products, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 54: Target audience for back-to-school products, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 55: Target audience for back-to-school products, by parental status by gender with children in household, October 2014
- Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping
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- Figure 56: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Any shopping, by gender and age, October 2014
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- Figure 57: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Any shopping, by household income
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- Figure 58: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Any shopping, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Retailers shopped for back-to-school – Online
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- Figure 59: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Purchased products online, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 60: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Purchased products online, by household income, October 2014
- Retailers shopped for back-to-school – In-store
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- Figure 61: Retailers visited for back-to-school shopping – Purchased products in-store, by age, October 2014
- Planned back-to-school spending in 2015
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- Figure 62: Planned back-to-school spending, by gender and age, October 2014
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- Figure 63: Planned back-to-school spending, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 64: Planned back-to-school spending, by parental status with children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 65: Planned back-to-school spending, by parental status by gender with children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 66: Planned back-to-school spending, by type of back-to-school shopper, October 2014
- Back-to-school shoppers’ path to purchase
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- Figure 67: Information used on path to purchase – Any rank, by gender and age, October 2014
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- Figure 68: Information used on path to purchase, by target audience for BTS products, October 2014
- Back-to-school shopping behaviors
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- Figure 69: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 70: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
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- Figure 71: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by parental status by gender with children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 72: Back-to-school shopping experience opinions, by type of back-to-school shopper, October 2014
- Desired improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience
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- Figure 73: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 74: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by parental status with children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 75: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by type of back-to-school shopper, October 2014
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- Figure 76: Improvements for the back-to-school shopping experience – Any rank, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Back-to-school shopping opinions
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- Figure 77: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 78: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 79: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by parental status with children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 80: Overall opinions regarding back-to-school shopping – Any agree, by type of back-to-school shopper, October 2014
- Kids’ opinions about school and computer use
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- Figure 81: Kids' opinions regarding school, by age, April 2013-June 2014
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- Figure 82: Kids' computer software and game usage, by age, April 2013-June 2014
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- Figure 83: Kids' computer usage, by age, April 2013-June 2014
Appendix – Social Media
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- Key social media metrics
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- Figure 84: Key social media metrics for select back-to-school retailers, December 2014
- Online conversations
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- Figure 85: Online mentions for select back-to-school retailers, by week, Dec. 15, 2013-Dec. 14, 2014
- Brand usage or awareness
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- Figure 86: Brand usage or awareness, October 2014
- Figure 87: Walmart usage or awareness, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 88: Kmart usage or awareness, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 89: Target usage or awareness, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 90: Amazon.com usage or awareness, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 91: Staples usage or awareness, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 92: Macy’s usage or awareness, by demographics, October 2014
- Activities done
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- Figure 93: Activities done, October 2014
- Figure 94: Walmart – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media…, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 95: Walmart – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to…, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 96: Walmart – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because…., by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 97: Walmart – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to…., by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 98: Kmart – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media…, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 99: Kmart – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to…, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 100: Kmart – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because…., by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 101: Kmart – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to…., by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 102: Target – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media…, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 103: Target – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to…, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 104: Target – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because…., by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 105: Target – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to…., by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 106: Amazon.com – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media…, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 107: Amazon.com – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to…, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 108: Amazon.com – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because…., by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 109: Amazon.com – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to…., by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 110: Staples – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media…, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 111: Staples – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to…, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 112: Staples – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because…., by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 113: Staples – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to…., by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 114: Macy’s – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media…, by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 115: Macy’s – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to…, by demographics, October 2014
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- Figure 116: Macy’s – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because…., by demographics, October 2014
- Figure 117: Macy’s – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to…., by demographics, October 2014
Appendix – Trade Associations
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