Of the $32.5 billion that US parents will spend on back-to-school purchases this year, $2.9 billion will go toward pandemic-related items, such as hand sanitizer and furniture for learning spaces at home. These products, along with the collective tech category, will see about a 40% spending increase, while expenditures on clothing and accessories will decline for the second year in a row.

While the category is highly discretionary, it’s not being hit as hard as others like apparel because many consumers are making purchases for their home offices to accommodate working from home as well as investing in home entertainment. With the back-to-school season likely to involve more distance learning, there’s potential for a surge in tablets and lower-priced PCs to bolster the category in H2.