“Back-to-class shopping is one of the most important consumer shopping occasions of the year," says Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation (NRF).  "Our research for 2023 shows American consumers are eager to jumpstart their back-to-school and college purchases early."

Based on per capita spending estimates from the NRF, Augusta, Georgia area parents are expected to spend a record $74,783,779 to prepare more than 91,600 children returning to grades K-12. These expenditures will exceed 2022 back-to-school sales by 12.5%

Expenditures to equip K-12 students in the Augusta area will be on:

• Clothing: $27.3 million
• Shoes: $21.6 million
• Supplies: $14.1 million
• Electronics: $11.7 million

In addition to expenditures for K-12,  $169.3 million is expected to be spent in the Augusta area to prepare college students for their return to campus. This is 27% more than was spent last year. Another record.

The biggest spending categories to equip Augusta area college students in 2023 will include:

• Electronics: $41.8 million
• Dorm/Apartment Furniture: $23.6 million
• Clothing: $22.5 million
• Food Items: $18.7 million

In order to capture the largest portion of this record back-to-class cash, Augusta small business owners will need to fight to keep these dollars local. According to the NRF, a painful majority of shoppers plan to buy online and in department stores.  While only 13-15% of consumers plan to buy locally.

Father's Day, this year, is June, 18. To celebrate the dads in their lives, 343,125 Augusta, Georgia area consumers are expected to spend a record $50.8 million. According to a per capita forecast by the National Retail Federation (NRF), 2023 spending will be 14.5% more than last year.

“Father’s Day remains a momentous occasion for Americans to honor the important men in their lives,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Consumers plan to celebrate the holiday in a big way this year, and retailers are ready to help make it special.”

The record highs for both collective and average spending are primarily driven by an increase in the percentage of consumers purchasing clothing, electronics, personal care and special outings and the amount they are spending on these categories.

Overall  80% of all Father's Day spending in the CSRA will be concentrated into four gift categories:

• Special Outing: $17.2 million
• Clothing: $7.7 million
• Gift Cards: $6.2 million
• Electronics:  $5.7 million
• Personal Care: $3.7 million

The remainder of the retail dollars CSRA consumers spend will be for tools/appliances, sporting goods, greeting cards, and books/CDs.

The challenge for Augusta area retailers, however, is keeping a significant share of these Father's Day dollars in local cash registers and out of the coffers of online sellers and department stores. Right now, according to the NRF, those two retail channels will gobble up almost 81% of all spending.

To earn a larger share of Father’s Day spending, local small business owners will need to advertise to convince Augusta consumers of the benefits of buying from local retailers.  By almost every marketing metric, the best way to advertise is on Augusta radio.

Mother's Day is On May 14th this year. According to per capita data from The National Retail Federation, 384,300 adult consumers in the Augusta, Georgia, area plan to celebrate the occasion.

Between now and that special Sunday in May, the NRF expects a record $79.1 million to be spent in Augusta to honor all the different moms in consumers' lives. Of those celebrating Mother’s Day, most (57%) are purchasing gifts for a mother or stepmother, followed by a wife (23%) or daughter (12%).

Comparatively speaking, Augusta area consumers will spend 12.6% more to celebrate Monther's Day this year than they did in 2022, which was also a record year.

“Mother’s Day provides Americans with an opportunity to honor important women in their lives,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “As people make plans to celebrate this year, retailers are prepared to help shoppers find gifts of appreciation and admiration for those they want to recognize on this special day.”

Almost half of all Mother's Day spending in the Augusta area will fall into three categories:

1. Jewelry: $17,287,880
2. Special Outing: $12,411,812
3. Electronics: $8,865,580

The other half of Mother's Day spending includes purchases of gift cards, clothing, flowers, personal services, housewares, books, and greeting cards.

The challenge for Augusta area retailers, however, is keeping a significant share of these Mother's Day dollars in local cash registers and out of the coffers of online sellers and department stores. Right now, according to the NRF, those two retail channels will gobble up almost 68% of all spending.

To earn a larger share of Mother's Day spending, local small business owners will need to advertise to convince Augusta consumers of the benefits of buying from local companies.  By almost every marketing metric, the best way to advertise is on Augusta radio.

Despite high-interest rates, inflation, and recession fears, Augusta, Georgia, area consumers are expected to spend between $11.4 and $11.6 billion dollars at retail in 2023, according to recent per capita forecasts based on a survey by the National Retail Federation. This will be a 4-6% increase over 2022.

“In just the last three years, the retail industry has experienced growth that would normally take almost a decade by pre-pandemic standards,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “While we expect growth to moderate in the year ahead, it will remain positive as retail sales stabilize to more historical levels."

The challenge for CSRA retailers, however, is keeping a significant share of these dollars in local cash registers. According to the NRF, the amount of money spent online and non-store options will increase by 10-12%. This is nearly twice the growth rate of all 2023 retail dollars and translates to more than a $1.1 billion dollar outflow.

