• A new national survey shows that consumers plan to spend 10% more on back-to-school items over last year -- “and this is before they receive their tax refund checks,” Beemer notes.
  
• The number of respondents who said they plan to spend between $401-$500 doubled from last year.
  
• Though planning to spend more, consumers say they will visit fewer stores. More than half said they will only shop at two stores. Wal-Mart, Sears and JCPenney remain the top 3.
  
• Entertainment marketers need to do more to reach kids, according to Beemer. When asked open-ended questions about what licensed characters their children are asking for this year, the vast majority said none. The names Nemo and Hulk were not mentioned.

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