In just a few days, Walmart, Target, and Amazon will host some of their biggest sales of the year.
In addition, Walmart and Target have also announced new back-to-school sales for shoppers. The benefits at both stores will be for students and teachers, and whether kids are returning to elementary school or starting college, there are sales on just about everything.
“The first day of school is just around the corner, and Walmart has been gearing up to make sure this year’s back-to-school shopping experience is exactly what it should be – affordable, easy, and fun,” said Julie Barber, executive vice president of general merchandise at Walmart. “With 80% of consumers expecting to spend more on supplies this year according to the National Retail Foundation, we’re excited to offer the school supply basket at the same prices as last year.”
“Our back-to-school and back-to-college assortment features a broad range of essentials that are priced right for all families,” said Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Target. “From on-trend Cat & Jack outfits and fun and functional Room Essentials dorm decor, to supplies of all kinds from Mondo Llama and top national brands, Target has everything to help students from pre-K to college start the school year in affordable style.”
Last year’s prices plus new online shopping features
Nearly all school supplies are currently on sale at Walmart right now, with many items even under $1:
24-Count Crayola Crayons: $0.50
12-Count Crayola Colored Pencils: $0.97
10-Count Crayola Classic Broad Line Markers: $0.97
2-Count Elmer’s Glue Sticks: $0.50
Composition Notebook: $0.50
Ruled Index Cards: $0.72
Plastic Pencil Sharpener: $0.47
150-Count Wide-Ruled Loose-Leaf Paper: $0.84
25-Count Pencil Topper Erasers: $0.47
Walmart says that shoppers can stock up on 14 of the most popular school supplies for under $13.
To make school shopping easier for parents this year, Walmart has school supply lists online. Parents just have to enter their children’s school name and city or zip code, and they’ll receive the full supply list, as provided by their school and teacher. This will ensure nothing gets forgotten, and kids will be prepared for the first day of school.
For teachers, Walmart is rolling out a new Classroom Registry. Similar to a wedding registry, teachers will be able to create a list – that can be shared with friends, family, and students – of all of the supplies, decorations, and essentials they’ll need for the school year. The primary goal is to help teachers save more of their own money on purchasing classroom supplies, making these lists easily searchable by last name and state.
Savings on Target Circle for students and teachers
Target is hosting sales on everything from school supplies to dorm room essentials. Some of the deals include:
Calculators starting at $12.99
Backpacks under $20
Lunchboxes from $5
School supplies starting at $0.25
Storage starting at $3
Bedding from $4
Bathroom essentials from $2.50
Kitchen and dining from $0.50
College students with a valid school ID can get 20% off their entire order from July 16 through August 26, in stores and online. The coupon is only valid on one purchase and students must be part of Target’s Circle Rewards program to get the discount.
More discounts for teachers
Target will offer a similar discount for teachers this year. Teachers with a valid ID enrolled in Circle Rewards will receive a one-time 20% off coupon also from July 16 through August 26.
“We’re pleased to expand our 20% teacher discount across the entire store and on Target.com, to provide teachers with even greater value on the items they need for their classrooms,” Sando said. “Both teachers and students can count on Target for all their school-year gear at great prices.”
Target also offers “School List Assist,” similar to Walmart, to help parents check off everything on their children’s supply list. By entering your school’s name or zip code, the list will be generated, making it easy to create an order and have it delivered or picked up.
Additionally, Target shoppers heading off to college or returning to campus can create a College Registry. Whether family or friends want to buy gifts, or students want to stay organized, the registry puts all of the need-to-have items in one place for easy access.