To keep the expected deluge of new retail dollars local, area small business owners will need to advertise to convince Augusta consumers of all the benefits of buying from local companies.  By almost every marketing metric, the best way to advertise is on Augusta radio.

More than 370,575 Augusta, Georgia, area consumers are expected to celebrate Easter in 2023, according to per capita forecasts from The National Retail Federation. In all, the NRF predicts $53.2 million will be spent this year.

Not only will spending on Easter in Augusta top last year's take by 16%, but it will also blow past the spending record of $48.1 billion set in 2021.

“Easter endures as an important holiday for many Americans, signifying new beginnings and a time of celebration with friends and family,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “As consumers plan to mark the occasion through a variety of traditions, retailers are dedicated to making this year a memorable holiday.”

According to the NRF forecasts, here's how Augusta consumers are expected to spend their Easter Holiday cash:

• Food: $16.1 million
• Clothing: $8.8 million
• Candy: $8.4 million
• Gifts: $7.3 million
• Flowers: $3.9 million
• Decorations: $3.8 million
• Greeting Cards: $2.2 million
• Other: $1.9 million

There is one obstacle, however, between small business owners and this gargantuan pool of Easter cash.

According to the NRF, the vast majority of Easter shopping will be spent at discount stores, box stores, and online. Only 22% of spending will occur at local small businesses.

 

To Keep more of this cash in the Augusta area, retailers will need to advertise to convince consumers of the values and benefits of buying from local small business owners.  According to most marketing metrics, the best way to advertise in Augusta is on local radio.

Over the next 12 months, according to Nielsen, 62,631 Augusta, Georgia area households plan to buy furniture and mattresses. Based on a per capita forecast from Furniture Today, these expenditures will total $223.7 million during 2023, a $4.1 million dollar increase over 2022.

Although the forecast growth of furniture and bedding sales is expected to moderate a bit versus 2021, what retailer would not want to grab a share of the multi-million dollar category growth this year?

To capture a bigger share of the increased spending on chairs, couches, beds, tables, and mattresses will require local stores to invest in marketing. And according to most key metrics, the best way to reach CSRA furniture buyers is with advertising on Augusta radio.

CSRA business owners should brace for a sweet Valentine's Day in 2023.

Based on per capita spending forecasts from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Augusta area consumers are expected to spend $45.9 million on their Valentines this year, 8.4% more than they did in 2022.

Overall, says the NRF, 52% of consumers plan to celebrate Valentine's day this year. On average, each celebrant will spend $192.80 on holiday gifts and outings. This is $17 more than last year.  Here is the most interesting part, though.

"While spending on significant others and family members is in line with last year, many consumers are looking to show appreciation for the other meaningful relationships in their lives," says the NRF. "Of the $17 increase in per-person spending, $14 comes from gifts for pets, friends, and co-workers, along with classmates or teachers."

Augusta, Georgia area business owners have an abundance of options for marketing their goods and services to local consumers. New research from Nielsen, however, indicates that advertising on Augusta radio is still the best way to reach local shoppers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Augusta radio reaches 367,446 adults. This is significantly more than are reached by social media, local TV stations and cable systems, newspapers, streaming video and audio, and podcasts.

In addition to listening to their favorite Augusta radio stations over the air, Nielsen reports that 106,828 adults also listen to local stations online every month.

As a matter of fact, according to a study conducted by Edison Research during the third quarter of 2022, among Adults 25-54, 17% of all time spent listening to local AM/FM stations occurs online. This share of online listening has nearly doubled since 2016.

Economic concerns among CSRA consumers are not expected to subdue holiday shopping in in 2022.  Based on forecasts from The National Retail Federation, local shoppers are projected to spend at least $1.7 billion this year. This would be 6% more than was spent in 2021.

“While consumers are feeling the pressure of inflation and higher prices, and while there is continued stratification with consumer spending and behavior among households at different income levels, consumers remain resilient and continue to engage in commerce,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “In the face of these challenges, many households will supplement spending with savings and credit to provide a cushion and result in a positive holiday season.”

The biggest challenge facing Augusta, Georgia area business owners is keeping holiday spending local. NRF expects 10-12% of purchases to happen online from retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

To lay claim to this expanding pool of holiday spending,  and keep business local, small business owners will need advertising. By, most marketing metrics, the best way to advertise is on Augusta radio.

Augusta, Georgia area small business owners have an abundance of options for advertising their goods and services. Choices include local TV, local cable, social media, streaming video, streaming audio, podcasts, and newspapers.

The best way to advertise in the CSRA, however, is on Augusta radio.

Every week, according to Neilsen, 391,000 adults tune-in to their favorite Augusta radio stations. This is significantly more than any other advertising medium.

In addition to the adults who listen to Augusta radio over-the-air, an incremental 17,000 adults connect to their favorite stations online as well using their phones, computers, and tablets. In all, according to Nielsen, 26.3% of all Augusta radio listeners listen both online and offline.

