{"id":5532,"date":"2026-08-12T02:00:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T09:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grabon.com\/blog\/?p=5532"},"modified":"2026-08-12T03:13:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T10:13:49","slug":"back-to-school-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grabon.com\/blog\/back-to-school-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"Back-to-School Shopping Statistics in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The back-to-school sales season in the United States typically runs from July through August. In 2026, US households are spending a record-breaking <\/span><b>$146.8 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on back-to-school and back-to-college shopping. If we break it down further, K-12 back-to-school spending accounts for <\/span><b>$43.3 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while an unprecedented <\/span><b>$103.5 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> comes from back-to-college shopping.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While early shopping remains popular, economic caution is changing timelines:<\/span><b> 62%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of consumers start their shopping by early July, but many are intentionally delaying purchases to hunt for late-season <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/grabon.com\/back-to-school-coupons\/\"><b>back-to-school deals<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, spreading their budgets to manage inflation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide brings together the <\/span><b>latest 2026 back-to-school shopping statistics<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from leading industry reports, including the National Retail Federation, Deloitte, and PwC. The data offers businesses and marketers a closer look at how American households plan to spend on back-to-school shopping this year.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Top Back-to-School Shopping Statistics in 2026<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The estimated total spending for back-to-school and back-to-college shopping in 2026 hit a record <\/span><b>$146.8 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A household spends an average of <\/span><b>$863.86<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on K-12 back-to-school and <\/span><b>$1,437.79<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on back-to-college shopping.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back-to-school (K-12) total market spending in the US grew to <\/span><b>$43.3 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> this year, an increase of roughly 9.9% from 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An average household spends around <\/span><b>$557<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on their back-to-school shopping per child in the US in 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>73%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of parents plan to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) somewhere in their shopping journey to budget, compare, or find deals.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>71%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of parents state they will happily switch to a cheaper alternative if their preferred brand is too expensive.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Back-to-School Spending Statistics<\/b><b> (K-12)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While families are spending more in total, they are doing so cautiously. Parents are prioritizing essential value and intentionally planning their purchases. Electronics have now officially overtaken clothing as the single largest expenditure for K-12 families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some key K-12 back-to-school spending statistics to know:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">American households are expected to spend about <\/span><b>$43.3 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on K-12 back-to-school shopping in 2026. This is a noticeable jump from the $39.4 billion recorded in 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Total Spending on Back-to-School Shopping by US Households:<\/b><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Total Back-to-School Spending<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Year-on-Year Change<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2026<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$43.3 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 9.9%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$39.4 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 1.0%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$39 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2013 6.02%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$41.5 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 12.5%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$36.9 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2013 0.54%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$37.1 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 9.44%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2020<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$33.9 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 30.38%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An average American household is expected to spend <\/span><b>$863.86<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on back-to-school shopping in 2026, marking a modest 0.7% rise from $858.07 in 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Average Back-to-School Spending per US Household:<\/b><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average back-to-school spending per US household<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2026<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$863.86<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$858.07<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$875.00<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$890.00<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$864.00<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When analyzing categories, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/grabon.com\/electronics-coupons\/\"><b>Electronics<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> take the lead. An average American household will spend <\/span><b>$293.11<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on electronic equipment (laptops, tablets, calculators), representing about 34% of the average total budget.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Households plan to spend an average of <\/span><b>$250.29<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on clothing and accessories, <\/span><b>$174.01<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on shoes, and <\/span><b>$146.45<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on traditional school supplies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Average Spending by Category (Per Household):<\/b><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Category<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average amount spent in 2026*<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average amount spent in 2025<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Electronics Equipment<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$293.11<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$295.81<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>School Clothing<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$250.29<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$249.36<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Shoes<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$174.01<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$169.13<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>School Supplies<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$146.45<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$143.77<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When looking at individual students, the average back-to-school spending <\/span><b>per child<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is estimated at around <\/span><b>$557<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2026, a slight drop of $13 from $570 in 2025, largely as parents look to trim non-essentials or buy private labels.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the table that shows the average back-to-school spending per child over the years:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average back-to-school spending per child<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2026<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$557<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$570<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$587<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$597<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$661<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$612<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2020<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$529<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2019<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$519<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Sources: <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sujitkarki.com.np\/posts\/back-to-school-spending-2026\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lampard<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.deloitte.com\/us\/en\/about\/press-room\/deloitte-back-to-school-spending-holds-steady.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deloitte<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Back-to-School Shopping Behavior &amp; Retail Preferences<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 2026 shopping season is highly influenced by price sensitivity and sales events. Shoppers are taking advantage of major retailer sales to stretch their dollars.