When did it become a fad to promote back to school early?

[DodgerGirl]

I have never figured out every year why Back To School started getting early promotion beginning in June and continuing till September? Is this due to the fact that the stores can have good deals on school supplies and the stores can sell a lot of items such as clothing and backpacks? Because it shocks me that Summer Vacation has just begun and kids are out of school in June and already Back To School sales already hit stores. I mean can't kids just enjoy summer vacation and focus on school in September? It used to be that you would begin seeing back to school sales in August and the stores would have clothing sales during back to school and stores like Office Depot and Staples would have huge sales on school supplies like notebooks pencils and even laptop computers for college and high school students. Even supermarkets such as Safeway have deals on back to school by having snack sales on food such as chips cookies and even string cheese sticks and yogurts for school for school lunches and it tells me that next to 4th Of July Memorial Day and Halloween and Christmas Back To School has turned itself into a holiday for stores today
Has anyone noticed this and why do they start promoting it early?

 

[HappyGal]

Here in Georgia, we went back to school 2 weeks ago.

 

[HeatherC]

Nothing new really. They do this with every holiday as well. There is already Halloween merchandise on every store shelf. I hate that they do this because by the time the season or holiday rolls around there is literally no supplies or merchandise left. I don’t want to think about Halloween in late July or August.

 

[NYCgrrl]

No, it’s so parents can participate in archaic ritual dancing that will puzzle future archaeologists…

 

[TippyThomas]

The schools around me are already in session so early is the new norm.

 

[DanceDisney23]

Because all promotions start early now. I saw pumpkin spice coffee on the shelf last month, and the first Halloween candy has just appeared. Next month, we will probably start getting reminded that Christmas will be here soon.

 

[Meriweather]

There's a section in most stores around here that is for holidays and special things like back to school and as soon as one is over, the next one up moves into that space.

 

[cvjw]

In Georgia, our local schools started 2 weeks ago. And I am already drinking pumpkin spice creamer in my coffee

 

[Squishypig]

There's a section in most stores around here that is for holidays and special things like back to school and as soon as one is over, the next one up moves into that space.

Yep, there has been a holiday retail schedule for as long as I can remember. Regardless of when school starts in my area, back to school has always been put out after July 4th. When back to school is done, fall/Halloween goes up, then the Christmas flip happens after Halloween. Valentine's after Christmas. Easter after Valentine's. Summer after Easter. July 4th. And we are back to back to school. Hobby Lobby has put out Christmas in June for years.

While I get the sentiment that people don't want to see anything until the season arrives, it is immensely helpful to those of us who have to plan around events and/or need to make things prior to the season. I am currently carving foam pumpkins in August because I want to do a new porch display for Halloween and that takes time. I have Christmas crafts/projects planned so I will be starting those when the pumpkins are done.

Funny that people on a website for a place where you need to decide when and where to eat and what rides you will do six months ahead of time don't get that.

 

[DanceDisney23]

Funny that people on a website for a place where you need to decide when and where to eat and what rides you will do six months ahead of time don't get that.

Getting something and liking it are two different things. Even Disney has gotten away from the six month ahead dining reservations, likely because of customer feedback. With multipass, they didn’t go back to the 60 day schedule but rather a week.

I also sincerely doubt that people who like to do time consuming crafts were the primary motivation for retailers to display seasonal items early. How many of you are there, realistically? And why aren’t just arts and crafts items out early?

 

[dez1978]

I have never figured out every year why Back To School started getting early promotion beginning in June and continuing till September? Is this due to the fact that the stores can have good deals on school supplies and the stores can sell a lot of items such as clothing and backpacks? Because it shocks me that Summer Vacation has just begun and kids are out of school in June and already Back To School sales already hit stores. I mean can't kids just enjoy summer vacation and focus on school in September? It used to be that you would begin seeing back to school sales in August and the stores would have clothing sales during back to school and stores like Office Depot and Staples would have huge sales on school supplies like notebooks pencils and even laptop computers for college and high school students. Even supermarkets such as Safeway have deals on back to school by having snack sales on food such as chips cookies and even string cheese sticks and yogurts for school for school lunches and it tells me that next to 4th Of July Memorial Day and Halloween and Christmas Back To School has turned itself into a holiday for stores today
Has anyone noticed this and why do they start promoting it early?

What?? We got out of school the 3rd week of May and go back next week. Even in the 90s we went back to school in August sometime. When are the supposed to have back to school sales?

 

[ddluvsdisney]

In Georgia, our local schools started 2 weeks ago. And I am already drinking pumpkin spice creamer in my coffee

I love that you are already drinking pumpkin spice! I’m a teacher in MA so I’m just curious when do kids get out beginning of May?

 

[Earningmywings]

Kids started back August 1st for us. They get a week off every six weeks so shorter summer, but more breaks. I love their schedule like this. We get to take a September WDW trip every year with low crowds and no missed school.

 

[tvguy]

It wouldn't be there if people weren't buying it then.

 

[Squishypig]

Getting something and liking it are two different things. Even Disney has gotten away from the six month ahead dining reservations, likely because of customer feedback. With multipass, they didn’t go back to the 60 day schedule but rather a week.

I also sincerely doubt that people who like to do time consuming crafts were the primary motivation for retailers to display seasonal items early. How many of you are there, realistically? And why aren’t just arts and crafts items out

The primary motivation for retailers is to sell product, not to create a holiday experience at the appropriate time. Just like Disney I'm sure they got customer feedback that leads them to putting out product when they do. If it was not selling at that time, they would not put it out at that time.

And I would bet that there are more crafters and early planners than you realize and they spend WAY more than those who shop in the season.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Kids started back August 1st for us. They get a week off every six weeks so shorter summer, but more breaks. I love their schedule like this. We get to take a September WDW trip every year with low crowds and no missed school.

So when do they get out for summer vacay?

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

You have to understand that not every school system is out in June and back in September.
Many are out in may and back in the end of July or early August.
I've never seen a back to school promo in June. They started in mid July from what I saw this year and every other year in the past.
Our school system is out late June and back September after Labor Day so I've always found mid July to be nuts but I get that theses are nationwide promos as some kids are getting ready to go back to school within a couple of weeks of these promos.

 

[DanceDisney23]

The primary motivation for retailers is to sell product, not to create a holiday experience at the appropriate time. Just like Disney I'm sure they got customer feedback that leads them to putting out product when they do. If it was not selling at that time, they would not put it out at that time.

And I would bet that there are more crafters and early planners than you realize and they spend WAY more than those who shop in the season.

Oh I’m sure there are plenty of people buying the stuff early. I know people who start counting down to Christmas at Easter. But i don’t think it’s because “it takes time to make things” as you suggested.

 

[Babs Johnson]

The school year here ends about June 20, and one supermarket started putting a small selection of notebooks and other supplies in the seasonal section just about that time, as they consolidated the summer items into a smaller footprint. But they usually don’t go hog wild with back-to-school until mid August.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

My boys’ first day was July 31st.