Elevate’s New Back-to-School Data Reveals Families Shop the Same From Kindergarten to High School

Insights reveal stable retail loyalty, high digital shopping trends, and wide-open influencer opportunities heading into back-to-school season

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As back-to-school season nears, Elevate--a global, integrated agency network--has leveraged its proprietary EPIC platform to uncover a surprising truth for retail marketing: parents don’t change how they shop as their kids get older. Whether they’re buying crayons for a kindergartner or calculators for a high schooler, families are staying loyal to the same retailers and are overwhelmingly motivated by value.

“Back-to-school season is one of the most competitive times, but many retailers are still segmenting audiences in ways that don’t reflect how today’s families shop.” 

Jim Caruso

Chief Innovation Officer at Elevate

Elevate analyzed consumer behavior across over 250 million U.S. households of elementary and middle/high school (7 to 18 years) children to uncover insights for brands, retailers and marketers to put into play for their back-to-school campaigns. Here is a link to the full report; key findings include:

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• Walmart’s Universal Appeal: Walmart is the top retailer for both elementary (20.58%) and middle/high school (20.56%) families, showing no drop-off in loyalty as children age.
• Digital-First Behavior: 38% of families shop online for back-to-school, with equal preference across life stages.
• Influencer Gap: Despite strong social media usage, fewer than 1% of families engage with shopping influencers, highlighting an overlooked area for marketing ROI.
• Value Shoppers Reign: More than 70% of families identify as value-driven or coupon-focused shoppers.
• Stable Habits Across Life Stages: Retailer, media, and platform preferences remain strikingly consistent from elementary through high school.

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“Brands, retailers, and marketers need to rethink how they engage the back-to-school shopper this year,” continued Caruso. “That means prioritizing digital-first strategies, creating seamless omnichannel shopping experiences, and tapping into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest where parents are already spending time. Our research also shows that brands that strategically partner with key influencers have the potential to break through this year and lead the back-to-school shopping conversation.”

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For media interviews or for more back-to-school 2025-26 insights, contact press@oneelevate.com. 

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About Elevate:
Elevate is a global, integrated agency network committed to helping properties, brands, and universities forge deeper connections with their audiences to unlock growth. Serving more than 1,000 clients across sports, entertainment, consumer products, retail, and more, Elevate transforms followers into devoted fans. An agency rooted in innovation, Elevate leverages EPIC, its proprietary intelligence platform powered by advanced data and A.I. technology. EPIC integrates tools for consumer insights, ticketing, property analytics, and more, empowering clients to maximize ROI, enhance fan engagement, and craft campaigns that foster lasting loyalty. Founded in 2018, Elevate partners with clients worldwide from offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. For more information, visit www.oneelevate.com.