Every year, as the spring season comes into being and the monsoon clouds gradually roll in, families across India prepare for a familiar ritual – going back to school. While it marks the end of the holidays for children, it also is the beginning of a new academic chapter for them.
For parents though, this period is “checklist time”: uniforms, books, back to school supplies, shoes, stationery, school backpacks, tiffin boxes, water bottles, and sometimes even digital gadgets. But, for retailers and brands, this is not just another shopping season, it is a massive opportunity.
The back-to-school season is one of the most critical periods on the retail calendar, with an estimated market size of around Rs. 60,000 crore, and over 40% of that related to school consumption.
Intrigued about the hows and whys? Let’s take a closer look.
One of the biggest advantages of the back-to-school season is that it’s predictable (and its recurrent), meaning that irrespective of changing seasons, this is never going to go out of need.
Unlike the staple festivals, whose dates and occurrence depend on multiple factors, including the cosmic involvement, back-to-school season is usually in June or July, depending on the extent of the summer vacation in the schools. So, with the predictability in mind, it provides retailers and brands enough time to plan ahead for a massive boost in their sales.
From school backpacks to pencils, notebooks to lunch boxes, the demand is concentrated, urgent, and often non-negotiable for parents. Think of these items as “necessities” and not mere “luxury.” That alone makes it a goldmine for brands.
The best part? It isn’t a one-time event. Children grow, their needs evolve, which means repeat purchases every year.
Recent reports from Grand View Research depicts that the “back to school” Indian market is expected to grow by 6.7% from 2025 to 2030, indicating massive growth opportunities for retailers, distributors and brands.
More than a transactional experience, shopping for back to school supplies is usually an emotional experience; a fresh start, if you will. Every parent wants to give their child the best tools to succeed - the most durable bag, the sharpest pencils, the cutest lunchbox.
Beyond the sense of responsibility in the parents, this particular season is an exciting fresh start for the children, who want to start their next term in school with something new. As a retailer or brand, you can tap into this emotional sentiment and form a deeper connection with the customers.
In short, when done right, these back to school campaigns can go beyond simple product purchases. They become a reward experience for the families, making this a part of their annual ritual.
One of the biggest reasons why going back to school season is revolutionary for retailers is because of the high “cross-selling” potential. During this period, major e-commerce platforms experience 2x growth in sales across categories like school bags, books, and stationery, etc., paving the way to both cross and upselling opportunities.
For example, a parent that was initially browsing for a backpack might cross the stationary section and find pens, pencils, crayons, files, sippers, etc., that will add to their child’s school experience and end up purchasing them all. How you deploy in-store branding and POS materials is what makes all the difference in the revenue you generate.
A smart thing to do would be to curate combo offers or bundle products - like a “School Starter Kit” or “Exam Essentials Pack” – further increasing the basket value and driving more sales.
Notebooks and pencils are, without a doubt, the heart of back-to-school shopping but the retail scope runs much deeper than that in the present day.
With more and more schools leveraging digitised learning experience, parents are also focusing on buying digital gadgets like tablets, Wi-Fi routers, headphones, software subscriptions, etc., for their children, as part of their back-to-school shopping checklist.
Beyond the digital aspects, you have fashion. Indian schools are primarily uniform-based, so besides a set of new uniform, the focus is also on buying new shoes, socks, hair bands, raincoats, etc. Lastly, the scare of a pandemic has also paved the way for inclusion of certain hygiene products like hand sanitizers, wet wipes, and masks as part of the shopping checklist for parents.
In short, the back-to-school season not only impacts and uplifts the stationery industry only. In fact, it impacts a wide spectrum of industries, giving brands and retailers multiple reasons to “show up.”
If you take the “retail execution” point of view into consideration, the back-to-school season is a high-stakes moment.
To excel in sales and revenue, you need to have your in-store presence sharp — planograms, point-of-sale materials, shelf displays, and promotional stands must be eye-catching and strategically placed.
This is where Channelplay’s expertise in retail execution comes into the picture. With trained field teams, merchandising solutions, and loyalty program deployment, Channelplay ensures that brands not only reach shelves on time but also win the shopper’s attention in the crowded market.
Visibility, after all, can be the difference between staying in the cart or getting overlooked.
Last but not the least in this discussion is to never miss out on an opportunity as a retailer, whether its online or offline.
With working parents and time crunch, online shopping has gained a lot of precedence during the back-to-school season in present. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that people also like exploring and buying the necessities offline, directly from the stores.
So, as a retail brand, you need to tap into the power of both and create an omnichannel shopping experience for your customers.
For example, a parent might browse for backpacks online, but buy it from a nearby store after the child tries it on. Or vice versa. The trick is to be present everywhere — and to create a seamless, convenient journey.
Back-to-School is not just a “mere season” anymore. Instead, it is a retail moment that combines urgency, emotion, and opportunity. With millions of Indian parents actively looking to buy new school supplies for their child’s new school term, as a brand and retailer, this is the time to be visible, accessible, and emotionally resonant.
To be able to execute that, you need smart planning, flawless execution, and the right partners. With a strong retail and distribution solution partner like Channelplay, you can turn this season into not just a spike in sales, but a foundation for long-term growth and loyalty.
