Whether you're a small business targeting parents of kindergartners or teens moving into a college dorm in the fall, here's the marketing low-down on back-to-school promotions.

A strong season is being predicted for retailers this year, with sales as good as, if not better than, last year's.

"Nearly 3 in 4 back-to-school shoppers expect to spend the same or more on back-to-school shopping this fall," reports a 2025 survey by the global professional services firm PwC. 

More than 1 in 3 parents told the survey they anticipate spending more than they did in 2024.

"Parents are showing determination to maintain — or even increase their education-related shopping," PwC says. "This spending resilience suggests that retailers who manage inventory effectively and communicate value clearly will likely outperform during this important retail season."

Here are four retail marketing tips on how to attract back-to-school shoppers online and in-store and drive sales at your small business.

Start early. 

This advice rings familiar to every retailer. But it can't go without saying because it certainly applies to this year's back-to-school season.

Small businesses that want to market products or services to parents and college-age students can't afford to wait until late summer to start promoting sales to these potential customers. Kick off the season as soon as possible so you can draw in the get-it-done shoppers and the price-conscious parents looking for deals like right now.

While most back-to-school shopping typically occurs in late July and August, that's changed in recent years with some consumers starting as early as June, reports the National Retail Federation.

This year, 26 percent of back-to-school and college shoppers had already started browsing and buying items by early June, up from 22 percent last year and compared with 17 percent in 2019, says Katherine Cullen, vice president of Industry & Consumer Insights at NRF.

Create and promote discounts and deals.  

Shoppers are looking to save this year, so line up your promotions and spread the word about the deals your small business is offering.

"Prioritizing discounts (only buying items on sale) and shopping early are parents' most common methods to save on back-to-school shopping," the PwC says in a post about its survey results.  "Value-conscious purchasing and reusing items are also popular."

Among those who have already started shopping for back-to-school, three-quarters (74%) say they are shopping earlier this year specifically because they are worried prices will go up later, according to Cullen in the NRF article.

Be online and searchable. 

Retailers that have physical stores understand the importance of having an online presence too. This means making online marketing a priority, including social media promotions, and searchability. 

Most consumers indicate they shop a mix of online and in-store. However, the PwC survey shows that Millennial (71%) and Gen X parents (73%) are more online-oriented for back-to-school shopping. That compares to the 57 percent of Gen Z shoppers and 54 percent of Boomers who told the survey they favor online shopping. 

Further, 30 percent of Boomers and 27 percent of Gen Z parents said they'd shop in stores only, according to PwC's survey of nearly 2,000 parents in May.

"Defying assumptions about digital-native habits, Gen Z parents are more likely than Millennials or Gen X to shop exclusively in-store," says a PwC post about the survey. "This is a trend previous PwC surveys have explored, suggesting that Gen Z shoppers may be driving a brick-and-mortar renaissance rooted in tactile experience and brand engagement.

As it does in shopping year-round, AI searchability should play into your marketing efforts for back-to-school sales.

According to the PwC survey, 1 in 5 consumers plan to use AI tools to find online deals. That statistic, the company says, points to a shift that often speaks to rising comfort with AI among mainstream consumers. 

"This helps create a growing imperative for retailers to enhance their digital channels and search visibility for AI-powered discovery."

Think creatively on your promotions. 

Depending on your product and services, consider creating promotions that can attract a group of customers to your small business beyond those shopping for traditional back-to-school items.

For example, consider specials for teachers only and other school staff, or create "celebratory" bundles for parents of younger kids who welcome the return to school routine.

Looking for other ways to boost your back-to-school sales? Here are more ideas on back-to-school promotions for small businesses.