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mass-merchant retailers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> continue to dominate: <\/span><b>80%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of parents plan to make their back-to-school purchases at major stores like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over half (<\/span><b>54%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) of respondents reported relying heavily on major promotional events, such as Amazon Prime Day, Target Circle Week, and Walmart Deals, to buy their school supplies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>48%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of planned spending is expected to occur by the end of July (down from 61% in 2025), with an additional <\/span><b>31%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> happening in early August as families push purchases closer to the start of the school year to wait for late discounts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Economic concerns are high: <\/span><b>57%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of consumers expect the economy to worsen in the next six months (the highest level reported since 2020), prompting <\/span><b>51%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of shoppers to expect to buy private-label items instead of name brands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>55%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of families prefer shopping online specifically for school supplies, though average online spending remains high ($614 per child for online-first shoppers vs. $521 for in-store shoppers). <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Department stores (<\/span><b>48%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) and discount stores (<\/span><b>47%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) saw a surge in interest as parents hunted for aggressive sales events and clearance deals on apparel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The table below shows what retail formats US households prefer during back-to-school shopping:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Retail Format<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of American Households Choosing (2026)*<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Mass merchant retailers<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">80%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Online retailers<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">55%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Department stores<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">48%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Discount stores<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">47%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Clothing\/Specialty stores<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">41%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Warehouse membership clubs<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Retailers selling used\/refurbished items<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Office supply\/technology retailers<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">22%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Local\/Small businesses<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">18%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>7 out of 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> US consumers like to do their back-to-school furniture shopping from offline stores for the quality of products, while around <\/span><b>30%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of them like to shop from online stores.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>58%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of American back-to-school shoppers prefer doing clothing and accessories shopping from offline stores.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the table that shows the store preference for American families for back-to-school shopping:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Product Category<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of US families shopping in-store<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of US families shopping online<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furniture<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">70%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clothing and accessories<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">58%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">42%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Personal hygiene products<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">56%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">44%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">School Supplies<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">46%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">54%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Computers and hardware<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">31%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">69%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electronics Gadgets<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">29%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">71%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.deloitte.com\/us\/en\/about\/press-room\/deloitte-back-to-school-spending-holds-steady.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deloitte<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/nrf.com\/insights\/holiday-and-seasonal-trends\/back-to-school\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NRF<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalcommerce360.com\/2025\/07\/17\/back-to-school-shopping-trends-earlier-in-2025\/#:~:text=The%20three%20top%20reasons%20consumers%20haven't%20finished,discount%20stores%20(47%25)%20and%20clothing%20stores%20(41%25).\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digital Commerce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Back-to-School Consumer Behavior Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the shoppers in the US plan to make payments for their back-to-school shopping through debit and credit cards. A few of them also prefer using the Buy Now, Pay Later services. Here are some of the important back-to-school consumer behavior statistics:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>5 out of 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> US consumers start their back-to-school shopping by early July, while <\/span><b>42%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of them start by July-end after receiving their school lists.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Half<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of U.S. back-to-school shoppers plan to start their purchases 1 to 3 weeks before school begins, while <\/span><b>27%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> begin shopping at least 2 months ahead. Only <\/span><b>5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of them begin their shopping the week school starts or later.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The table below shows the shopping timing of back-to-school shoppers in the United States:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Time Period<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of shoppers doing their back-to-school shopping<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The week school starts or later<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least 2 months before school starts<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">27%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1-2 weeks before school starts<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">21%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 weeks to 1 month before school starts<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">47%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over <\/span><b>49%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of back-to-school consumers in the United States prefer shopping early to spread their shopping budget.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>46% <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of US shoppers prefer to do their back-to-school shopping exclusively during Amazon Prime Day for deals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>6 out of 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> consumers in the U.S. prefer paying for back-to-school purchases with debit cards, while <\/span><b>60%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> use credit cards. Another <\/span><b>44%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of them use cash for their shopping.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The table below showcases the mode of payment of back-to-school shoppers in the United States:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Payment Mode<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of back-to-school shoppers using it<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Debit Card<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">63%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Credit Card<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">60%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use physical cash on hand<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">44%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buy now, pay later service<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">23%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pull money out of savings account<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">21%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>1\/3rd<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of American online back-to-school shoppers use the Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) option to purchase, a <\/span><b>57.14%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> increase from <\/span><b>21%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the previous year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>46% <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of American parents take on debt for their kids\u2019 back-to-school shopping due to social pressure.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/nrf.com\/insights\/holiday-and-seasonal-trends\/back-to-school\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> NRF<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdwallet.com\/article\/shopping\/2024-back-to-school-shopping-report\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> NerdWallet<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www2.deloitte.com\/us\/en\/insights\/industry\/retail-distribution\/back-to-school-survey.