Back to School is Powered by Intel

8/8/18

Back to School Computer SalesAs summer begins to wind down, many families are considering the purchase of a new PC or laptop computer. Knowing what to look for can help your customers make the most effective use of their financial resources and provide them with the computing power needed for work, school, and play. 

The National Retail Foundation* (NRF*) estimates this year’s back-to-school and college spending is projected to reach $82.8 billion. The economy is up, and consumer confidence is up, so this is a great time to get your PC sales up. PCs and other electronics are expected to be right behind clothing for back-to-schoolers and at the top of the list for college shoppers.

Are your sales associates ready to capture the tech budget of your back-to-school and college shoppers? Intel is powering exciting new device options for these shoppers to help you exceed expectations for this key revenue period.

Modern Device Form Factors

Intel® processors are available in an array of devices designed to suit a range of differing needs. Top form factors include:

  • 2 in 1 PCs – Offer great versatility, portability, and productivity. School-goers of all ages will appreciate the design transformations these devices deliver including laptop, tablet, and tent modes.
     
  • Laptops – Offer flexibility, responsiveness, and battery life. Students selecting laptops with 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors experience performance, portability, brilliant visuals, and long-lasting battery life.
     
  • All-in-One PCs – Offer clutter-free computing, one cord, and one monitor. New innovative form factors such as fold flat, curved screens, and portable are catching the attention and dollars of in-store shoppers.
     
  • Desktops – Offer family solution, storage, and processing power. With a new range of stylish designs, associates should make sure customers know there’s an Intel®-powered desktop to fit any budget.

So many variables come into play when customers are shopping for PCs and other tech devices, particularly during back-to-school time. Mom selecting the right computer for Katy is quite different than selecting her new lunch box or her new bedspread that will coordinate with her roommate’s in the freshman dorm.

Key to sorting through the variables to get to the perfect device is the ability of your sales associates to ask the right questions to understand the needs, device usage, and budget of the customer. Do your sales associates know which questions to ask? Do they understand the capabilities of today’s devices that make learning more fun and easier for students of all ages? If so, do they know how to tell or better yet, demonstrate, that to their customers?

Back-to-school shoppers receive lists from schools about what supplies are needed, what books need to be read, and what clothes must be worn. What’s missing from that list is the best PC and technology to help facilitate the educational and personal needs of their children. They look to your sales team for that. Ensure they know the questions to ask and have the training necessary to help shoppers select the best device.

Who’s Deciding and Buying?

The tech needs and development of students vary greatly depending on grade level. Elementary school students may be in the learning-to-type phase while middle and high school students are adept at completing homework assignments, creating pictures and videos, interacting on social media, and more. 

While parents are generally the device buyers for students K-College, some high school and college students may contribute to the cost of their computers, particularly when they want one with all the bells and whistles. 

Sales associates should keep in mind that simply because the student isn’t paying for the device doesn’t mean he or she isn’t an influencer on the purchase decision. Today’s school-age kids, teens, and young adults are generally more tech-savvy than their parents and have a huge impact on the final PC selected. Make sure your sales team knows it’s important to keep the student involved in the conversation. 

Processing Power of Intel

The 8th Gen Intel® Core processor family provides cutting-edge power and technology designed for today and what’s next. This serves as a valuable selling point for customers interested in maximizing their return on investment for PCs. 

When your sales associates understand the new capabilities and experiences available with devices powered by 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, the success of matching the right device to the student’s needs is greatly increased.

Intel® processors are designed to handle for the wide array of tasks performed by students of all ages. Here are a few examples: 

  • 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i3 processors are great choices for young students who need power and performance for applications such as browsing the web, completing reports, and playing their favorite games. 
     
  • 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processors let students get their work done fast and easy and are the perfect performers for the student artist, photographer, or video enthusiast.
     
  • 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processors take student multitasking to the next level and allow them to stay on top of their school work, the latest entertainment, and their favorite games. 
     
  • 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 processors are excellent for students who are power users and need high performance for productivity, content consumption and creation, gaming, and more. 

Sales associates have exciting new form factors at their disposal and with the power and technologies provided by 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, customers have plenty of choices based on style, functionality, and price. 

Make sure you have adequate inventory on hand of the most popular devices along with corresponding fact tags with each PC on display. In-store experience stations allow customers to demo new PCs and see first-hand many of the new features and benefits your associates describe to them during the sales process. Demo PCs are particularly useful with the younger student population to determine which device is dimensionally a good fit. 

Doing Double-Duty

It’s highly doubtful any PC purchased for a student will be used exclusively for school-type activities. They will undoubtedly be used for web browsing, checking in on social media, streaming movies, playing games, creating videos, and more. Additionally, many PCs purchased during the back-to-school season will be used by other members of the family.

Sales associates should understand who will be using the device, and again, what types of activities will be performed on the device. They must understand processor speeds, memory capacity, security features, graphics capabilities, peripherals, and the list goes on. With detailed information from the customer and a strong knowledge base of the features and capabilities of the products they sell, associates are best prepared to recommend the devices most capable of meeting the needs of all users. This creates satisfied customers and increases the likelihood they will return to your store for all their technology needs.

Don’t let your stores miss out on their share of the $82.8 billion slice spent on back-to-school PC and tech products purchased this year. Intel® processors and technologies fueling the new devices in your inventory deliver the power, performance, and experiences desired by students of all ages.

Encourage your sales associates to participate in the Intel® Retail Edge Program to stay on top of the latest information regarding Intel® products and OEM partner devices. Learning activities are short, yet impactful and provide your team with the right information needed to create more sales and better customer experiences during the back-to-school spending season and throughout the rest of the year.

 

Find Out More About the Intel® Retail Edge Program

 

 

References:

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