Target, Wal-Mart and other mass-merchandise retailers are the first choices for shoppers, followed by specialty retailers that target teens. The best-selling items will be school supplies, apparel, apparel accessories and footwear, the report says.

Shoppers will most seriously consider an item's value before making a purchase. "The quest for 'value' remains very high on the reason-to-purchase list, due to the increase in fuel prices and the impact it has on the mid- to lower-income brackets," says Marshall Cohen, NPD's chief industry analyst, in a statement.

A different survey, done by the Santa Monica, CA-based mall owner Macerich Co., finds that most students will seek "retro-inspired" fashions, followed by a "bohemian," or "hippie" look.