The first day of classes for New York City Public School children is Thursday, Sept. 5, leaving some Queens parents with under a week to do any last-minute back-to-school shopping.
Experts from the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, say that some parents typically begin back-to-school shopping in July, while others wait for better deals closer to the start of the school year.
“The back-to-school and college season is an important time for retailers and consumers,” said NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen. “Families and students are eager to get a jumpstart on their shopping for the start of the school year.”
Recent data from the Retail Federation reveals that in the last month, 86% of shoppers nationwide still need to purchase at least half of their school supplies. The top reasons for this delay are split between waiting for the best deals (45%) and uncertainty about what items they still need (45%).
QNS surveyed 40 participating Queens parents through a Google form earlier this month to gather last-minute back-to-school shopping tips, taking into account the national trends.
The survey asked parents about their preferred stores for purchasing school supplies, where they would recommend others shop and which places to avoid.
The majority of parents of children entering 3K, Kindergarten and 1st-8th grade chose Walmart as the top retailer for school supplies.
In the survey, parents explained that Walmart provided an affordable and wide selection of products for children to choose from. Parents of 1st-5th graders particularly preferred Walmart over Amazon when picking up school supplies.
A Walmart spokesperson said the news comes as no surprise, as the company shares that shoppers have always relied on the retailer for back-to-school.
“Walmart has always been a top back-to-school shopping destination, offering Queens families a best-in-class product assortment and a full suite of convenient shopping options. Walmart makes back-to-school shopping how it should be – fast, easy and fun,” a Walmart spokesperson said. “We’ve been working hard to keep prices low so parents don’t have to compromise on getting everything they need and everything they want when they shop at Walmart.”
Additionally, surveyed participants listed Staples, Target and Dollar Tree as retailers to avoid back-to-school shopping. Parents focused more on the quality of products from the other locations rather than their monetary value.
However, most parents advised against avoiding any of the retailers listed in the survey, which included Target, Staples, Walmart, Dollar Tree, Michaels, Amazon and Five Below. Many emphasized the importance of convenience over pricing and encouraged others to shop around for the best deals.
The range of the total cost of school supplies for families this year also fits that of the national average shared by the NRF.
Queens parents said they spend anywhere from $50-$1,000 on school supplies during back-to-school season, with an average of about $500 for 6th-8th graders.
Nationally, NRF data reveals that parents of children from elementary through high school spend an average of $874.68 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics.
Furthermore, the national retail data indicates half of shoppers preferred to go online for their back-to-school needs, while 50% would rather shop at department stores.
Overall, the key takeaways from the Queens parent survey are:
- Buy what you need for the beginning of school, then wait a week after school starts for special clearance deals.
- Let your child pick out their backpacks to avoid any discomfort coming back to school.
- Learn the school’s curriculum requirements and hear teachers’ suggestions to avoid buying unnecessary supplies.
- Keep purchases close to your schools’ provided supply list to help remain focused and avoid unnecessary purchases.
- Do not buy everything all at once if you can.
- Consider quality and quantity over price point if it means school supplies last longer throughout the school year.
- Make your own list with your child to get them involved in the process.
- Avoid buying textbooks/exercise books in advance and wait until teachers clarify what is needed.
