Parents have been warned to avoid getting a head start on back-to-school shopping over the summer holidays. While Brits might think they are helping themselves out by buying school essentials, including uniforms, gadgets, and stationary before September, financial experts say they could actually be falling victim to sneaky surge pricing. Retailers know parents will want to equip their children for the new school year ahead of time, and many hike their prices in response to the demand, eCommerce and finance officials have revealed.
“Most families do their back-to-school shopping in late July and August, but that’s when prices peak,” Marty Bauer, eCommerce expert at Omnisend, says. “Beware the back-to-school surge pricing period. So, if you’ve not started it yet, it may be worth holding back until right at the end of August, or very early September when the discounts kick in.”
Learning materials including pencil cases, notebooks and technology add up to an average of £64.66 for a primary school child and £449.67 for a secondary school child in the UK, according to the Child Poverty Action Group.
“Before hitting the shops, do a full audit of last year’s supplies, sports kits and uniforms,” Scott Gallacher, director of Rowley Turton, urges. “Most families already have 30% to 50% of what they think they need.
“People can also club together with other parents to bulk-buy stationery, socks or lunch gear and split the costs. It’s often cheaper than buying single packs.
“For bigger kids, laptops and tablets from places like Amazon Renewed, Back Market, or Currys Refurbished are up to 40% cheaper and come with warranties. School uniform shops are [also] now available in every UK region, with families saving up to £348 a year.”
Philly Ponniah, financial coach at Philly Financial, also advises parents to shop second-hand for suppplies including uniform and technology.
“Check local parent Facebook or community groups, where you’ll often find barely-used uniform, shoes, even laptops going free,” she says.
“Many schools also run end-of-term uniform swap shops. For basics, head to supermarkets for plain shirts and trousers [and] refurbished tech sites like Back Market offer decent laptops at a fraction of the cost.”
David Belle, founder of Fink Monkey, warns against buying budget-price supplies that may be lacking in quality, however.
“With the cost-of-living crisis ongoing, it can be tempting to resort to buying key school items from sites like Temu,” he says. “In some cases, that can be fine and offer great value, but beware the quality as certain items on the platform, including kids’ clothes, have been in the news recently for not meeting standards – and evening being dangerous.”