Dive Brief:
- As back-to-school shopping kicks off, Walmart is selling “thousands” of back-to-school items for less than $10, the retail giant announced last week. That includes pens, backpacks and lunchboxes, the retailer said.
- Walmart is again offering its Classroom Registry tool on its website and mobile app to help teachers make a list of class supplies, buy items from the list and share the list with others. Shoppers can purchase items from teachers’ registries by searching on Walmart for teachers’ last names and states, the press release said.
- The retailer also introduced a “one-click food basket” this year, which advertises two weeks of lunches for about $2 per day. The offering, which is available through Sept. 15, includes ingredients for PB&Js, as well as juice, snacks and other affordable items.
Dive Insight:
With its back-to-school assortment, Walmart is looking to be a one-stop shop for back-to-school customers, with an emphasis on value items.
In addition to a large $10-and-under assortment, Walmart is offering shoppers seeking affordable tech discounted refurbished technology through its Walmart Restored hub. The company is also offering college students half-price Walmart+ memberships.
“At Walmart, we are proud to offer a back-to-school assortment that will excite our customers – enabling them to find everything on their list at the prices they know they can trust us to deliver,” Julie Barber, executive vice president of general merchandise at Walmart, said in a statement.
The retailer also introduced new inclusive items for shoppers, such as sensory backpacks, and is rolling out Caroline’s Carts, which help caregivers of customers with disabilities shop in stores. At least one cart will be available at all Walmart stores by January 2025.
Walmart is focused on value in a year where “prices are top of mind again,” the retailer noted. And it’s not alone. Dollar General last week touted its own value offering, including more than 100 school supplies items available for $1 or less. J.C. Penney, for its part, advertised thousands of items under $20 and some apparel products under $10. The back-to-school shopping discounts have arrived alongside other summer sales timed to Amazon Prime Day and beyond, including from retailers like Target, Best Buy and Walmart.
As retailers roll out back-to-school deals, customers are starting their school shopping early this year. A recent JLL survey found that some respondents had already begun their back-to-school shopping in June and July. Another report from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics found that more than half of its survey respondents had started their back-to-school shopping already in early July.
