It’s not even officially summer yet, and Retail Brew reports that back-to-school shopping is already underway. The site talked to Kassi Socha, a director analyst at Gartner, who says several mass retailers started the back-to-school selling season on Memorial Day weekend, and “It wasn’t just a clearance. Retailers are preparing earlier than they have in past seasons for back-to-school.”
Wayfair, another major retailer, reported it expects back-to-school traffic to start building this month.
Many retailers stocked up early to avoid the here-today-gone-tomorrow (oh look, they’re back again) tariff assessments. Consumers, too, were looking to buy before prices skyrocketed. But it’s hard to know when prices will rise. My mother was planning to buy her soon-to-be 4-year-old great-grandson an Etch A Sketch, but saw on the local news that the price increased $12 in the space of a week. She now wants to stock up on birthday gifts for all her great-grandkids. She, like many Americans, is a panicked consumer.
Winston Ibrahim, the founder and CEO of Hydros, imports his pitchers and bottles from China. He told Retail Brew he expects the back-to-school season will be “very value-focused. “We think consumers are really going to concentrate where they can get the most value.” He’s launching several new “more stripped down” and lower-priced products later this year.”
Retailers have to confront the tariff crisis head-on and find solutions as soon as possible. You can read more about how some small business owners are dealing with tariffs and get some expert advice. For his part, Ibrahim plans to focus on selling his best-selling, most popular products.
The back-to-school shopping season is usually a boon for retailers, ranking second only to the holiday sales season. But Retail Brew cites a report from eMarketer showing a back-to-school sales slowdown for the second consecutive year.
If your retail business imports goods from China, you know that cargo shipments between China and the U.S. have “plummeted by up to 60%,” according to Bloomberg. Gartner’s Socha told Retail Brew that retailers “should be prepared to adapt. Over the last few years, we’ve seen holiday move to fall, and now we’ll see fall move to summer.”
Socha adds that consumers (like my mom) are “looking for the best price at the best time, in an earlier time frame.”
As the back-to-school and holiday season is starting earlier this year, savvy retailers should act now to meet shifting consumer habits. Launching “Back-to-School Lite” promotions, targeting college-bound students with dorm essentials, and syncing offers with local school calendars can help capture early shoppers. Emphasizing convenience—like online ordering with in-store pickup or curated bundles—resonates with time-strapped families. Don’t overlook teachers; early incentives and appreciation campaigns can drive loyalty and word-of-mouth. By staying proactive and customer-focused, retailers can turn this early season into a strong sales opportunity.
Follow-up: I’m going to post this every week until the situation is resolved, because I’m still “mad as hell.” And I’m still asking you to #StandWithSCORE.
SCORE is too valuable to be cut from the federal budget. The budget is in the hands of the Senate right now, so please contact your senators ASAP. You can get in touch often.
Tell them to stop talking about how “important small businesses are to our national economy” and do something about saving an organization that helps millions of small business owners every year.
If you think it’s not worth funding an organization that helps fuel the nation’s economy by guiding people through starting and growing a small business, you’re wrong. Small businesses create jobs, which in turn provide people with income that they spend in their communities. It’s the way you grow the economy—from the ground up.
Or just fill out this form (it takes less than 2 minutes), which will be sent to your congressional representative’s offices. And message Congress on social media. Tell them to save the people who save small businesses. Include @scorementors in your post. And the hashtag #StandwithSCORE.
Rieva Lesonsky is President of Small Business Currents, LLC, a content company focusing on small businesses and entrepreneurship. While you can still find her on Twitter @Rieva, you can also reach her @Rieva.bsky.social and LinkedIn. Or email her at Rieva@SmallBusinessCurrents.com.
Photo courtesy Natalia Blauth for Unsplash+
