Big day for back to school shopping
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TOWN OF NIAGARA, N.Y. — It's the time of year when department stores try to cash in on back-to-school shoppers.
It's just a matter of days before students head back to school, sending parents and their children to the mall.
"It's very important for people to see how you look when you come back," said Daysha Johnson, who is heading into 11th grade. "People haven't seen you in months, so you kind of want to show off and look good."
The parking lot was full at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara on Labor Day. There were no clear signs of a slumping economy during one of the busiest shopping seasons.
"Traditionally the back-to-school season is the second largest in the retail industry and it's trending true for us this time as well," Fashion Outlets of Niagara Marketing Director, Julie Clark said. "We are finding that the back-to-school season is very strong for us."
Some shoppers traveled from Canada in search of lower taxes and better bargains.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average parent with children in grades K-12 will spend $688. That's $85 more than last year's average.
Nationwide, retailers expect back-to-school spending to reach $30.3 billion this year.
Experts say electronics have added to the bill with a family spending an average of $217 on devices.