JLL’s 2025 Back-to-School survey of 1,010 parents reveals a 17.3% increase in planned spending this year, with families shifting toward in-store shopping while adopting earlier purchasing patterns and showing heightened price sensitivity.
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The survey further highlights that while cross-channel shopping continues to dominate consumer behavior, more than 90% of parents will interact with brick-and-mortar retail experiences, indicating a significant shift from delivery services to in-store shopping. Additionally, more than 56% of parents are concerned about back-to-school products being available when they shop. The largest portion of parents are shopping earlier, with 45% starting before June—a 12-percentage-point increase from 2024—due to inventory shortage concerns. July is the next most popular month.
“Physical stores continue to play a crucial role in back-to-school shopping, with a majority of consumers planning in-store visits while starting their shopping earlier than ever,” said Naveen Jaggi, President of Retail Advisory Services, JLL. “With July emerging as the second biggest shopping period behind the holiday shopping season and parents expressing inventory concerns, retailers offering competitive pricing and robust selection are positioned for a particularly strong July as families complete their back-to-school purchases.”
Shopping at physical stores gain prominence
Nearly one-third of parents will shop across three or more channels, showing multi-channel strategies remain essential, but fewer families are choosing delivery options than in past years. Malls and open-air shopping centers are experiencing increased popularity, with most parents (46.6%) planning to visit 2-3 retailers to complete their shopping.
“While omni-channel shopping habits will continue to be the way of the future, we are seeing more often that parents in the Phoenix MSA want to purchase stocked supplies in real time and include their children in that shopping and selection experience. Both trends are reflected in the strong performance within the local retail sector. While convenience and value remain priorities for most shoppers, the experience of in-store shopping continues to have merit,” said Regan Amato, Managing Director and Arizona Retail Brokerage Lead at JLL. “Metro Phoenix has a wide variety of both mall and power-center destinations that allow consumers to visit multiple retailers in the same trip. This adds a level of convenience and provides variety for the consumer, which ultimately bodes well for the continued success of Valley retailers serving the back-to-school shopper.”
Parents pick mass merchandisers to save money
Mass merchandisers like Walmart, Amazon and Target remain parents’ top choices, with 70% of shopping decisions driven by cost-saving opportunities. These retailers attract parents seeking both budget relief and one-stop shopping convenience, with 11.3% planning to shop exclusively at mass merchandisers—significantly higher than any other store category. This shift reflects how inflation concerns are driving families toward retailers that offer both affordable prices and extensive merchandise selection. “Parents are increasing their per-child spending from $329 to $386 this school year, but they’re strategically directing those dollars toward mass merchandisers offering both value and selection,” said Keisha Virtue, Manager of Retail Research at JLL. “With inflation concerns driving 70% of shopping decisions, parents are maximizing their budgets by focusing on retailers that deliver both necessities and cost-saving opportunities.”
In Phoenix, JLL is a market leader employing more than 600 of the region’s most recognized industry experts offering office, industrial, retail, healthcare and data center brokerage, tenant representation, facility and investment management, capital markets, multifamily investments and development services, and related services within the real estate leasing, investment and management process. In 2024, the Phoenix team completed almost 50.5 million square feet in lease and sale transactions, with a total transaction volume of more than $2.8 billion. It managed almost 18 million square feet of space and directed 36 projects through Project and Development Services.
