Back-to-School isn’t just for notebooks and backpacks anymore. This growing “marketing holiday”, driven by national retailer promotions, digital ad spikes, and consumer urgency, has become a goldmine for all retail brands, whether you’re selling dorm furniture, skincare, broadband, or even snack subscriptions.
But it’s not without challenge. The space is crowded, and everyone is chasing the same attention span. Amazon, Walmart, and Target will flood inboxes and social feeds with deeply discounted offers and promises of fast shipping. If you’re a mid-market brand without those resources, how do you compete?
You don’t. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
OK so you don’t just join them, you join and outsmart them. Instead of battling for clicks or lowering your margins, your smartest move is to use omnichannel strategies that include direct mail to engage with consumers before, during, and after the retail rush.
In this post, we’ll break down how to ride the retail wave without getting lost in the increased digital congestion. You’ll learn what events are driving the season, when to act, and how to launch a campaign that breaks through the digital overload.
Why Back-to-School 2025 Is a Must-Own Marketing Moment
Back-to-School (BTS) has become the second-biggest consumer spending event of the year, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, with over $135 billion projected across K–12 and college households1. And while school supplies are still core, consumers now use this window to refresh wardrobes, upgrade electronics, try new routines, and even experiment with brands they haven’t purchased from before.
That means BTS shopping now includes:
- Apparel and personal care
- Tech (laptops, routers, smart home)
- Food and subscription boxes
- Household and dorm essentials
- Financial services and telco
- Ecommerce and DTC brands
The mindset shift is key: BTS shoppers aren’t just parents, they’re multi-segment buyers with cross-category needs, high intent, and a short decision window.
Key Retail Events Fueling Back-to-School Buying Behavior
To better understand how to outsmart the competition, you need to know who’s doing what, and when.
For starters, Amazon recently announced that its annual Amazon Prime Day will take place from July 8 to 11 this year, extending the event from its usual two days to four days. This event is no longer limited to just Amazon, with a myriad of retailers jumping on board. In 2024, non-Amazon retailers saw a 73% increase in transactions during Prime Day week. And 2025 will be no different:
- Target Circle Week, July 6–12: Target’s BTS push is not only getting a one-day jump on Amazon, but also offering savings up to 50% on family-friendly essentials, including fashion, tech, music, supplies, and even food. It generates early buzz and conditions shoppers to look for deals.
- Walmart Deals, July 8–11: Walmart’s answer to Prime Day emphasizes value and convenience. Shoppers use it to buy tech and practical home items, key areas for high-margin brands.
- Other Rolling Sales: Retailers like Best Buy, Kohl’s, and Old Navy roll out promotions throughout July and August, targeting tech, fashion, and home goods. These layered waves make BTS a month-long marketing moment, not a single-day event.
Consumers are already searching, clicking, and comparing, so why not take advantage of their eagerness to make a purchase or two – or three, or four, or five?
Five Strategies to Win Back-to-School – Without Joining the Race to the Bottom
1. Start Early and Educate, Don’t Just Sell
Parents start planning as early as mid-June. But most brand campaigns don’t show up until July. That’s your window.
Instead of waiting, launch teaser content like:
- Direct mail checklists or mini-guides (“3 Essentials for the Perfect BTS Fit”)
- Social countdowns to early access deals
- Email campaigns that invite shoppers to build a personalized bundle
Early engagement builds momentum and primes your audience before the major sales even begin.
2. Align With Intent to Show Up Where Your Audience Is Looking
Your consumers aren’t just browsing, they’re actively searching for help. Use behavioral and psychographic data to craft offers that reflect their current priorities:
- Saving time
- Staying organized
- Budgeting for multiple kids
- “Leveling up” from middle school to high school or high school to college
Personalization isn’t just about names, it’s about relevance. Use third-party data and lookalike models to segment by:
- Life stage (new mover vs. college-bound senior)
- Past back-to-school purchase behavior
- Purchase triggers (e.g., geofenced retail visits, seasonal search queries)
3. Ride the Retailer Traffic Wave with Omnichannel Activation
You don’t need to run your own sale to benefit from Prime Days or Target Circle Week.
Think of these events as traffic drivers, then place your brand in the middle of the road.
- Use paid social and display ads to retarget consumers already searching for BTS deals
- Launch direct mail just before retailer sale weeks to capture early attention
- Match creative to event timelines (“Before Prime Day Ends…” or “While Walmart’s Deals Last…”)
- Feature easy-to-digest bundles, gift-with-purchase offers, or free shipping codes
In 2024, brands that activated during Prime Week, even without discounts, still experienced a significant increase in orders, with sales jumping more than 116% during prime days.
4. Stand Out with Tangible, Trusted, and Trackable Direct Mail
During Prime Day week, digital ad costs spike and email inboxes overflow. That’s exactly when physical mail shines.
Mail drives:
- 70% higher brand recall vs. digital alone
- 58% higher trust perception, especially with Gen X and Millennial buyers
- Higher engagement among households with children and college students
Format ideas that work:
- Postcards with QR codes linking to BTS bundles or school-themed offers
- Mini-catalogs featuring BTS footwear inspiration, morning routines, or gear roundups
- Dimensional kits: Think “Dorm Move-In Survival Pack” or “Parent Peace-of-Mind Box”
With the right format, you create a moment, not just a message.
5. Follow Up Fast: From First-Time Buyer to Repeat Customer
Back-to-School brings in new customers. But without a follow-up strategy, most of them won’t return.
Here’s how to turn a BTS buyer into a Q4 revenue driver:
- Send a post-purchase thank-you mailer with an incentive for Labor Day or Halloween
- Create a drip email journey that introduces your brand beyond the school season
- Use retargeting to promote complementary products or subscription upgrades
- Tap sg360°’s Audience Insights to determine additional follow-up offers
Even a simple “What’s Next After BTS?” guide can nudge shoppers into repeat purchase behavior, especially if it shows them you understand their needs beyond the season.
Final Takeaway: Make the Mailbox Your Competitive Advantage
You don’t have to offer deeper discounts than Amazon. You just have to use a better strategy than they do.
This season don’t chase clicks. Meet shoppers before the scroll, deliver meaningful offers through the mail, and build cross-channel journeys that convert and continue.
Join in on the Back-to-School retail wave. And turn a seasonal shopper into a loyal customer.
Ready to Make this Strategy Work for Your Brand?
When it’s time to find a highly-responsive audience that’s primed and ready for your products, and reach that audience with the personalized messaging that’s most likely to make them convert, sg360°’s Audience Insights is exactly what you need!
Request a Free Consultation now, or take a look at what Audience Insights can do for you.
References
1 capitaloneshopping.com/research/back-to-school-shopping-statistics/
2 https://acadia.io/amazon-prime-day-2024-the-results/