Local consumers may have a gloomy feeling about economic conditions, but their spending has not tapered. This is good news for the 391,000 small business owners in the Augusta, Gerogia area.

According to the latest University of Michigan's Survey of Consumers, sentiment about current economic conditions remains near the all-time low. Concerns about volatile gas prices, rampant inflation, and a looming recession have driven the survey's index down 37% versus a year ago.

Despite these dim consumer sentiments, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's July report shows that real personal consumption expenditures are pacing well above pre-Covid levels. According to Morgan Stanley research, consumers' ability to spend is being driven, in part, by a massive amount of excess savings accumulated over the course of the pandemic.

Earlier this year, based on per capita spending data from the National Retail Federation (NRF). Augusta area consumers were forecast to spend nearly $8.7 billion at retail this year. The current level of spending suggests that shoppers are on track to hit that number.

Of course, for local business owners to successfully compete for a share of this record spending requires marketing. By most key marketing metrics, the best way to advertise is on Augusta radio. This is especially true among business owners who must limit the number of marketing channels that can be used because of economic restraints.

Of all media, advertising on the radio provides the greatest return on investment.

Every week, according to new Nielsen data, 454,900 adults tune in to an Augusta, Georgia radio station. This is more consumers than use social media, access local cable, watch broadcast TV, stream video channels, listen to streaming audio, read a newspaper, or download a podcast.

Based on per capita estimates from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) consumers are expected to spend between $8.7 and $8.9 billion at retail in 2022, a six to eight percent growth over the previous year. Utilizing radio's enormous advertising reach, local business owners can compel shoppers to spend this large pool of cash in their stores and on their websites.

The number of consumers reached is critical to the success of an advertising campaign.

According to a Nielsen study, after the actual content of the commercial message itself, reach is the most potent advertising element that can drive sales. Reach is more important than brand, recency, or even context. Augusta radio provides local business owners with the most significant reach among consumers.

Eighty-four percent of all adults say they will celebrate Mother's Day in 2022. Based on per capita forecasts from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Augusta, Georgia area consumers are expected to spend $55.9 million on the moms in their lives. This is a 13% increase over last year.

“Consumers are eager to find memorable ways to honor their mothers and other important women in their lives and are willing to spend a little extra on this sentimental holiday,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay.

The NRF spending projections indicate that CSRA consumers will spend $12.3 million on jewelry and another $9.3 million on special outings such as dinner or brunch. This will be the highest level of Mother's Day spending ever in these categories.

Here is how this large pool of Mother's Day cash in Augusta is expected to be distributed by all retail categories.

The NRF research indicates that men will outspend women 3-to-1 this year on Mother's Day gifts. Most of these dollars will go towards presents for their moms, stepmoms, and wives.

Of all the money spent, CSRA consumers are expected to spend 36% online, 30% at department stores, 27% at specialty stores, and 23% at local small businesses.

To compete for a share of record-high Mother's Day spending this year, local business owners will need to advertise. By most key marketing metrics, the best way to reach holiday shoppers is by advertising on Augusta radio.

Augusta, Georgia area consumers are expected to spend close to $8.9 billion at retail in 2022, based on per capita spending estimates from the National Retail Federation (NRF). This would be an eight percent increase versus 2021.

To capture significant shares of the increased retail spending, the 15,499 small business owners in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) would typically invest in advertising. Persistent and pernicious inflation pressures, however, are starting to gnaw away at marketing budgets.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business Owners (NFIB), businesses cite inflation as their number one problem. For many Augusta business owners, uncontrollable wholesale, transportation, and labor costs are forcing retailers to raise the prices they charge their customers. But, for many retail products, inflated retail prices can drive customers away. 

To limit consumer price increases and still make a profit, CSRA business owners, then, are forced to cut expenses, including advertising and marketing. This means it is now imperative that the limited investments retailers can make in advertising must deliver the strongest returns possible. 

According to a recent study by Nielsen, advertising on Augusta radio can provide the best return on investment (ROI) for local retailers.

There are 15,499 small business owners in the Augusta, Georgia area, according to the US Census Bureau. Each of these companies will need larger advertising budgets to successfully compete for a fair share of the expected explosion in consumer spending this year.

Based on new forecasts from The National Retail Federation (NRF), Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) consumers are expected to spend between $8.7 and $8.9 billion at retail in 2022, a six to eight percent growth over the previous year.

The NRF's forecasts exclude restaurants, gas stations, and automotive dealers. Included in the numbers, though, are non-store and online sales, which, in Augusta, could reach as high as $2.1 billion this year. This level of spending would be 13% more than in 2021.

Even though the rate of growth rate for 2022 is lower than the 14% jump in 2021, the NRF points out that this year's spending will be well ahead of the 10-year,  pre-pandemic growth rate of 3.7%

To participate in the expected surge in retail spending will require CSRA business owners to advertise. Especially if retailers want to hold their own against the continued growth of non-store and online competition.