NRF Projects Robust B-t-s Spending but Slightly Under Last YearThis year the outlook for retail has shifted from gloomy to bright.

[Collection]The back-to-school season will be a good one for retailers but not quite as good as last year, according to the National Retail Federation. The NRF projects total spending on clothes, shoes, supplies and electronics such as calculators and computers for those attending grades kindergarten through college and graduate school will reach $82.8 billion. That’s nearly as high as last year’s $83.6 billion. One reason — many parents and students will wait for the best deals. “With the economy thriving thanks to tax reform and growing consumer confidence, we expect to see a very strong season,” NRF president and chief executive officer Matthew Shay said Thursday. “College spending is expected to be at its highest level ever, and back-to-school will be one of the three highest years on record.” The figures are from the NRF’s b-t-s survey of 7,320 consumers conducted June 29 to July 8 in conjunction with Prosper Insights and Analytics. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points. The annual survey has been conducted since 2003. For children in elementary through high school, the NRF said the average family spend would be $684.79, compared with last year’s $687.72. The total spend is seen hitting $27.5 billion,

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