What drives back-to-school shoppers’ purchase choices?

Back-to-school season brings a familiar rush for everything from stationery and clothing to electronics and other classroom essentials. But where shoppers choose to make those purchases — and what influences their purchase decisions?

YouGov Profiles data shows that 27% of U.S. adults are back-to-school shoppers, and for most, the purchase journey spans both digital and physical retail.

Two in five back-to-school shoppers split their purchases evenly between online and in-store (41%). Another 37% lean towards stores, shopping either mostly (26%) or entirely (11%) in-store, while 21% do all or most of their shopping online.

That makes back-to-school an omnichannel occasion. But what actually drives purchasing decisions?

Price and discounts lead back-to-school shopping behavior

Price is the biggest factor dictating purchase behavior among back-to-school shoppers, cited by 74% of them. Quality (65%) and sales or discounts (64%) follow closely behind.

Price matters across shopping styles, but particularly among consumers who do all or most of their shopping in-store – 78% of them cite it, compared with 69% of predominantly online shoppers. Promotions show a similar pattern, influencing 66% of store-oriented shoppers versus 56% of those who lean online.

Location or store accessibility is cited as an influence by 44% of predominantly in-store shoppers, compared with just 26% of those shopping mainly online.

Reviews matter much more to shoppers buying online. Nearly a quarter (24%) of those who shop all or mostly online say user reviews influence which retailer they choose, falling to just 9% among predominantly in-store shoppers.

There are differences elsewhere too. Sustainability has its strongest influence among shoppers who split their purchases evenly between channels (29%), as does trust in the brand or store (45%).

Advertising has more sway among omnichannel back-to-school shoppers

Consumers are relatively cautious about crediting advertising for their back-to-school choices.

Overall, 31% agree that advertisements play a huge role in what they buy, while 41% disagree. But the share agreeing rises to 38% among shoppers who divide their purchases evenly between online and in-store channels. By contrast, just under a quarter of in-store shoppers agree (24%).

Taken together, the findings suggest there is no single back-to-school shopper journey. Priorities shift depending on how people shop, making channel preference an important part of understanding what shapes purchase decisions.

Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for the U.S. is nationally representative of adults aged 18+ and is weighted by age, gender, education, region and race.