Companies and Brands

Back-to-School Electronics Sales Are Up $800 Million Over Last Year

Colman Andrews

Published: July 22, 2019 11:23 am

Last Updated: January 6, 2020 3:09 am

Is there anything more less enthusiastic — especially if you’re a schoolkid — than walking into the local Staples on the first day of summer and seeing that array of backpacks and school supplies staring you in the face?

But back-to-school shopping is a fact of life, and whether or not parents are making their purchases in June, some 60% of American shoppers are said to begin begin the process four to six weeks before school begins, with late July and early August being peak buying time.

That’s according to the 2019 Back-to-School survey just published by Deloitte, the financial auditing and consulting firm.

The survey also reports that spending for school supplies is expected to remain relatively flat since last year, experiencing only a 1.8% increase, from $510 per student to $519. However, spending on electronic gadgets — including smartphones, tablets, and such wearables as smartwatches and fitness trackers — is projected to grow by an astonishing $800 million over 2018, a 29% increase.

Sales of computers and other hardware, though, will be down by $600 million, a 16% decline since last year. In a few years they may make the list of modern inventions we no longer use. 

Overall spending on school-related purchases should reach $27.8 billion in the U.S. That’s to outfit about 54 million students from 29 million households.

Parents who think they’re spending too much money to equip their sons and daughters for grade school or high school should start saving up for college. Deloitte also publishes a Back-to-College survey, which predicts that the average amount spent one supplies and devices for college students will by $1,326 per student. That figure might well go up for those planning to attend pricier institutions, like the most expensive college in every state.