Consumer Behavior

Why back-to-school shopping is all about value

Rising costs, economic uncertainty and ongoing inflation are causing shoppers to rethink where they spend, what they buy and which brands earn their business.

Photo: Adobe Stock

September 11, 2026 by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

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Back-to-school shoppers, expecting to spend more this year than last, are all about value and less about loyalty. A good number, 77.9%, began shopping earlier due to fear of price increases and view inflation as their biggest budget challenge.

There is no debate — back-to-school shoppers face economic challenges, given survey data from the Snipp report: "Back-to-School 2026 Survey: Value Wins as Shoppers Prioritize Savings Over Brand Loyalty." The Snipp survey polled 1,000 U.S. parents and students.

Rising costs, economic uncertainty and ongoing inflation are causing shoppers to rethink where they spend, what they buy and which brands earn their business.

Consumer behavior this school shopping season also illustrates that back-to-school shoppers are putting value first and foremost, said Chris Cubba, chief revenue officer at Snipp. Cubba has more than 20 years of experience developing loyalty and promotional programs for brands, including Purina, Starbucks and Hershey.

Rising costs a factor

Nearly three-quarters (74.8%) of those polled expect back-to-school spending to increase compared to last year — with 33.9% expecting to spend significantly more.

More than half (52.6%) are either extremely or very concerned about the cost of back-to-school shopping, while another 29.2% report being somewhat concerned.

The survey revealed several economic pressures:

75.7% cited inflation and rising prices.
58% cited grocery costs.
54.1% cited fuel and transportation costs.
81.8% express a level of concern about back-to-school costs.
65.7% expect to become more price sensitive next year.

The findings, Cubba said, underscore consumer sentiment that they're still willing to be loyal, but only to brands that prove their worth at every purchase.

"Brands need to build value into core offerings, not just through occasional promotions, but by consistently delivering clear, tangible benefits such as competitive pricing, quality, convenience, or meaningful rewards," he said in an email interview.

"Loyalty programs should also be viewed as more than retention tools. They should be designed to actively attract new customers with compelling incentives that influence purchase decisions. The goal is no longer just to reward past behavior, but to influence the next purchase."

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Big shopping willingness in play

While consumers are being challenged, their intent to spend isn't. Rather, consumers are looking for ways to stretch budgets further and are actively changing how they shop, according to the Snipp report.

More than four in 10 are shopping at discount retailers (41.8%), purchasing lower-cost brands (40.1%) and comparing prices more carefully (38.8%).

Others are shopping earlier, waiting for promotions, reusing items from previous years, or delaying purchases altogether. A good majority, 74%, are putting more effort into finding deals, discounts, cashback offers, promotions and rewards than they did last year.

Brand preference still matters, but value is increasingly determining final purchase decisions.

Value beating loyalty

One of the top study findings focuses on the relationship between loyalty and value.

More than seven in 10 respondents (71.3%) view back-to-school shopping as more about finding value than remaining loyal to specific brands or retailers and 80.6% would be likely to switch from a preferred brand if a competitor offered a meaningful discount, cashback offer or rebate.

Consumers are not necessarily abandoning their favorite brands. Instead, they are becoming increasingly willing to reconsider those preferences when presented with a compelling value proposition.

"The survey shows that economic pressures are fundamentally changing shopping behaviors," Cubba said.

Retailers striving to remain competition in the back-to-school season need to follow a specific strategy, he said, as they can't compete on prices alone.

"Retailers need to lead with clear, immediate value by prioritizing visible discounts, cashback offers, and bundles that directly address rising price sensitivity," said Cubba. "They need to reinforce the value they provide through product quality, convenience, and a seamless shipping experience across digital and in-store channels. In a season where consumers are carefully evaluating every purchase, the retailers that make value visible and easy to access will have the greatest opportunity to earn shoppers' business."

About Judy Mottl

Judy Mottl is the editor of RetailCustomerExperience.com and DigitalSignageToday.com at Connect Media. She is an award-winning editor, reporter and blogger who has worked for top media for nearly four decades, including AOL, InformationWeek and Internet News, as well as for leading technology providers including HP. She’s written everything from breaking news to in-depth industry trends and reported on technology long before the internet arrived, including the debut of the first smartphone. When she's not sharing insights on digital signage deployments and trends in retail customer experience she's on the beach or watching the latest live murder trial.

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