Back-to-School 2014: The Biggest Trends and Tips for Retailers

3. Social sells and mobile connects. The mobile shopping revolution continues with BTS consumers … but there's a twist. The survey showed that smartphones and tablets are used "all the time or frequently" to research products, brands and pricing promotions. Smartphones are the connector and continue to grow as a purchasing channel, with 34 percent of respondents claiming they would buy more on smartphones this year than last. As an extension of the store experience, retailers must ensure that these critical features are easily deployed and accessed on smartphones and tablets.