Back-to-School is a complex shopping journey

Back-to-School shopping no longer happens in a single moment. It's a longer, more fragmented season shaped by different audiences, timelines, and motivations.¹ For brands, that changes how campaigns should be planned and activated.

Many Back-to-School strategies still focus on a single shopper and a single peak shopping window. But today's reality is more complex. Demand unfolds across multiple customer groups and timelines, creating a season that stretches well beyond the traditional August rush.¹

Last year, Walmart ranked #1 in omnichannel unit market share across categories including Food², Personal Care², Televisions³, Bedding & Bath³, and Stationery³ during the Back-to-School season. Our first-party data revealed three important shifts in shopping behavior that brands should understand.

There is no single Back-to-School customer

Many advertisers still plan around a single audience: the Back-to-School parent. But the season is driven by multiple audiences, each with different priorities.¹

K–12 parents focus on affordability and preparedness. College parents often make larger purchases tied to move-in season. College students shop with their own budgets, preferences, and sense of urgency. Teachers — one of the season's most overlooked audiences — often begin researching and planning long before traditional Back-to-School campaigns launch.¹

Each audience responds to different messaging and prioritizes different categories. Sponsored Search helps brands stay visible when shoppers are actively researching school supplies, dorm essentials, and other high-intent purchases, while Onsite Display can reinforce consideration earlier in the planning journey when customers are still exploring options.

Reaching them effectively requires more than a one-size-fits-all strategy. Messaging, timing, and media activation should reflect how each group shops and what matters most to them.

The traditional peak is less defined

The traditional August-heavy media flight no longer reflects how the season unfolds.

Demand now builds in waves. College customers often begin purchasing before July. K–12 parents accelerate spending throughout the summer and finish closer to the first day of school. Students are more likely to make last-minute purchases, while teachers often plan months in advance.¹

The result is a season with multiple peaks rather than one concentrated shopping moment.

For advertisers, that means shifting from a "peak moment" mindset to a more phased approach that activates earlier and stays present throughout the season. Search can capture demand as shoppers move from research to purchase, while Offsite media channels like CTV and Social can help brands maintain visibility earlier in the season as customers build shopping lists, compare products, and plan larger purchases.

Brands that do this can engage audiences when intent is highest, not just when the calendar says it's Back-to-School week.¹

Value means more than price

Affordability remains important, but it's only part of the equation.While 65% of surveyed Back-to-School customers say they would switch retailers for better affordability¹, 62% of parents say their child's preferences influence them to spend more regardless of income.⁴

Customers are balancing budgets with confidence, self-expression, and the desire to help their children feel prepared. Brands that focus only on discounts risk oversimplifying what motivates purchase decisions during the season.The brands that resonate will be the ones that communicate value in its fullest sense.

What this means for your brand

Winning Back-to-School today requires a broader view of the season.

Brands that tailor messaging to different audiences, activate earlier, and maintain a presence across the full shopping journey will be better positioned to capture demand as it emerges.

Understanding how customers move across categories, channels, and moments can help brands identify where demand is emerging and how priorities evolve throughout the season. With first-party data, closed-loop measurement, and omnichannel retail media solutions, Walmart Connect helps advertisers make more informed decisions throughout the season.

Back-to-School isn't one shopping moment anymore. It's a series of shopping journeys — and the brands that plan accordingly will be best positioned to win.

Sources: ¹Walmart First Party Data (reflecting June 28–September 6, 2025) and Walmart Back-to-School Lookback Survey provided by WMC Media Insights Survey Team in December 2025. ²NielsenIQ Panel On Demand Omnishopper | US Exp Osh Walmart RDH Omnishopper; Latest 12 Weeks ending 9/6/25.³Circana Checkout, reflecting Jun- Aug 2025. ⁴Deloitte Insights Back-to-School Consumer Survey, 2025. No endorsement of third-party data sources.