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Deloitte<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Impact of AI &amp; Tech on Back-to-School Shopping (2026 Trend)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As technology evolves, so does the way families prepare for the new academic year. Generative AI and advanced digital tools are drastically altering consumer journeys.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to PwC, <\/span><b>73%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of parents plan to use AI at some point in their shopping journey, whether to research products, compare prices, manage their budget, or hunt for the best deals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deloitte found that parents who utilize a wider set of digital tools outspend others. Shoppers using search, social media, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> GenAI plan to have the highest average spend per child (<\/span><b>$737<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), compared to just $381 for non-tech users.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interestingly, while parents use AI to shop, they are wary of it in schools. <\/span><b>49%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of parents worry their child relies on AI too much, and only <\/span><b>33%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> say their school has clear AI guidelines in place.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Sources: <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwc.com\/us\/en\/industries\/consumer-markets\/library\/backtoschool-spending.html#:~:text=Families%20expect%20to%20spend%20an%20average%20of,to%20research%2C%20compare%2C%20budget%2C%20or%20find%20deals.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PwC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.deloitte.com\/us\/en\/about\/press-room\/deloitte-back-to-school-spending-holds-steady.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deloitte<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Gen Z Influence &amp; Collaborative Digital Carts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kids aren&#8217;t just passively receiving school supplies anymore; they are actively filling the digital cart. For marketers, targeting the student directly is becoming just as crucial as targeting the parent.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>61%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of parents now allow their children direct participation in the online shopping experience.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>40%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of parents give kids their own access to add items to digital carts, while 31% use linked family accounts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Half of all high school parents admit their child directly influences the tech purchases the family makes, making Gen Z a primary driver of the $293+ electronics budget.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwc.com\/us\/en\/industries\/consumer-markets\/library\/backtoschool-spending.html#:~:text=Families%20expect%20to%20spend%20an%20average%20of,to%20research%2C%20compare%2C%20budget%2C%20or%20find%20deals.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PwC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Back-to-College Spending Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back-to-college spending is expected to shatter records in 2026. For the first time, the college segment is predicted to cross the $100 billion threshold, driven by the high costs of electronics and students moving into dorms\/apartments.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Households in the United States are expected to spend a total of <\/span><b>$103.5 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on back-to-college shopping in 2026. This is a massive jump from $88.8 billion in 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Total Back-to-College Expenditure of US Households:<\/b><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Total back-to-college spending<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2026*<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$103.5 billion*<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$88.8 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$87.0 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$94.0 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$74.0 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An average American household will spend around <\/span><b>$1,437.79<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on back-to-college shopping in 2026. This represents a substantial increase from the $1,325.85 spent in 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Average Back-to-College Spending per Household:<\/b><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average back-to-college spending<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2026*<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,437.79*<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,325.85<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,365.00<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,367.00<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,199.00<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Where the College Budget Goes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Unlike K-12, college spending acts more like &#8220;moving into a new apartment&#8221; spending. Households plan to spend an average of <\/span><b>$341.95<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on electronics, <\/span><b>$194.00<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on dorms\/apartment furnishings, and <\/span><b>$153.91<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on food items per student.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Households in the United States are expected to spend a staggering $103.5 billion on their back-to-college shopping alone in 2026. This represents a massive 16.55% increase from $88.8 billion in 2025.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the table to show the back-to-college expenditure of American households over the years:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Total back-to-college spending<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Year-on-year change<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2026*<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$103.5 billion*<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 16.55%*<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$88.8 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 2.07%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$87 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2013 7.45%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$94 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 27.03%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$74 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 4.23%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$71 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 4.41%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2020<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$68 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 23.6%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">American households\u2019 electronics equipment expenditure for back-to-college shopping is projected to hit $24.6 billion in 2026, a sharp increase of 18.8% from $20.7 billion in the previous year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">United States households are planning to spend about <\/span><b>$14.0 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on dorm\/apartment furnishings during their back-to-college shopping in 2026, a 9.3% increase from $12.8 billion in 2025. Furthermore, households are expected to spend around <\/span><b>$11.1 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on food items for college students this season.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the table that shows the estimated total back-to-college spending by American households in different core categories for 2026:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Category<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Total back-to-college spending in 2026*<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Electronics Equipment<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$24.6 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Dorms\/Apartment Furnishings<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$14.0 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Food<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$11.1 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Personal Care<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$9.6 billion<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An average American household will spend around <\/span><b>$1,437.79<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on back-to-college shopping in 2026, marking an <\/span><b>8.43% jump<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from $1,326 in 2025. Households are expected to spend roughly <\/span><b>66.4% more<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on a single college-going student ($1,437.79) compared to the average K-12 student ($863.86).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The table below shows the average back-to-college spending of households:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Year<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average back-to-college spending per household<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2026*<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,437.79*<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,326<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,365<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,367<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2022<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,199<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2021<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,200<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2020<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$1,059<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2019<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$977<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Households in the United States plan to spend an average of <\/span><b>$341.95<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on electronics for back-to-college shopping in 2026, a <\/span><b>10.48% increase<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from $309.50 in 2025.