2023 Back-to-School Shopping Survey: More than Half of Americans Will Spend More Than $100

According to a survey by market research firm Numerator, 69% of back-to-school shoppers plan to buy supplies in-store, with 80% planning to shop at large retailers such as Walmart and Target, 20% planning to shop at dollar stores, and 15% planning to shop at club stores.

On the other hand, 17% of back-to-school shoppers plan to buy online and opt for home delivery, and 9% plan to buy online and pick up in-store.

The survey found that Americans want to complete their back-to-school shopping as soon as possible. 34% of back-to-school shoppers said they would try to buy all products on one day or at one time. 86% of back-to-school shoppers plan to complete their shopping by early August. Only 2% of back-to-school shoppers will delay until September or later.

According to Numerator, U.S. consumers are looking to save money on back-to-school by taking advantage of promotions (45%), using coupons (35%), comparing prices (34%) and reusing old supplies (33%).

More than half of back-to-school shoppers will spend more than $100 on supplies. 57% of shoppers plan to spend more than $100 on school supplies this year. Among families with children in grades 9-12, 38% will spend more than $200.

The importance of brand-name school supplies varies by category and student age. Nearly a third (30%) of shoppers would purchase brand-name supplies. Within this group, families with children in grades K-5 are more concerned about brand-name art supplies (80%), while families with children in grades 9-12 are more concerned about brand-name electronics (85%) and apparel (85%).

Back-to-school shoppers are more likely to buy supplies for younger children. More than half (51%) of consumers are shopping for children in grades K-5, 35% are shopping for children in grades 6-8, and 46% are shopping for children in grades 9-12.

According to the National Retail Federation, back-to-school spending is expected to reach a record $41.5 billion in 2023, up from $36.9 billion last year and $37.1 billion in 2021.

Numerator conducted the survey of 1,200 U.S. consumers between July 12, 2023 and July 14, 2023 for the 2023 Back to School Survey.

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