Back-to-School Shopping 2026: Bigger Budgets & Bolder Supplies

Back-to-school season is on! Families are shopping earlier, spreading purchases across more months, and planning bigger budgets than in years past. According to Zeta Global’s Back-to-School Retail Trends survey of more than 4,000 parents and guardians, 35% of families are expecting to spend over $1,000 this season. Here are some key trends shaping how families are shopping ahead of the school year.

The Season Starts Earlier – and Runs Longer

Back-to-school shopping is no longer a late-summer sprint. For the third consecutive year, September is the most popular month for planned purchases, capturing 29% of shopping intent, but July and August are close behind at 24% and 26%, respectively. Families are spreading purchases across more months and more decision points than ever before, which means the window to stock up on paper, folders and other essentials is wide open.

Value Over Price

Families are spending, and they’re doing so thoughtfully. Only 16% of shoppers say they choose where to shop based on price alone. The top factor for most is best quality for the price, followed by confidence in buying the right items, and convenience and time savings. As stated in the report, regardless of budget, all shoppers want to feel like they made a smart buy.

Kids Are in the Conversation

More than half of back-to-school purchases involve significant or complete input from the student. Kids arrive at the store with opinions already formed, shaped by group chats, social media and peer influence. For parents, that means balancing a child’s wish list against the practical must-haves.

School Supplies Still Lead

Even with all the buzz around tech and clothing, school supplies remain the top planned purchase category this back-to-school season, accounting for 22% of responses in the Zeta Global survey. The basics still matter, and essentials like paper tend to be protected from budget cutting, since families know they’ll use every sheet.

What’s Hot for 2026

Stationery is having a revival in 2026. The return of handwritten notes, journaling and pen pal culture is making paper feel more personal and collectible again – giving students a screen-free way to express themselves. Boise X-9 Multi-Use Copy paper and Boise POLARIS Premium papers are ready for all of it, from daily homework to projects that need to make an impression.

Whether families are shopping early, stretching their budgets or hunting down the season’s trendiest supplies, one thing stays constant: the back-to-school list is alive and well. Here’s to a great school year ahead.

Sources:

https://zetaglobal.com/resource-center/back-to-school-retail-trends-2026/