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">US households will also spend around <\/span><b>$194.00<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on dorms\/apartment furnishings and about <\/span><b>$153.91<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on food for back-to-college preparation in 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the table that shows the average back-to-college spending of a household by category:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Category<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average spending in 2026*<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Average spending in 2025<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Year-on-year change<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Electronics<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$341.95<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$309.50<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 10.48%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Dorms\/Apartment furnishing<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$194.00<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$191.39<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 1.36%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Food<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$153.91<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$133.20<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 15.54%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Personal Care<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$133.34<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$114.50<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+ 16.45%\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/nrf.com\/insights\/holiday-and-seasonal-trends\/back-to-school\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> NRF<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/home.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.retaildive.com\/news\/back-to-school-record-high-forecast-nrf\/825458\/#:~:text=Back%2Dto%2Dschool%20spending%20forecast%20to%20reach%20record%20highs.,the%20NRF%20and%20Prosper%20Insights%20%26%20Analytics.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retail Dive<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sujitkarki.com.np\/posts\/back-to-school-spending-2026\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lampard<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Back-to-College Shopping Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A majority of back-to-college buyers in the US like to purchase from online retailers, like Amazon, Walmart, and others. Some households also like to purchase secondhand products for their back-to-college shopping. Here are some of the key back-to-college shopping statistics you should know:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>5 out of 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> United States shoppers plan to do their back-to-college shopping from online stores. While <\/span><b>35%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of them opt to shop from department stores, and <\/span><b>31%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of shoppers like to purchase at discount stores.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The table below showcases the retail formats back-to-college shoppers in the United States purchase from:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Retail Formats<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of back-to-college shoppers choosing it<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">50%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clothing Store<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">28%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Office Supply Store<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">26%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">College Bookstore<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">26%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electronics Store<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">17%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home Furnishings\/Decor Store<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">15%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Department Store<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">35%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Discount Store<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">31%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Local\/Small Business<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">14%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thrift\/Resale Shop<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Catalog<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Drug Store<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>4 out of 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> back-to-college shoppers in the United States plan to do more comparative shopping online due to bad economic conditions. While <\/span><b>37%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of them like to shop only during sales and <\/span><b>31%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> choose to purchase more generic products.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>4 out of 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> US consumers like to purchase textbooks secondhand for back-to-college shopping, while <\/span><b>31%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prefer buying secondhand clothing and accessories. Another <\/span><b>23%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of buyers look for secondhand electronics equipment<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and only <\/span><b>22%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of them choose secondhand school supplies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/nrf.com\/research-insights\/holiday-data-and-trends\/back-school\/back-class-data-center\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> NRF<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Back-to-College Consumer Behavior Statistics<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most American back-to-college consumers like to start their shopping in July; however, a few of them wait till their college starts. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During back-to-college sales, a variety of brands and retailers offer exciting deals that a majority of shoppers wait for. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some key back-to-college consumer behavior statistics:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>67%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of US back-to-college shoppers began their shopping in July 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>4 out of 10<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> consumers in the United States plan to start their back-to-college shopping 3 weeks to 1 month before their college starts, while <\/span><b>30%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like to do their shopping before 2 months.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>20% <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of American back-to-college consumers prefer to shop 1 to 2 weeks before their college starts, while only <\/span><b>8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shop during or after the first week of college.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is the table to show the timing of American shoppers to start their back-to-college shopping:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Time Period<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of Americans who start back-to-college shopping<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 weeks to 1 month before school starts<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">41%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least 2 months before school starts<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 to 2 weeks before school starts<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The week school starts or later<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around <\/span><b>half<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of back-to-college buyers in the U.S. choose to buy early to take advantage of exciting deals and promotions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b><a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/nrf.com\/insights\/holiday-and-seasonal-trends\/back-to-school\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> NRF<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 2026 back-to-school season proves that while economic uncertainty remains a major factor, educational spending continues to hit record highs, expected to reach an incredible <\/span><b>$146.8 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The notable shift this year is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that money is being spent. With electronics eating up over a third of K-12 budgets, students having direct access to online carts, and AI powering the deal-hunting process, the modern shopping journey is more digital and intentional than ever.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brands and retailers must adapt to this by offering aggressive early-season promotional deals, creating kid-friendly digital cart experiences, and emphasizing extreme value to retain the 71% of parents ready to jump ship to private labels.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The back-to-school sales season in the United States typically runs from July through August. In 2026, US households are spending a record-breaking $146.8 billion on back-to-school and back-to-college shopping. If we break it down further, K-12 back-to-school spending accounts for $43.3 billion, while an unprecedented $103.5 billion comes from back-to-college shopping.\u00a0 While early shopping remains &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":8063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-statistics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Back-to-School Shopping Statistics in 2024<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"US households are expected to spend $126 billion on back-to-school and back-to-college shopping in 2024. 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