As back-to-school shopping season ramps up, most parents are planning to purchase items in-store as opposed to online, according to an annual research report from the Retail Council of Canada. The report indicates that back-to-school is a $4.5-billion industry, driven by around 6-million K-12 students across the country. It says the average household spends between $600 and $750 per child when electronics are involved, and 99 per cent of parents plan to do that shopping in-store. For many families, back-to-school planning is already well underway. By late July, 61 per cent of parents either already started shopping, or stated that they will be beginning soon.