According to Capital One Shopping, Americans spent $125.4 billion on back-to-school and college shopping in 2024. This tells you that back-to-school 2025 is going to be big. Parents are starting early. Students shop online more than ever. If your store does not have the right deals, shoppers will buy elsewhere.
Do not make it complicated. A clear plan helps you get noticed, sell more, and keep customers.
You might sell uniforms, supplies, tech, or clothes. These discounts will help customers pick your store first. And today, we will teach you how to make your store stand out.
Keep reading to find out how to ace this global event.
Parents are no longer buying just pens and notebooks. They are getting the whole setup, like desks, headphones, comfy chairs, laptops, and tablets for their kids. Hybrid learning is becoming common nowadays, so all these items matter now for a child’s study space.
Deloitte’s 2025 Back-to-School Survey shows parents plan to spend around $570 per student on essentials. But many moms and dads who are careful with money now are looking for the best value. Suppose a parent buys a backpack, blue-light glasses, and a desk lamp all at once. They will spend more if it feels smart. And that is why you, as a seller, need to be smarter.
More than 75% of families buy school supplies online now. It is easier and faster than going to the store. Deloitte also found that online shoppers spend about $100 more than those who shop only in stores.
Tip: Organize your website with collections for parents, students, and teachers. Offer starter kits, like a “6th Grade Pack” with all essentials included. It makes buying faster and easier.
The National Retail Federation says about 67% of parents started shopping as early as July in 2024, up from 55% in 2023. Shopping early means less chance of sold-out items and avoiding price hikes from inflation or tariffs. Many customers think that they will get what they want if they shop early. And if they wait, some stuff might be gone or cost more. So, start selling those back-to-school items from July.
P.S. If you missed July, then do not worry. Our top 7 discount strategies will still help you win big sales in August. Keep reading to find out how.
We now talk about the 7 best discount strategies to help you win big at this special event. Let us see what they are and how you can use these strategies at your store.
You can start as early as June, with big discounts. Make discount offers smaller as the event gets closer.
Use banners and countdown timers on your site. The timers help shoppers see that their chance is limited.
Example: There are many Shopify stores that ran early deals and grew June sales by 20%, helping spread out orders over the summer.
Parents want to save money and time. You can use bundles to help them achieve that goal. If you can give them what they need in a bundle, then you get yourself some happy customers. And we know that happy customers mean loyal customers.
What you can do is bundle top items like notebooks, pencil cases, water bottles, backpacks, and lunchboxes. Price bundles are cheaper than buying each one separately.
The next tip is to name bundles clearly, like “Elementary Essentials” or “Dorm Must-Haves.”
Use Shopify bundle discount apps like DiscountRay to set up bundles quickly. This way, you do not waste hours on manual work.
Not everyone buys early. Some parents wait until the last week. Flash sales give a big discount but only for a short time. It is a great psychological trick that pushes people to buy at that instant.
Examples:
Countdown timers make these sales feel urgent, pushing shoppers to buy. You can show one on your product page, and customers will be tempted to buy items.
Students and teachers appreciate being recognized. Offer 20% off to students who verify their .edu email, or special codes for teachers. Stores have been seen giving student discounts during college orientation and boosting sales by 35%.
So, make a dedicated webpage for these deals. It shows you value these shoppers.
Parents talk. So, when they tell friends, reward them. It is a great back-to-school trick to get your store recognized. Try something like: “Refer a parent and you both get $15 off your next order.”
Shopify discount codes can track these easily.
You can double sales within two weeks by just using referrals in parent groups.
Add cart reminders like “Save when you refer!” to encourage more sharing.
Therefore, if you make the parents happy, you make their kids, friends, and family happy. And this is how you can earn more customers.
Nobody likes paying for shipping fees. But people often spend more to avoid them.
Offer free shipping on orders over $60 or say, “Add $10 more for free shipping.”
Show a progress bar in the cart telling customers how close they are to free shipping.
This encourages shoppers to add more items.
Do not stop with the first sale. After checkout, offer a discount like: “Use code BTS10 for 10% off your next order, valid until Sept 5.” Send follow-up emails suggesting items shoppers might need. If they bought a backpack, suggest a water bottle. Upsells like this help bring customers back, boosting sales.
We slightly touched on the topic of automation by using Shopify apps. Let us see in more detail how these bulk discount apps can help make your work faster and more organized.
Below is a video clip of how one such app can set up discount offers within a few seconds.
Now you know how to ace back-to-school sales with the best 7 discount strategies. Try each one of them and see which one brings you the most profit. With all the right tips and tools like Shopify discount apps, you can grow your business in no time. Good luck, and check out other blogs here for many more Shopify and eCommerce tips. Finally, do not forget to share this article with others. See you next time!
Most start in June. The busiest times are July and early August.
Use email, SMS, website pop-ups, and social ads. Supply lists help bring in new shoppers. Share customer photos to build trust.
Start early, bundle smart, run flash sales, offer student and teacher discounts, create referral rewards, provide free shipping, and upsell after purchase.
Plan content and promotions in June. Launch early deals in July. Run flash sales and upsells in August.
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