NRF’s latest data on consumers' shopping and spending plans for the upcoming 2023 back-to-school season.

1. Back-to-Class 2023
KATHERINE CULLEN
VICE PRESIDENT
INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER INSIGHTS
NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION

2. Expected back-to-school and college spending
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
$29.5B $27.5B $26.2B $33.9B $37.1B $36.9B $41.5B
$688 $685 $697
$789
$849 $864
$890
2017 2018 2019 2022 2021 2022 2023
Total expected spending Expected spending per household
$54.1B $55.3B $54.5B $67.7B $71.0B $73.9B $94.0B
$970 $942 $977
$1,059
$1,200 $1,199
$1,367
2017 2018 2019 2022 2021 2022 2023
Total expected spending Expected spending per household
Back-to-School Back-to-College

3. Top back-to-school and college categories by spending
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
$203
$240
$136
$293
$264
$168
$326
$257
$167
Electronics Clothing & accessories Shoes
2019 2022 2023
$235
$120
$149
$300
$170 $168
$337
$191
$182
Electronics Dorm & apartment
furnishings
Clothing & accessories
2019 2022 2023
Back-to-School Back-to-College

4. Top back-to-school and college categories by popularity
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
90%
92%
54%
94% 95%
69%
Shoes Clothing & accessories Electronics
2019 2023
78%
51%
53%
86%
61%
68%
Clothing & accessories Dorm & apartment
furnishings
Electronics
2019 2023
Back-to-School Back-to-College

5. Drivers of back-to-college spending
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
32%
42%
28%
20%
22%
15%
26%
43%
32% 32%
25%
18%
16% 16%
I need more new
items this year
Prices are higher this
year
In need of more big-
ticket items
There are more
required items on my
school lists
I am shopping for
more people
More items needed
for school activities
and sports
I don't expect the
deals to be as good
this year
2022 2023

6. Electronics are a back-to-class essential
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
21%
15%
12%
11%
10%
10%
7%
6%
5%
3%
Back-to-School
Laptop
Tablet
Calculator
Electronics accessories
Speakers/headphones
Smartphone/cell phone
Printer
Home/desktop computer
Smartwatch/activity tracker
TV
23%
12%
10%
10%
10%
9%
9%
7%
5%
5%
Back-to-College
56%
69%
Plan to Buy 2013 vs.
2023
2023 2013
52%
68%
Plan to Buy 2013 vs.
2023
2023 2013

7. Where back-to-class shoppers are in the season
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
44%
52% 51%
56% 56%
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Percent who had started back-to-school and college
shopping by early July
• 13% had received their school lists
• 41% expected to receive their
school lists by the end of July

8. Prime Day back-to-class shopping
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
59%
49%
62%
66%
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
*N/A Prime
Day was
pushed back
due to
pandemic
Percent who are planning to use Amazon’s Prime
Day to shop for back-to-school/back-to-college items
• 66% plan to shop Prime Day exclusively for
deals
• 31% plan to shop other online deals
during Prime Day
• 22% plan to shop in-store deals at other
retailers on Prime Day

9. Higher prices and back-to-class shopping
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
67%
have seen higher
prices on back-to-
class items
23%
58%
59%
67%
77%
Furniture
Electronics
Shoes
School supplies
Clothing & accessories
Where back-to-class shoppers have noticed higher prices

10. How the state of the economy is impacting back-to-school purchases
28%
30%
24%
20% 20%
18%
13%
43%
42%
35%
31%
24% 24% 24%
45% 45%
39%
34%
27%
25%
21%
More comparative
shopping online
Shopping more sales Buying more store
brand/generic products
More comparative
shopping with ad
circulars/newspapers
Using coupons more Spending less overall Making do with last
year's items
2019 2022 2023
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics

11. How the state of the economy is impacting back-to-college purchases
28%
27%
19% 20%
18% 18% 17%
15%
37% 37%
32% 31%
26%
23% 22%
21%
37% 38%
33%
27%
24%
22%
28%
22%
Shopping more sales More comparative
shopping online
Buying more store
brand/generic
products
More comparative
shopping with ad
circulars/newspapers
Spending less overall Using coupons more Shopping more
online
Making do with last
year's items
2019 2022 2023
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics

12. Discount store shoppers since 2008
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
73%
75%
71%
68%
67%
67%
64%
62%
60%
54%
52%
50%
36%
44%
40%
45%
52%
53%
54%
54%
52%
48%
51%
48%
44%
40%
35%
36%
30%
30%
29%
33%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Back-to-School
Back-to-College

13. Thank You
Stay informed: To keep up to date on the latest back-to-class insights and
trends, visit nrf.com/backtoschool.

14. Appendix

15. Top back-to-school and college categories by popularity
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
90%
92%
54%
90%
93%
63%
91%
92%
65%
91%
93%
65%
94%
95%
69%
Shoes
Clothing & accessories
Electronics
2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
78%
51%
53%
77%
51%
60%
82%
55%
63%
81%
57%
63%
86%
61%
68%
Clothing & accessories
Dorm & apartment furnishings
Electronics
2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
Back-to-School Back-to-College

16. How shoppers are covering the cost of back-to-school and college
this year
Source: NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics
13%
13%
19%
22%
39%
Borrowing money or going into debt
Taking out additional credit cards
Using buy now, pay later
Working overtime or taking on
additional hours
Cutting back in other areas
40%
38%
<$50K $50K+
Percent who are cutting back in other areas
by income