back to school shopping

Ann Fisher

Retailers Trying To Lure College Customers Now So They’ll Become Lifelong Shoppers

Often when a shopper is loyal to a brand, product, or company, it’s simply because they have a long history with it. That’s why retailers are trying to hook college-age students now — even before full-time jobs bring them a disposable income — in the hopes that they’ll become lifelong shoppers. [More]

Don

Find Out If Your State Has A Back-To-School Sales Tax Holiday This Month

Earlier today, the calendar flipped from July to August, and kids everywhere groaned with the realization that they will soon have to be going back to school. But the even louder grousing you’re hearing this morning is from parents envisioning their bank accounts being drained by purchases of backpacks, clothes, pencils (do kids even use those anymore?), and those individual packs of tissues that will never be used but you buy anyway. What some of these parents don’t know is that a number of states have sales tax holidays in August — many of them starting today — to ease the burden of back-to-school spending. [More]

In 2010, a Consumerist reader found this back-to-school display at a Staples in June.

National Retail Federation Confirms Existence Of Back-To-School Creep

Last week, we mentioned that even though some schools have just recently finished for the school year, retailers are already beginning their back-to-school promotions. We wondered (and hoped) that this was just an anomaly and that we weren’t seeing evidence of Back-To-School Creep, but people who know a thing or two about the retail business say it’s a growing trend. [More]

For Back-To-School Shopping, Waiting In Line At The Store Might Be Better Than Buying Online

For Back-To-School Shopping, Waiting In Line At The Store Might Be Better Than Buying Online

It’s been a while since any of us here at Consumerist HQ have had to do any sort of back-to-school shopping, but we all remember the crowded stores and awkwardly running into schoolmates while our parents forced us to try on pants that didn’t fit (Okay… maybe that’s just me; stop judging). So it would seem like going online to buy new clothes and supplies would be ideal, but a new study says… maybe not. [More]

Mark Your Calendar For Back-To-School Sales Tax Holidays In
Your State

Mark Your Calendar For Back-To-School Sales Tax Holidays In Your State

While it may be too early for some to be doing your back-to-school shopping, it’s the perfect time to look ahead at upcoming sales tax holidays in various states that are targeted at those looking to stock up before it’s back to drooling on the desk during trigonometry. [More]

Schools Asking Kids To Bring Basic Cleaning Supplies

Schools Asking Kids To Bring Basic Cleaning Supplies

New items on the back-to-school lists this year include cleaning spray, baby wipes, and cotton balls. It’s not for making a diorama or some kind of cheap puppet. Rather, with budgets slashed all over, schools have had to resort to asking the kids to pick up basic cleaning supplies for the school along with their usual TrapperKeepers and notebooks. [More]