Mall of America, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, has released the results of a consumer survey conducted in July 2026, which revealed that back-to-school shopping is increasingly evolving into a multifaceted experience where value, convenience, and entertainment converge.
Over 620 participants answered Mall of America's survey, and the findings indicate that 97% of respondents plan to shop either exclusively in physical stores or through a combination of online and in-store channels, and 54% identified shopping malls as their primary destination for school-related purchases. The back-to-school shopping survey found that while nearly half of shoppers prioritize finding the best value and deals, two-thirds intend to combine their shopping trips with dining, entertainment, or attractions. This indicates that families are seeking destinations that transform a routine errand into an engaging outing.
Image Credit: Mall of America
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Experiential School Shopping
- Retail destinations are blending school supply trips with dining, attractions, and entertainment, creating space for brands to turn seasonal purchasing into family-centered leisure experiences.
- Hybrid Retail Planning
- Shoppers are moving fluidly between digital browsing and physical stores, making integrated inventory visibility, mobile offers, and in-mall navigation more valuable during high-demand seasonal periods.
- Value-led Family Spending
- Deal seeking remains central to back-to-school behavior, opening room for personalized promotions, bundled essentials, and loyalty-driven savings that support budget-conscious households.
Sectors Adopting This
- Shopping Centers
- Malls are positioned to regain relevance by combining retail convenience with entertainment ecosystems that extend dwell time and increase cross-category spending.
- Retail Technology
- Omnichannel tools that connect online discovery, in-store pickup, real-time deals, and location-based engagement are becoming increasingly important for seasonal retail conversion.
- Family Entertainment
- Entertainment venues near retail hubs can benefit from shopping-driven foot traffic by serving as add-on experiences that reshape errands into destination outings.
