Back‑to‑school is the second‑largest retail season after the winter holidays, with U.S. families projected to spend nearly $39 billion on K‑12 supplies and $87 billion on college‑related items in 2024. Leveraging modern POS tools—for inventory management, dynamic pricing, real‑time analytics, and customer engagement—lets brick‑and‑mortar retailers turn this surge into profit while avoiding stockouts, overstocks, and long checkout lines.
Back‑to‑school spending in 2024 is expected to reach $38.8 billion for K‑12—second only to last year’s record—and $86.6 billion for college, making it a must‑win season for retailers. Families plan to spend an average of $875 per K‑12 child and $1,365 per college student. Even Deloitte finds lower‑income households trimming budgets to $586 per child, underscoring value‑seeking behavior.
‑ Conduct SKU‑level analysis to know which items carry the highest margin and risk; this lets you prioritize restocking high‑impact products first.
‑ Set reorder points in your POS so that when stock falls below threshold, new purchase orders generate automatically. This prevents costly stockouts during peak demand.
‑ Use POS analytics to adjust prices in real time based on sales velocity, competitor pricing, and remaining days before school starts.
‑ Create “school packs” (e.g., backpack + notebooks + pens) and let the POS apply bundle discounts automatically at checkout, boosting average transaction value.
‑ Launch targeted, time‑limited promos for loyalty members who shop early. NRF data shows 55% of shoppers start buying by early July—capture them before competitors do.
‑ Deploy POS‑enabled tablets or kiosks to reduce lines. A Wharton study notes self‑checkout tech alleviates staffing pressure and speeds throughput.
‑ Offer contactless, buy‑now‑pay‑later, and mobile wallet options. Parents increasingly favor “buy now, pay later” for big BTS purchases.
‑ Configure POS to recognize back‑to‑school SKUs and direct them to express lanes—ideal for parents grabbing last‑minute supplies.
‑ Monitor live sales data to spot surging SKUs and markdown slow‑moving items before they tie up capital.
‑ Use historical POS data plus external indicators (weather, local school calendars) to forecast demand. HBR highlights that modern forecasting tools help SMEs navigate uncertainty without overinvesting.
‑ Align staffing with forecasted foot traffic. Placer.ai footfall analysis suggests even modest traffic bumps (+2–5%) during BTS can strain under‑staffed stores.
‑ Integrate loyalty into your POS so points automatically accrue, and trigger personalized offers (e.g., “10% off notebooks after 3 purchases”).
‑ Pull customer segments from POS (e.g., families who bought last year) for tailored back‑to‑school campaigns.
‑ Use POS to track RSVPs for school‑supply fairs or tech demos—driving traffic and building community.
Back‑to‑school success hinges on proactive planning and intelligent use of POS tools. By mastering inventory control, dynamic pricing, streamlined checkouts, real‑time analytics, and targeted engagement, you’ll turn the seasonal surge into sustained growth—and delight busy parents and students in the process.
Ready to empower your store? Start by auditing your POS settings today—and turn back‑to‑school into your biggest season yet!
Lightspeed, “Inventory Visibility: Why It Matters & How to Improve It,” Lightspeed, March 2024. (lightspeedhq.com)