Results from the QNS Back to School Parent Shopping Advice Survey, shared online via social media, show parents are shopping at certain retailers over others.
Photo by Anthony Medina
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The first day of class for New York City public school students is Thursday, September 5, and some Queens parents are hoping to get their back-to-school shopping done within the week.
Experts at the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade group, say some parents are starting their back-to-school shopping in July, while others are waiting for deals to appear as the school year draws closer.
“Back-to-school and college enrollment season is a critical time for retailers and consumers,” said Katherine Cullen, NRF’s vice president of industry and consumer insights. “Families and students are looking to get an early start on their back-to-school shopping.”
The latest data from the Retail Association reveals that 86% of shoppers nationwide still need to buy at least half of their school supplies last month, with the main reasons for this delay split between waiting for the best deal (45%) and not knowing what items they need yet (45%).
QNS surveyed 40 Queens parents via Google Forms earlier this month to gather last-minute back-to-school shopping tips, taking national trends into account.
The survey asked parents about their preferred stores for buying school supplies, stores they would recommend to others, and stores they should avoid.
The majority of parents of children entering 3K, kindergarten and grades 1-8 chose Walmart as their top retailer for school supplies.
In the survey, parents said Walmart offers a wide range of affordable products for their children to choose from, and parents of children in grades 1-5 were especially likely to prefer Walmart over Amazon for buying school supplies.
A Walmart spokesman said the news was not a surprise because the company said shoppers have always relied on it for their back-to-school shopping.
“Walmart offers Queens families a best-in-class product assortment and a full set of convenient shopping options, making it consistently a top destination for back-to-school shopping. Walmart is here to help make back-to-school shopping fast, easy and fun,” a Walmart spokesperson said. “We’ve worked hard to keep our prices low so parents don’t have to compromise to get everything they need and want when they shop at Walmart.”
Additionally, survey participants named Staples, Target and Dollar Tree as retailers to avoid for back-to-school shopping, with parents prioritizing quality over value for money at other stores.
But most parents advised not to avoid the retailers named in the survey, which included Target, Staples, Walmart, Dollar Tree, Michaels, Amazon and Five Below, and many stressed the importance of convenience over price, encouraging parents to shop around for the best deal.
The range of total costs for school supplies for families this year also lines up with the national average range published by NRF.
Parents in Queens said they spend anywhere from $50 to $1,000 on school supplies during back-to-school season, with the average being about $500 for sixth through eighth graders.
Nationwide, parents with children in elementary through high school spend an average of $874.68 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics, according to NRF data.
Additionally, national retail data shows that half of shoppers prefer to purchase back-to-school necessities online, while 50% prefer to shop at department stores.
Overall, here are the main takeaways from the Queens parent survey:
Buy what you need before school starts and wait a week after school starts to see special sales. Let your child choose their backpack to avoid unpleasant surprises when they return to school. Learn the school curriculum requirements and listen to teachers’ advice to avoid buying unnecessary items. Buying something close to the school’s list of supplies will help you stay focused and avoid unnecessary purchases. If possible, don’t buy everything at once. If school supplies will last the whole school year, consider quality and quantity over price. Make your own list with your child and involve them in the process. Avoid buying textbooks and workbooks in advance and wait until the teacher clarifies what they need.
