Bright yellow school buses, backpacks stuffed with new supplies, and the crisp promise of a fresh start mark the return of an exciting and, at times, turbulent time for families — the back-to-class season. The beginning of a new school year can bring out a mix of emotions — from the nerves of budding kindergartners and the excitement of eager college students to the blend of relief and anxiety from parents and caregivers as they prepare for the year ahead. In a recent survey of the Walmart Customer Spark Community, 55% of back-to-class customers reported feeling excited and hopeful about the upcoming school year, while 23% expressed hesitations and 11% confessed to feeling anxious1.
New responsibilities like morning drop-off, extracurricular activities, and homework deadlines usher parents, caregivers, and educators alike into new routines that can lead to changes in consumer behavior. Value, convenience, and efficiency become priorities for families as they navigate through their long to-do lists. Therefore, understanding the influence of new routines and schedules on shopping behaviors is vital during this time of the year.
With the return to the classroom happening now around the U.S, we've uncovered new insights that bring to light opportunities for suppliers and how they can adapt to changing customer trends.
Schedules are becoming tighter and affecting shopping habits.
While 30% of Walmart back-to-class customers say they stick to the same routine regardless of the time of year, 24% say they will spend more time in the car, 17% say they will be waking up earlier to make breakfast and school lunches, and 14% say they will be meal prepping. To make mealtime and snack time easier, many customers opt for prepackaged snacks (52%) and ingredients for easy meals (36%).
42% of back-to-school customers are expecting to spend more this year compared to last year.
44% of back-to-school (K-12) customers started shopping three or more weeks in advance of the first day of school and only 15% of customers said they planned to purchase items 1-6 days in advance. Similarly, 43% of back-to-college (higher education) customers planned to start shopping three or more weeks in advance and 47% planned to start within three weeks of the start of class.
Amidst the current macroeconomic climate, the majority (73%) of customers continue to turn to Walmart to fill their baskets because of low prices compared to other major retailers. Walmart is making this year’s back-to-school shopping experience fun, easy, and affordable by offering the 14 most popular items on school supply lists at the same prices as last year.
75% of K-12 back-to-school shoppers plan to spend under $500, whereas only 59% of Higher Education shoppers plan to spend under $500 on back-to-college shopping this year.
