Back to School FY26

Class is back in session at Walmart!

Check off those lists and help shoppers fill their backpacks this Back-to-School season with our A+ blend of awareness and precision your brand needs to stand out.

Walmart Connect has the right mix of capabilities and the omnichannel presence to help brands connect meaningfully with shoppers during this key moment. Let’s get studying as we share our insights and best practices for the start of the school year.

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Walmart is the #1 omnichannel retailer for BTS!³

Walmart is the ultimate one-stop destination for back-to-school shopping, helping shoppers check everything off their lists. As we prepare for a high-volume season, let's explore some of the key trends expected to shape back-to-school shopping.

What can we expect to see for Back to School?¹

$ B

in anticipated revenue in CA

Where do Canadians plan to shop this season?²

plan to head in-store and online for discounts

Is Back to School a growth opportunity for brands?³

CAGR in projected revenue from 2025 to 2030

¹ Canada Back To School Market Size & Outlook, 2024-2030. Grand View Research, 2024
²Back-to-School 2024: More Expensive than ever? Abacus Data, August 2024
³ Household Penetration Nielsen/Q Homescan, 2024

Canadians choose Walmart for Back-to-School shopping

Mindful spending is the key to success

Over 7 in 10 Canadians planned to take advantage of in-store or online discounts, promotions, and sales to keep expenses in check.⁴

Canadians have come to enjoy the everyday low prices they expect from Walmart, thanks to price matching and rollbacks.

Rising costs challenge brand loyalty

Over 6 in 10 shoppers said they’d buy a different brand if their preferred brand was too expensive.⁴

Over 90% of searches in key Back-to-School categories are generic, giving advertisers the opportunity to defend or grow their brand.⁶

Convenience is king

7 in 10 shoppers said that convenient locations, returns, and delivery are the top drivers for choosing where to shop.⁵

Walmart offers over 400 store locations so they can shop whenever or wherever they choose. Walmart Canada’s Delivery Pass offers customers access to unlimited, free same-day delivery on thousands of items for less than $2 per week! ⁶

⁴ Back-to-School 2024: More expensive than ever? Abacus Data, August 2024
⁵ 2024 Deloitte Back-to-School Survey. Deloitte, May 2024
⁶ Walmart 1P data from Jun. 2024 to Sep. 2024

Canadians choose Walmart for Back-to-School shopping

In 2024, 92% of Canadian parents planned to go Back-to-School shopping.⁷ Over 9 in 10 respondents planned to do their Back-to-School shopping in-store at Walmart - the highest of all retailers.⁸ Essential categories like Grocery and Apparel continue to see high demand during the Back-to-School season.

FY25 Top Back to School Category Sales in-store and online at Walmart⁹

⁷ Harris Poll / Nerdwallet Canada, 2024
⁸ Back to School Report, Field Agent Canada, 2024
⁹ Walmart 1P Data Jun – Sep 2024

Personalized Messaging based on Intent

The majority of Back-to-School searches at Walmart are unbranded and in categories such as Accessories, Apparel, Grocery, and Stationery. Shoppers in these categories are highly influenced by price and deals, rather than just brand names. However, almost half of the Back-to-School searches for electronics and beauty are brand-focused. Consumer messaging for this category should highlight the value proposition, key brand features and competitive advantage.¹⁰

Back-to-School shoppers research and purchase in waves

Depending on what they need and how they want to buy it, Back-to School shoppers go to Walmart to research and shop throughout the summer.

Search volume jumps in July and remains steady through to the end of summer for categories like Apparel, Beauty, Electronics, and Grocery. The Accessories and Stationery categories see steady increases in search before peaking in late August and early September, as last-minute shoppers are purchasing school essentials.

While in-store shoppers tend to do their Back-to-School shopping at the end of the summer, online shoppers start as early as July. Apparel and Stationery saw significant YoY sales growth around Walmart Deals in 2024.

Month of peak YoY sales growth in 2024 for key categories¹¹