Source: eMarketer, February 2023 - May 2023
Note: includes products or services ordered using the internet, regardless of the method of payment or fulfillment; sales are for the period in Q3 before the start of school each year among households with a child under 18 present and/or adults ages 18 to 24 attending postsecondary education
Additional Note: Grades K-12 retail back-to-school season sales include apparel and accessories, office equipment and supplies, and computers and consumer electronics. College-bound retail back-to-school season sales include apparel and accessories, office equipment and supplies, computers and consumer electronics, furniture and home furnishings, health/personal care/beauty, books/music/video, and food and beverages. eMarketer benchmarks its US total retail sales figures against US Department of Commerce data from 2020 onward. The last full year measured was 2022.
Methodology: Estimates are based on the analysis of data from other research firms and government agencies, historical trends, reported and estimated revenues of major online retailers, consumer online buying trends, and macro-level economic conditions.