EC Wisconsin News

As the back-to-school season approaches in north central Wisconsin, many families are starting their shopping earlier than in previous years. According to an annual survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics, 67% of back-to-school shoppers had already begun purchasing items for the upcoming school year as of early July. This figure is up from 55% last year and represents the highest rate since NRF began tracking early shopping in 2018.

Chris Talton, Vice President of Donated Goods - Retail Operations at Goodwill NCW, commented on this trend: “With rising prices, families can stay on budget for back-to-school spending by shopping at their local Goodwill NCW store. Even better, by doing so, they’re supporting job programs for individuals in our community who have a goal of learning new skills themselves. It really is a win-win for everybody.”

The survey indicates that families with students in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $858.07 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics this year. Total spending is expected to rise to $39.4 billion nationwide, compared to $38.8 billion last year.

For K-12 shoppers specifically, average budgets include $295.81 for electronics ($13.6 billion total), $249.36 for clothing and accessories ($11.4 billion total), $169.13 for shoes ($7.8 billion total) and $143.77 for school supplies ($6.6 billion total). College students and their families are planning even higher expenditures, averaging $1,325.85 per student on items such as electronics, dorm or apartment furnishings and clothing.

Goodwill NCW offers several strategies to help families stretch their budgets further during this period of increased spending:

- New donations arrive daily; frequent visits can yield unique finds.

- Shoppers are encouraged to look beyond just clothing to items like backpacks, dorm-room essentials and desk décor.

- Items marked with the color tag of the week are available at half price; clearance racks offer additional savings.

Other tips include searching for new items with tags among secondhand goods, joining Goodwill’s “Good Points” loyalty program to earn rewards, shopping out-of-season apparel such as coats at reduced prices and checking bags sections for affordable options suitable for various needs.

Name-brand merchandise such as The North Face, Adidas, Nike and Under Armour is often available at budget-friendly prices.

Talton emphasized another benefit: thanks to donors and shoppers supporting Goodwill NCW stores last year, the collective annual income of individuals served by Goodwill NCW increased by $4.5 million.