Survey: Nearly 70% of back-to-school shoppers expect to pay more this year

Back-to-school shoppers are stressed out about potentially spending more on supplies this year.

That’s according to a new survey from LendingTree, which found that nearly three-in-four shoppers say they’re stressed over how they’ll afford school supplies. Of the 41% of Americans planning to go back-to-school shopping this year, 68% of them are expecting to spend more than last year.

Among shoppers, 31% say they’re unable to afford school supplies this year, up from 26% in 2023. Among Gen Z shoppers ages 18-to-27, the percentage is even higher (38%). Two-in-five shoppers (40%) expect to go into debt over back-to-school shopping, at an average cost of $793.

While online purchases are the preference for 23% of shoppers, more (39%) favor the “old-school” method of in-store shopping for their back-to-school needs. The remaining (38%) will use a mix of online and in-person shopping. Men have a higher preference to shop online than women (29% versus 18%), while more women than men plan to hit store aisles in person (44% versus 34%).

Nearly a third (31%) of back-to-school shoppers say they have already checked off the items on their lists. Gen Zers lead the way (38%), compared to just 20% of Gen Xers ages 44-to-59 who say they’re finished. LendingTree found that millennials ages 28-to-43 seem to have the longest shopping lists, leading the way in nearly all major shopping categories (except textbooks, for which Gen Z edges them out), as they are the generation most likely to have younger, grade school-age kids with specific school supply lists, and who outgrow their clothes and shoes each year.