Consumers Add Sales, Brand Switching to Back-to-School Shopping Arsenal
According to the International Council of Shopping Centers’ (ICSC) 2025 Back-to-School Consumer Survey, people are looking for sales and willing to switch brands as they look to stretch budgets this summer. The New York-based organization conducted the survey July 7-9.
Consumers remain price sensitive, with 91% of back-to-school shoppers saying that higher prices will affect their purchasing behaviors this season. Thirty-eight percent of survey respondents said that they would buy items on sale, while 29% said that they would buy from cheaper brands, 29% would comparison shop, 29%, and 28% would reuse supplies.
Yet 79% of consumers said that they expected to increase spending compared to 2024, with some attributing the increase to higher prices (37%) and stocking up on supplies for the year (34%).
Physical stores are where 59% of consumers expect to purchase most of their back-to-school items, up from 54% in 2024. Just 17% plan to shop fully online, according to ICSC. Discount stores remain the most popular retail type for 62% of back-to-school shoppers, followed by Amazon (57%) and dollar/variety stores (42%).
The 48% of U.S. adults who intend to make back-to-school purchases in 2025 is consistent with years past, but 56% of survey respondents expressed concern about being able to afford the supplies they typically purchase, because of price increases from tariffs.
Nine in 10 back-to-school shoppers said that promotions influence their purchases throughout the back-to-school season, with 46% saying that they plan their shopping around specific promotional events such as Target Circle Week, Amazon Prime Day and Walmart Deals, as well as Labor Day sales.
Two-thirds of respondents said that they were more likely to shop during the four-day Prime Day sale this year, because the deals were available for a longer period.
A separate ICSC survey examining the role of these retailer-driven promotional holidays found that nearly all consumers – 91% – rely on promotional events for back-to-school shopping, ICSC reported.
Fifty-five percent of shoppers who responded to the survey had started or completed their back-to-school shopping, a seven-percentage point increase from 2024.
However, the largest portion of back-to-school spending – 39% – will occur in August, although that month will likely see less spending this year than in previous years as consumers shift their spending to earlier in the season.
