This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of the US Back to School Shopping market including back to school market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the back to school shopping market in the US.
After a tumultuous 2020-21 school year, when COVID-19 caused disruptions to students’ learning situations, students and parents looked forward to a return to in-person learning and a sense of normalcy going into the 2021-22 school year. Heading into June 2021, the excitement to get back to a sense of normalcy, along with a seemingly improving pandemic situation, led to a boost in consumer confidence, which contributed to a rise in back to school shopping. Early summer sale events, like Amazon Prime Day, coupled with the news of supply chain disruptions, led consumers to shop early and take advantage of savings while inventory levels were at their peak.
However, as the summer progressed, a resurgence of COVID-19 cases caused by the new Delta variant of the virus created new uncertainty for schools, parents and students. Consumers once again navigated fluctuating school plans and policies, and they reverted to some of their shopping behaviors from earlier in the pandemic, such as limiting time spent in stores and shopping more online.
Ultimately, in-person learning returned for most families, but back to school preparations and shopping looked different than it did in prior years, including pre-pandemic periods, and the 2020-21 school year when the pandemic completely disrupted learning plans. This evolution into the next normal leaves consumers increasingly seeking flexibility in their back to school shopping needs, as they find new approaches to where, when and how they shop, and what items they buy.
Read on to discover more about the back to school shopping market size, read our Millennials: Online Shopping Behaviors – US – 2021 report, or take a look at our other Media, Books And Stationery Market research reports.
This report, written by Brittany Steiger, a leading analyst in the Retail and eCommerce sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Back to school shopping saw a new boom in 2021, as students were excited to head back to the classroom and parents fulfilled purchases put off in the prior year. The ongoing pandemic continues to impact how consumers shop for school and what they buy, reemphasizing a need for value, flexibility and convenience. Additionally, as the return to school can bring both excitement and anxiety, consumers will gravitate toward brands that celebrate authenticity, positivity and community support.
Brittany Steiger
Senior Analyst, Retail and eCommerce
Mintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. We show you how consumers think today and tomorrow. As a trusted partner to industry leaders, we deliver game-changing insights to businesses across the globe, fuelling their marketing and innovation strategies that will shape the future.
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