Back-to-School 'Webrooming' Hot as Shoppers Stream Into Malls

90% of consumers plan to do their back-to-school shopping in a physical store this year, said Michael Kercheval, CEO of the International Council of Shopping Centers. According to the same survey, 73% of consumers plan to participate in the trend of ‘webrooming’, or doing research online and then purchasing the items in a physical store. 20% of consumers indicated that a change in fashion trends is a reason that they will increase their spending this year, which is double the 2013 number. Finally, Kercheval said shopping center occupancy rates are back to pre-recession levels at 92%, while mall rates are even higher at 93.6%.