Back-To-School Shopping Is Now A Summer-Long Event – TWICE

If you’re waiting until August to entice shoppers with deals on back-to-school products, it may be a little too late.

According to RetailMeNot’s survey of more than 1,200 U.S. adults, 36% of shoppers are expected to start their back-to-school shopping in July. Recent data from the National Retail Federation echoes this point, as 22% of shoppers said they already began shopping in early June for the 2024-25 school year.

July is a great time to target back-to-school shoppers because they’re on the hunt for deals, especially in the run-up to Prime Day on July 16-17. If you’re looking to drive more sales this back-to-school shopping season, here are some ways to catch deal-minded shoppers this summer.

Plant the Seed Early in July

Retailers typically unveil their back-to-school sales when school supply lists go out in August, but our survey indicates that 63% of consumers will primarily shop in both July and August. These same shoppers are also concerned with the cost of supplies (41%) and staying on budget (41%).

You can entice these early, budget-conscious shoppers with great deals. Using data for the most popular back-to-school items last season and early this season, you can offer creative bundled deals on products specifically designed for grade-school and college students. Seventy-three percent of consumers are shopping for grade-school-age students (73%), while 27% are shopping for college-age students. Discounted packages of popular dorm essentials and mainstays on school supply lists like notebooks, backpacks, and folders could offer parents a one-stop solution for most of their back-to-school shopping needs.

Capitalize on Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, so why not run counterprogramming to piggyback off this momentum?

Roughly 8 in 10 consumers (81%) say they plan to shop Prime Day 2024. Prime Day shoppers also intend to spend more than they did last year. They plan to spend an average of $521 on back-to-school shopping this year, with an estimated $300 going to Amazon and $221 going to other retailers.

Though shoppers are willing to spend, they still want a deal. Consider offering loyalty program incentives to give loyal customers and email newsletter subscribers early access to exclusive discounts. Offer digital coupons that customers can use in-store and online. Launch clearance sales on last season’s inventory or offer online previews and pre-orders of popular products to motivate shoppers to make purchases before the back-to-school rush.

Consider Collaborations and Partnerships

Partner with other brands and influencers to promote back-to-school deals on social media. Inspiring branded content with parent and teacher content creators could help with discoverability, allowing shoppers to find products they may not have otherwise considered (Think “5 Best Backpacks for Your Tween” or “Shop with Me” videos). Our survey indicates that 27% of consumers often purchase items not originally on their lists that are on sale during Prime Day, so many shoppers likely will make impulse buys that could extend beyond Amazon – if you catch them at the right time.

Also, consider incorporating user-generated content (UGC) into your online ads and owned social channels. TikTok is filled with rich back-to-school content, from shopping haul to shopping-on-a-budget advice videos. You’ll need to get permission from the creators to use these videos and make sure everything is copyright-compliant, but incorporating this content can give your campaigns a more organic feel and may resonate more with consumers.

While social media is a great place to connect with consumers, brands can also consider shopping apps in their strategy. These platforms offer an array of targeted advertising solutions, sponsored product ads, email marketing, and exclusive offers to help reach out to qualified shoppers. If you haven’t previously leveraged these apps, July may be a good time to run some tests and see what works that you can carry into August or next year’s shopping season.

Kickstart the Back-to-School Shopping Season

Shoppers are looking for good-quality products, but they’re also looking for good deals.

As our research shows, many of them aren’t willing to wait until August to get what they need. With Prime Day and other large retail events in July, you can attract early-bird back-to-school shoppers with enticing discounts, early access to popular products, and value bundles. By capitalizing on these opportunities, retailers and brands can drive sales well before the traditional back-to-school season kicks off.

About the Author
Magali Darling is Senior Vice-President of Sales at Ziff Davis Shopping.

See also: Executive Insight: ProSource New Vendor Roundtable