Rue21 expands physical network to capitalize on back-to-school shopping

Fast fashion chain Rue21 is expanding its physical presence to take advantage of the US consumers doing their back-to-school shopping in store.

The retailer will open five new stores before the end of the summer, and another ten through the end of 2021.

Recent research like Sensormatic Solutions’ show that back-to-school shopping will drive a substantial number of consumers back to the stores. Sensormatic Solution’s annual survey found that 76 percent of the 1,000 U.S. respondents plan to do their preparatory shopping in stores this year.

The National Retail Federation estimates that families will spend an average of 849 dollars on back-to-school items, almost 60 dollars more than last year. Families with university students will spend an average of 1,200dollars.

“Recent new store openings have demonstrated the importance of our store channel to brand discovery and customer acquisition,” Rue21 CEO Bill Brand said in a statement. “Our dynamic in-store experiences have driven customer loyalty and is our model for continued omnichannel growth.”