Store Pickup More Popular Than Home Delivery Among Back-to-School Shoppers, According to Sensormatic Solutions Survey
- 70% of shoppers plan to head into brick-and-mortar store locations to complete their back-to-school buying.
- Large crowds (43%), lack of time to shop (33%) and long lines at points of sale (25%) are top challenges for in-person shoppers.
Sensormatic Solutions, the leading global retail solutions portfolio of Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), today released the findings of its 2025 U.S. Back-to-School Consumer Sentiment Survey, showing that the majority (70%) of respondents plan to visit brick-and-mortar store locations to stock up ahead of the school year. Additionally, the survey found that interest in "buy online, pickup in store" (BOPIS; 46%) has risen from last year (43%) and now outpaces interest in at-home delivery (38%).
"High interest for in-store shopping and pickup options indicates consumers' appreciation for the unique benefits brick-and-mortar retail has to offer, especially during peak traffic periods like the back-to-school shopping season," said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions. "In-store and curbside pickup options present shoppers a chance to get the best of both worlds: the convenience that comes with online ordering and the immediacy of in-store visits. Retailers who prioritize flawless omnichannel execution this summer are likely to be customer favorites."
The survey also shed light on when shoppers are planning to kick off their shopping, with August (39%) emerging as the most popular month and July (34%) as a close second. Nearly half (48%) of respondents plan to shop earlier due to concerns about product availability and potential supply chain disruption. These findings are in line with Sensormatic Solutions traffic predictions for the 2025 back-to-school season and historical patterns to date.
Survey responses also reveal the top factors most likely to affect shoppers as they prepare for the upcoming academic year:
1. Price
Price sensitivity is high, with more than three-quarters (76%) of respondents citing cost among the factors most likely to impact their shopping experiences. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents also share that they plan to spend less than they did last year.
- 34% of respondents say in-store promotions are important to their experiences.
- 54% of respondents will seek out discount or secondhand retail locations to help control spending.
2. Products and availability
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents cite product availability/supply chain disruptions as a top factor in their shopping experiences, and more than half (55%) rank out-of-stocks among the most significant challenges they anticipate this year.
- Among shoppers who say they plan to use BOPIS, more than one-third (36%) cite same-day pickup as a top motivator.
- Apparel (69%), shoes (53%) and school supplies (43%) will again be the categories on which shoppers plan to spend the most.
3. In-store experiences
Bottlenecks and poor service still have the power to sway shoppers amid financial and availability-related concerns, though responses were less uniform. Safe and comfortable store environments (44%), proximity to the store (30%) and checkout speeds (26%) are all likely to significantly affect shoppers' choices this year.
- Large crowds (43%), lack of time to shop (33%) and long lines at points of sale (25%) are top challenges for in-person shoppers.
- 49% of respondents noted they prefer to interact with retail associates only when immediate assistance is needed—up from 45% at the end of last year.
"The margin for error on customer experience is getting narrower as expectations rise and retailers continue to improve their operations," said Tony D'Onofrio, president of Sensormatic Solutions. "The back-to-school season's busiest weeks are still ahead, so now is the time to key in on merchandise availability, labor optimization, and safety and security to ensure a memorable customer experience. Retailers that consider their operations holistically—from source to store—will be able to connect the dots across their supply chains for greater success."
To learn more about what shoppers want this back-to-school season, read the full 2025 U.S. Back-to-School Consumer Sentiment Survey results. For more information about Sensormatic Solutions, visit sensormatic.com.
About Johnson Controls
At Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. As the global leader in smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places and the planet.
Building on a proud history of 140 years of innovation, we deliver the blueprint of the future for industries such as healthcare, schools, data centers, airports, stadiums, manufacturing and beyond through OpenBlue, our comprehensive digital offering.
Today, Johnson Controls offers the world's largest portfolio of building technology and software as well as service solutions from some of the most trusted names in the industry.
Visit www.johnsoncontrols.com for more information and follow @Johnson Controls on social platforms.
About Sensormatic Solutions
Sensormatic Solutions, the leading global retail solutions portfolio of Johnson Controls, powers safe, secure and seamless retail experiences. For more than 50 years, the brand has been at the forefront of the industry's fast-moving technology adoption, redefining retail operations on a global scale and turning insights into actions. Sensormatic Solutions delivers an interconnected ecosystem of loss prevention, inventory intelligence and traffic insight solutions, along with our services and partners to enable retailers worldwide to innovate and elevate with precision, connecting data-driven outcomes that shape retail's future. Please visit Sensormatic Solutions or follow us on LinkedIn, X and our YouTube channel. Please visit Sensormatic Solutions or follow us on LinkedIn, X and our YouTube channel.
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Sensormatic Solutions by Johnson Controls
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