Families with kids in grades K-12 are expected to spend an average of nearly $864 on back-to school items this year. That’s according to data from the National Retail Federation.
That data also says that electronics, clothing, shoes, and school supplies are at the top of that spending list, and families are shopping early to spread the purchases over time as a budgeting tactic.
Retailers in South Dakota are seeing those trends as well.
“We typically receive our back-to-school inventory in mid-to-late June, so it’s great to see families getting a head start on their shopping,” said McKenzie Farmen, owner of Shoe Science, a Main Street shoe store in Aberdeen. “That said, we still expect our biggest rush to happen in the final days before school starts, as that’s a trend we see every year.”
In Lemmon, The Current Connection, a school supply, computer, and furniture store, owner Kim Anderson says the early shoppers are typically those who have checked the school supply lists and have something special in mind.
“Our early shoppers are those that are excited about particular items, styles, and colors,” she said. “I search out all of the school supply lists early and make sure we have everything on hand. If teachers are asking for something unique families know that we will have it on our shelves.”
National data suggests local shopping is taking back some of the market share from online shopping this back-to-school season. According to the NRF, in 2025, 55% of people were checking items off their lists with online purchases. This year, online purchasing is expected to drop to 50%.
Farmen agrees with national data that says people are trending toward shopping local. “We’ve also made a significant investment in expanding our kids’ footwear selection, replacing lower-quality brands with premium options for infants through big kids,” explained Farmen. “The response has been very positive, and we’re seeing more families choose to shop locally for quality shoes and personalized fitting expertise.
South Dakota Retailers Association