JLL’s 2025 Back-to-School survey of 1,010 parents found a 17.3 percent increase in planned spending this year, with respondents shifting toward in-store shopping while adopting earlier purchasing patterns and becoming more sensitive to higher prices.
The survey further highlights that while cross-channel shopping continues to dominate the behavior of parents who participated in the survey, over 90 percent plan to shop at brick-and-mortar retail stores, indicating a significant shift away from online shopping. Additionally, over 56 percent of respondents expressed concern about the availability of back-to-school products when shopping. The largest number of respondents plan to shop earlier, with 45 percent starting before June, a 12-percentage-point increase from 2024, due to concerns about inventory shortages. Respondents noted that July is the next most popular month.
“Physical stores continue to play a crucial role in back-to-school shopping, with a majority of consumers planning in-store visits while starting their shopping earlier than ever,” said Naveen Jaggi, president of Retail Advisory Services, JLL. “With July emerging as the second biggest shopping period behind the holiday shopping season and parents expressing inventory concerns, retailers offering competitive pricing and robust selection are positioned for a particularly strong July as families complete their back-to-school purchases.”
Shopping Brick-and-Mortar Gains in Popularity
Nearly one-third of respondents in JLL’s 2025 Back-to-School survey will shop across three or more channels, indicating that multi-channel continues to be essential; however, fewer plan to choose delivery options than in previous years. Most respondents (46.6 percent) plan to visit two to three retailers to complete their shopping, with malls and open-air shopping centers experiencing an increase in popularity.
“The continued strength of mall and open-air shopping center traffic reflects parents’ desire for efficiency and value this season,” said Kristin Mueller, president of Retail Property Management at JLL. “With nearly half of parents planning to visit multiple retailers in a single location, shopping centers are perfectly positioned to deliver the variety, experience and cost-saving opportunities families are seeking during this high-traffic back-to-school season.”
Mass Merchants Popular Shopping Option for Cost Savings
Walmart, Amazon, and Target remain top picks among survey respondents, with 70 percent of shopping decisions driven by cost-saving opportunities and one-stop shopping convenience. Additionally, 11.3 percent plan to shop exclusively at mass merchants, a significantly higher percentage than for any other store category. According to JLL, this shift reflects how inflation concerns are driving families toward retailers that offer both affordable prices and extensive merchandise selection.
“Parents are increasing their per-child spending from $329 to $386 this school year, but they’re strategically directing those dollars toward mass merchandisers offering both value and selection,” said Keisha Virtue, manager of Retail Research at JLL. “With inflation concerns driving 70 percent of shopping decisions, parents are maximizing their budgets by focusing on retailers that deliver both necessities and cost-saving opportunities.”
JLL, also known as Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc., is a global commercial real estate and investment management company that reports annual revenue of $23.4 billion and operates in over 80 countries worldwide.
Image courtesy Target “Back-to-School For Less”
