by Melanie Frank | July 15, 2025
Back-to-school (BTS) is one of the most significant shopping seasons of the year, second only to the winter holidays. For retailers, it’s not just about backpacks and binders; it’s about strategic planning, optimized assortments, and agility in a shifting consumer landscape.
According to a new study, 2025 BTS spending is expected to increase by 17% over last year, with total sales reaching US$41.8 billion. Surveys also show that nearly threequarters of U.S. families expect to spend the same or more than last year. While this forecast brings optimism, it also introduces heightened competition since consumers are increasingly value-driven and channel-agnostic, seeking frictionless, omnichannel experiences.
If you’re a retailer who feels like your back-to-school strategy isn’t fully dialed in, or if early sell-throughs aren’t aligning with projections, it’s not too late to pivot. If you have the right retail technology, you can still adjust assortments, improve inventory flow, and deliver the seamless experience today’s parents and students demand.
🧠 Data-Driven Planning: Your Secret Weapon
In unpredictable times, the retailers that succeed are those that are data-driven and agile. Jesta’s Vision Retail Management Suite (RMS) consists of a Merchandising ERP with a centralized master data foundation, which empowers teams with real-time inventory visibility, and powerful forecasting tools to that enable you to adjust course mid-season based on what’s actually selling and where.- AI-powered allocation enables precise stock distribution based on localized demand and customer personas
- What-if analysis lets planners run scenario-based planning to see the potential impact of new vendors, promotions, or markdowns
- Replenishment automation ensures stores are restocked based on actual performance, not guesswork, reducing stockouts or excess inventory
🛒 Unified Commerce Is Now Non-Negotiable
Today’s BTS shoppers jump across channels from mobile to desktop to in-store. According to PwC, nearly 20% of parents began shopping in June, up from 11% last year. They’re also using AI tools (like deal-finding bots) to help with decision-making. . Controlling a unified shopping experience is no longer optional, it’s essential. Jesta’s unified OMNI Store platform synchronizes eCommerce, Point of Sale, and Order Management by breaking down operational and data silos. That means:- Store associates have access to real-time product availability across all locations
- Online orders can be fulfilled from optimal sites, and be split or rerouted, if necessary
- Customer Service Representatives have complete visibility of omnichannel orders, and the power to take custom orders, potentially transforming CSRs into additional sellers
- Pricing, loyalty and gift card data is consistent across all channels
📦 Warehouse Agility = Fast & Accurate Fulfillment
Back-to-School success hinges on precision, not just in your assortment, but how quickly and accurately you move inventory to meet demand. Jesta’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) gives retailers the agility to fulfill BTS demand with real-time visibility and mobile capabilities.- Accelerate fulfillment with optimized pick-pack-ship workflows using mobile devices
- Expand assortment reach via drop-shipping for trending items
- Obtain real-time inventory visibility of in-transit and on-hand levels across your organization
📊 Leverage This Year’s Insights for 2026 Success
Even if your 2025 BTS strategy is already in motion, capturing insights now will give you a head start for next year, turning real-time learnings into future success. Jesta’s advanced Analytics (powered by Snowflake and Tableau) deliver actionable, AI-driven dashboards with insights on omnichannel sales, customer behavior, and inventory. Retailers gain granular visibility into:- Channel performance to compare traffic, conversions, and sales across eCommerce and in-store
- SKU intelligence to identify top performers (what exceeded forecasts and why) versus products needing markdowns or promotions
- Pricing and margin impact to track how promotional strategies affected velocity and profitability
- Regional and demographic trends to spot shifts in back-to-school shopping behavior by location or customer segment
📌 Takeaways: What Retailers Should Do Now
Even if your back-to-school campaign is already in motion, here’s what you can still do to maximize the moment and prepare for 2026:- Review sell-through data in real time: Identify outperformers and underperformers quickly. Adjust replenishment and marketing accordingly.
- Enable store teams with mobile tools: Empower store associates to meet customers where they are, and warehouse staff to pick, pack and ship with complete flexibility.
- Streamline fulfillment workflows: Re-route and split online orders based on warehouse and store inventory to reduce delivery delays.
- Capture shopper insights: Track digital behavior, promotion response, and in-store engagement to inform future strategy.
- Assess your tech gaps: If you’re relying on siloed systems, consider how a unified platform like Jesta’s RMS can change the game.
📚 Back to School, Forward With Tech
Industry data shows that retailers leveraging data-driven insights, consistently outperform competitors to meet shopper expectations, boost conversions, and build loyalty that lasts long after the school bell rings. Remember, the more intel you gather now is the investment that pays off next season, setting you up to enter back-to-school 2026 with a competitive edge. Another big key? Technology that evolves with them, not rigid, one-size-fits-all systems. With Jesta’s modular, composable architecture, retailers can adopt solutions in phases, prioritizing what delivers immediate ROI. Ready to learn how Jesta’s Retail Management Suite can future-proof your back-to-school strategy? Contact us to schedule a personalized demo today.Common Questions
How can retailers improve back-to-school performance if the season is already underway?
You can still pivot by using real-time sell-through and inventory visibility to identify what’s outperforming (and what’s lagging), then adjust replenishment, promotions, and fulfillment routing mid-season. The key is having systems that let you react quickly—without waiting on manual reports or disconnected tools.
What data should retailers monitor most closely during BTS to make fast decisions?
Focus on:
Sell-through by SKU, store, and channel
On-hand + in-transit inventory (to prevent stockouts and overstock)
Conversion and cart abandonment (especially during promo windows)
Markdown and margin impact (velocity vs. profitability)
These signals help you shift inventory and marketing toward what’s actually moving.
Why is unified commerce critical for back-to-school shoppers?
BTS shoppers bounce between mobile, desktop, and in-store, expecting consistent pricing, inventory accuracy, loyalty, and easy fulfillment options. A unified setup connects eCommerce, POS, and Order Management, so customers get a seamless experience—and teams can fulfill orders from the best location, split orders when needed, and avoid “out of stock” surprises.
How can retailers use BTS 2025 insights to win BTS 2026?
Capture performance insights now—what sold, where, and why—then use analytics to guide assortment planning, allocation rules, promo strategy, and forecasting for next year. Turning this season’s real behavior into next season’s plan is how retailers enter BTS 2026 with a measurable advantage.
