2026返校季营销研究：多数家长计划2026年每个孩子的返校购物开支增加

INTRODUCTION Most Parents Plan on SpendingMore per Child During 2026Back-to-School Shopping3 Parents have more ways than ever to discoverand purchase back-to-school products. Againsta backdrop of elevated gas prices and otherfinancial friction, they also have more tools touse for product evaluations and comparisons. Parents Favor Big-Box Stores forBack-to-School Shopping WithSpending Set To Ramp Up in July6 To study how parents (including primarycaregivers) are approaching back-to-schoolshopping in 2026, Tinuiti surveyed 1,040 USadults with school age children in June 2026. Theresults reveal how key channels and platforms areplaying into school purchases, and what parentsare most looking for in the products they buy. Social Media and In-Store DisplayAre Top Sources of Back-to-SchoolProduct and Promotion Informationfor Parents9 Most Parents Plan To Use AI To HelpWith Back-to-School Shopping12 Price and Value Are Top of Mindfor Parents ConsideringBack-to-School Purchases14 MOST PARENTS PLAN ON SPENDING MORE PER CHILD DURING2026 BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING Asked how much they plan to spend per child on purchases related to the upcoming school year, 30% ofparents say between $251 and $500, the most common response. Between $101 and $250 per child isthe second-most common expectation, selected by 28% of respondents. For 59% of respondents, their per child expenses will mark an increase from last year, while just 11% willbe spending less. Parents of college-age students are most likely to anticipate spending more per childon school-related purchases in the coming school year (70%), while the share of high school parentsexpecting to increase spending lags slightly below average (55%). While most parents expect to spend more on back-to-school shopping, current economic conditionsdo stand to weigh on purchases. Most respondents believe that higher grocery prices (63%), gasprices (60%), and product prices (56%) are likely to negatively affect how much they spend for back-to-school shopping. Big picture, 25% of parents are not confident thatthey’ll be able to afford all of the necessary schoolproducts for their children this year. That raterises to 28% among parents with three school-agechildren and 36% among parents with fouror more. Despite many facing economic pressures, 82% ofparents say they’ll be buying core school supplieslike pencils, notebooks, and backpacks, while80% say the same about apparel and shoes, thetop two responses. Food and beverage products,including lunch boxes and water bottles, are adistant third at 62%. The likelihood of purchasing from individual product categories is fairly similar across elementarythrough high school parents, while parents of college-age students show more marked differences inexpected purchases. College parents are less likely than parents of younger children to purchase coreschool supplies and apparel, but much more likely to purchase textbooks, laptops, and furnishings. Still,even among college parents, core supplies and apparel rank as the top two product categories for theupcoming school year. Core supplies and clothing are also the categories that are most likely to rise or fall for shoppers who planto change how much they spend per student this year. Among respondents expecting to reduce theirback-to-school spending, 34% say they plan to cut back most on core school supplies, 27% say apparel,and 11% say laptops and other technology products to round out the top three. On the flip side, 49% of parents who intend to spend more per student this year say they will mostincrease their spending on core supplies, while 25% say apparel and shoes. Although laptops andtechnology is only the seventh most likely product category for parents to buy, it also makes the top threefor categories parents expect to spend more on. PARENTS FAVOR BIG-BOX STORES FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOLSHOPPING WITH SPENDING SET TO RAMP UP IN JULY Big-box stores like Walmart or Target are the most popular destinations for back-to-school shoppers,with 66% of parents planning to shop at these stores. Clothing stores are the next most popular place forback-to-school shopping (48%), as apparel and shoes are top of mind for many shoppers. Discount stores were selected by 36% of all respondents, but that share rises to 43% for parents whoaren’t confident that they’ll be able to afford all of the necessary back-to-school supplies for theirchildren this year. Asked how much of their back-to-school shopping they expect to do online, 91% will do at least someonline shopping, while 49% will do half or more of their shopping online. Equal shares of respondents(9%) expect to do either all or none of their back-to-school shopping online. Similar shares of Gen Z and millennial respondents (49%) and Gen X and older respondents (48%) saythey will do half or more of their back-to-school shopping online, but the younger generations are a bitmore likely (26%) than older generations (21%) to say they will do most or