Back-to-school shopping isn't over when students walk through the classroom door. With $85 billion in US retail sales expected this year and nearly half of parents planning to buy only essentials upfront before replenishing later, retailers can still capture spending well into the fall semester

"Not every brand is part of a school supply list, not every brand is a must-have, but it doesn't mean that you can't win during the back-to-school season," said our analyst Suzy Davidkhanian on a recent episode of "Reimagining Retail."

Unlike the holiday season with its clear finish line, back-to-school shopping extends across months as families spread purchases, wait for deals, and respond to evolving needs once school actually starts.

The second-wave spending opportunity

The biggest back-to-school revenue may arrive after the first bell. Once students see what their peers are wearing and using, fear of missing out (FOMO) does the selling, and parents field requests for a second round of purchases.

Apparel leads this second wave of spending, according to EMARKETER analysts. 

"You don't really know what people are gonna show up to school wearing, and then once you get there, you're like, 'Oh, that looks really cool. I want that,'" said our analyst Rachel Wolff.

Beauty and personal care follows closely behind, lifted by Gen Alpha's expanded routines and cross-gender adoption of skincare. 

"Kids have their own 10-step beauty routines," said Wolff, adding that social exchange at school drives shelf-building behavior.

Social media amplifies this effect. "Not only are you just seeing what people are wearing at your school, but you're seeing what kids are wearing and using throughout the entire world," said our analyst Arielle Feger.

Three plays for non-traditional back-to-school brands

Brands outside obvious school categories can still capture seasonal spending through three strategic approaches:

• Own the moment. Higher-price-point brands can create relevance by tying products to specific occasions like picture day, first day of school, or dorm move-in. Whole Foods, for example, ran podcast ads emphasizing how its dye-free deli meats help parents spend less time worrying about ingredients and more time on lunch preparation.
• Win the student. Reaching kids directly through social platforms, creators, and peer influencers gets brands onto shopping lists. Ulta's partnership with PacSun, available on TikTok Shop in addition to stores and online, exemplifies meeting students where discovery happens.
• Borrow an audience. Partnerships with retailers or campus pop-ups extend reach. "I would really double down on my retailer partnerships, particularly with a CVS, with a Walgreens, and create those school survival kits," Feger said, describing bundled first-aid and wellness products that make one-stop shopping easier.

Tactical adjustments for in-season success

With most tax-free weekends already passed and school calendars varying by region, retailers can still optimize performance through several tactical shifts:

Simplify promotional strategy. After Prime Day and ongoing discount fatigue, streamlined value messaging resonates more than complex BOGO structures. "Having a simplified promotional strategy instead of having all of these different tactics and all these different BOGOs and discounts and coupons" helps cut through noise, Wolff said.

Bundles still work, especially across age groups: nearly half of respondents shop for two children, often in different grade levels, according to Optimove.

Maintain in-store merchandising. Despite Amazon and Walmart's dominance in one-stop shopping, physical retailers can still win with hero displays and complete-the-list merchandising. "In store is really still very powerful," Feger said. "To be able to just make it easy, where you can just check a whole thing off your list of 'Okay, we got it all.'"

Double down on college spending. Dorm-ready messaging and campus pop-ups capture faster-growing college spending versus K-12. "Getting your dorm room ready has become such a big part of the college experience," Wolff said, noting the opportunity to build long-term brand loyalty with students forming purchasing preferences.

Court hyper-value seekers. The most deal-driven parents are also the biggest spenders: 31% qualify as hyper-value seekers who use four or more money-saving tactics, and they plan to spend 14% more than other shoppers, according to Deloitte. Tax-free holidays and aggressive value messaging are what bring them in.

"The closer that you get to the actual start of the school year, the less organized parents get," Wolff said.

Two moves can pay off right away.

Run campaigns on on-demand delivery platforms such as Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber. "If you're really crunched for time, if you don't have the bandwidth to run to the store, then these platforms are there for you," Wolff said, noting 30-minute delivery windows serve time-pressed families.

Increase presence on Reddit for product comparison moments. "Reddit has been a really valuable tool for consumers who are comparing products, researching products," Feger said, identifying opportunities to influence consideration even for high-awareness brands.

Listen to the full episode.