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Back-to-SchoolStrategy Guide: Win the Season onAmazon & Walmart Back-to-School 2025:High Stakes, High Opportunity School’s out, but back-to-school shopping is alreadyramping up, starting earlier and shifting online fasterthan ever. For retailers, merchants, and parents,there’s little downtime as summer break quicklyblends into school prep season. The result:a high-stakesseason defined by volatiledemand, pricing pressure,and fierce competition forconsumer dollars. Total back-to-school sales are projected to growbyjust 3.0% this year, another sluggish seasonfollowing last year’s modest 3.3 % uptick.1But whileoverall growth may be stalling,your sales don’t haveto follow suit. This guide is for e-commerce merchants navigatingthis challenging time—those looking to optimizepricing, maximize advertising ROI, and plan inventoryand promotions with greater precision. This year, the stakes are higher than ever: Tariffs are set to collide with peak shoppingseason, forcing retailers to move up theirpromotional calendars and compete on valueearlier.Supplychain volatility threatens timelyinventory, putting revenue at risk.Retailers face steeper competition as rivals rollout aggressive, earlier discounts.The cost of staying competitive is rising fast,especially with new marketplace fees likeAmazon’s Prime-Exclusive Discount cuttingfurther into already-thin margins.1234 Inside, you’ll learn how to: Anticipate and respondto unpredictabledemandacrosskeyback-to-schoolcategoriesNavigate rising costsfrom tariffs, fees, andfreight without sacrificing marginOptimize pricing strategiesto win the BuyBox and convert price-conscious shoppersMaximize ad performanceand ROI duringcritical momentsAlign inventory and promotionsto captureearly demand without overextending At the same time, families—especially price-sensitivehouseholds—are feeling the squeeze:nearly two-thirds of parents1say this year’s shopping feels“financially challenging” or “stressful.” Ina season defined by urgency andunpredictability,strategy and speed willseparate the winners from the rest. Inventory, Ads, and Omnichannel:The BiggestChallenges for the Back-to-School Season Brands are now racing to resume shipments fromChina during the temporary pause in the tradedispute, all while bracing for increased freight andshipping costs. U.S. ports are expected to handle2.13 million twenty-foot equivalents (TEUs) inJuly,1a sharp rise driven by brands acceleratingorders before the tariff deadline. This year’s back-to-school season kicks off thestart of Q4, bringing a new wave of challenges andrequiring a more proactive and strategic approachthan in years past. Inventory Delays Wreak Havoc Inventory is shaping up to be one of the biggesthurdles for brands, as newly implemented tariffpolicies are causing import delays and increasedvolatility across the supply chain. Products need tobe on shelves by early summer—when consumersstart shopping—which means shipments shouldalready be in motion. With more sellers competing for limited containerspace,costs are climbing,and timelines aretightening, raising the stakes for getting inventoryin place on time. But the current tariff crisis is hitting just as the back-to-school buying window opens, creating a murkytimeline: Unpredictable Demand Core back-to-school categories like electronicsand supplies are expected to see volatile demand.Some shoppers are rushing to buy essentials beforethe tariff pause ends:55% had already startedshopping by early July.1 But economic pressure is also weighing on spending.Many parents are still focused on summer plans, andlimited discretionary income could slow purchases,creating uneven demand across categories. Pricing Pressure and Buy BoxVolatility Challenging Campaign Timing andTight Budgets Withback-to-school shopping shifting earlier,getting campaign timing right is harder—and moreimportant—than ever. Advertisers need to be inmarket when shoppers are, which increasinglymeans launching campaigns at the start of summer. With tariffs expected to drive price increasesacross key categories—like clothing, footwear, toys,and small appliances—shoppers are becomingmore price-sensitive and selective.Many of theseincreases will hit by June and July, just as back-to-school shopping peaks.In the short term, footwearprices are projected to rise by 15%, while apparelcosts could climb by 14%.2 Traditionally, there has been a fusion of sellingperiods: it starts with Prime Day, continues for a fewweeks, and stretches into mid-August. At the same time, intense competition is triggeringconstant Buy Box shifts and aggressive discounting.Consumer spending for the 2025 back-to-schoolseason is expected to slow for the second year ina row.3 Butthis year,Prime Daymaytake on even greaterprominence,with 85%ofback-to-classshoppersplanning to take advantageof July sales to stock up onschool necessities.1 To win in this environment, brands must walk afine line, offering compelling deals to attract price-c