For decades, back-to-school season meant pencils, notebooks, and backpacks. Today, the landscape is far more complex — and far more valuable — for brands.

From electronics to self-care to dorm room essentials, consumers are spending more and broadening the categories they associate with this annual ritual.

At ECRM’s School & Office session in Chicago, Yvonne Buisson of NIQ shared her perspective on how back-to-school shopping is evolving and what it means for emerging CPG brands.

As both a researcher and a parent of three children of varying ages, Buisson offers a unique view into the shifting behaviors driving this market.

Who are today’s back-to-school shoppers?

The back-to-school shopper base is much broader than many realize. While parents make up the majority, there is a significant share of consumers who use the season to stock up for themselves.

“A little more than half of these shoppers are parents that are shopping for kids under 18,” she says. “The remaining 47% are shopping for themselves. And then included in that pool of people would be people that are maybe shopping for other kids, nieces, nephews, grandkids, for example.”

This means that brands need to think beyond the student. Back-to-school promotions attract office workers, young professionals, and extended family members — all of whom see value in deals that go beyond traditional supplies.

How much are back-to-school shoppers spending?

Back-to-school isn’t just a seasonal blip; it’s a substantial investment for households. According to NIQ, spending by households ranges between $200 and $500. That level of spend varies based on household size, student age, and even generation. “Gen X is the biggest spender of that group,” says Buisson. 

For brands, this signals that targeting messaging by demographic — not just by student age — can help capture different segments of the market.

Where are they shopping for back-to-school supplies?

Amazon continues to lead the pack for back-to-school shopping, with Walmart close behind, though other shoppers might seek out other retailers for convenience. “I myself am a Target shopper simply for convenience because it’s closer to my house,” says Buisson.

That focus on convenience highlights an important factor for CPG brands: distribution matters. Consumers want retailers that make it easy to purchase everything in one trip,  whether that trip is physical or digital.

Tech is now a back-to-school essential

The definition of school supplies has expanded dramatically with the rise of technology in classrooms. From headphones and earbuds for elementary students to laptops for high schoolers, electronics are now a core part of the season. Emerging brands providing accessories like cases, chargers, and organizers can find growing opportunities as technology becomes an assumed part of every student’s toolkit.

“My kids started having access to electronics in school at a very young age,” says Buisson. “So coming with that is going to be purchasing accessories like headphones and earbuds. And then as kids get older, like my son, we had to buy him a laptop.”

In-store still matters for back-to-school shopping

Despite e-commerce growth, brick-and-mortar remains a critical part of the back-to-school experience. “In-store is still a prevalent place for shoppers to do their back-to-school shopping,” notes Buisson. “I think almost 60% of the purchases are still made in-store, which is great. My kids still want to feel products, they’ll want to choose the color and all that. So I think that a lot of that plays into the in-store shopping.”

Impulse also plays a role. Whether it’s a colorful pencil pack or an eye-catching notebook, shoppers often make unplanned purchases in store. For brands, this means that packaging, color, and shelf presence remain powerful drivers of conversion, even in categories dominated by practical utility.

Beyond school supplies: self care and lifestyle products

Back-to-school shopping has moved far beyond pens and folders. Families are increasingly folding personal care, skincare, and fragrance into their seasonal purchases. “It’s no longer just about pencils and backpacks,” says Buisson. “Now we are seeing that as families are making their back-to-school supplies purchases, we’re also throwing in a lot of personal care items such as skincare and fragrances.”

And as students get older, especially those heading to college, the category expands again. Dorm room essentials such as mini-fridges and shelf organizers are part of the back-to-school basket for these students.

“Our living room is filled with stuff that will go into the dorm,” says Buisson. “All the portable drawers, all the organization methods, extra chargers for the phone, lamps and whatnot. So I can see why Amazon is a big retailer in this space.”

Brands need to evolve as back-to-school households evolve

For Buisson, the most important message for brands is that back-to-school shopping evolves as households evolve. “With back-to-school shopping, the purchases are going to evolve as the households or the age of the households continue to grow,” she says.

This evolution means brands need to think strategically. Today’s parent of a middle-schooler may soon be outfitting a dorm room. A student who once needed crayons will eventually shop for skincare, electronics, and home goods. Aligning product development and marketing with these shifting life stages allows brands to stay relevant year after year.

Watch the full video interview here