Where are the cheapest back-to-school supplies in Philadelphia?

As back-to-school season ramps up, Philadelphia families are on the lookout for the best deals on school supplies amid consumer prices that remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

According to a survey by Deloitte, Philly-area parents are prioritizing convenience and low prices this year, with many starting their shopping as early as July to take advantage of deals. But, they’re also willing to spend more money on school supplies than parents in other regions nationwide.

The professional services firm’s annual back-to-school survey, which polled nearly 1,200 parents nationwide, including 443 in the Philadelphia region, found that parents expect to pay $761 per child for back-to-school shopping in the Philly region this year — $175 more than the national average. This includes the cost of school supplies, but also new clothing, technology, and gear for extracurricular activities.

Last year, Deloitte surveyed, Philly parents said they would spend $617 per child for back-to-school shopping.

“Parents are really being cautious this year because they are concerned about the overall inflation and economic pressures,” said Jenna Pogorzelski, Deloitte’s Philadelphia retail media leader. “I think that’s just a direct indicator as to why overall spending on school supplies is down nationally.”

Almost two-thirds of Philadelphia parents plan to buy supplies online or at mass merchant stores, such as Staples, Target, or Walmart. The driving factors? Convenience and price, says Pogorzelski.

“Seven out of 10 parents are looking for convenience in their shopping journey, especially when they’re driving their kiddos along for the ride and are trying to shop at places where they can get everything they need at once,” Pogorzelski said. “But, they will shop around to save. Parents plan to shop at about five stores this season to get the right goods at the right prices.”

Brand loyalty appears to be waning, with many parents willing to switch brands if their usual choices are more expensive, Pogorzelski added.

The Inquirer put together a 12-item shopping list and visited Staples, Target, Walmart, and Dollar Tree to see which stores offered the lowest prices on basic school supplies. We also checked prices on Amazon for comparison.

Shopping took place between Tuesday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at the following locations:

This price comparison will give parents an idea of where the cheapest, basic school supplies can be found in Philadelphia. Prices for high-quality headphones, extracurricular activities and sports, and new clothes for school aren’t taken into account for this analysis — just school supplies.

At the time of shopping, stores promoted their school supply sales with large bright displays, often in the front of the store. But don’t stop there. In places such as Target and Walmart, additional school supplies were deeply discounted in the back of the store, as well. Most, if not all, products were still available across surveyed stores except only a few items that were sold out at Walmart.

Most basic school supplies cost under $2 during back-to-school sales. However, big-ticket items like backpacks, which start at $14, can affect a store’s overall pricing. For instance, Dollar Tree didn’t carry suitable backpacks, while Target offered pricier options compared to Walmart, despite having better deals on other items.

Walmart emerged as the cheapest option, particularly due to its low prices on backpacks. The total cost for The Inquirer’s 12-item list at Walmart was $25.89 (before tax). Without the backpack, the total drops to $10.91.

Target came in a close second with a total cost of $31.17. But, that’s mostly because Target’s cheapest quality backpack ran for $6 more than Walmart’s. Without backpacks, Target’s total was 73 cents cheaper than Walmart at $10.18.

In addition, Target offers something that Walmart doesn’t: price match guarantee. If an identical item is sold at a competitor’s store, such as Amazon or Walmart, Target will attempt to match the price to attract customers.

Staples, the only store on this list that specializes in office and school supplies, was the most expensive.

The total for The Inquirer’s list was nearly $40, with Staples’ backpack prices being the most expensive out of all stores. Despite its higher prices, Staples offers a wide range of brand-name supplies and electronics, and it also has a price match guarantee similar to Target’s, so better deals are still possible.

Dollar Tree, often perceived as a budget-friendly option, wasn’t the best choice for school supplies.

Not only was Dollar Tree lacking in choice and quality, but everything in the store costs $1.25 regardless of the item. For specific items, such as a binder, that’s a win because it is much cheaper than other stores where binders typically cost $2.39 to $3.29.

But, a large swath of items are sold for under 99 cents at Walmart and Target, whereas customers have to pay $1.25 for those same items at Dollar Tree.

Since Dollar Tree didn’t sell good-quality backpacks, the total cost of Dollar Tree is $12.82 — around $2 more for smaller and lesser quality items than at Walmart and Target, when not including backpack prices for those stores.

Amazon offers the ease of shopping without ever leaving the home. But, the idea that Amazon has cheaper prices isn’t always the case, said Kevin Brasler, the executive editor of the nonprofit publication Consumers’ Checkbook, which studies grocery, health care, and other consumer prices in the region.

“In past years, we really relied on Amazon because it was just so convenient. The kids could pick out what they wanted and I could veto or approve right from home,” Brasler said. “It used to be everyone assumed Amazon has the lowest prices, but that’s not necessarily true anymore.”

The total cost for The Inquirer’s list on Amazon was $31.92, making it the second most expensive behind Staples. Excluding backpacks, Amazon was the priciest at $16.93. However, these prices might have been lower during Amazon Prime Day in July.

For the best deals, Philadelphia-area families should consider Walmart and Target, taking advantage of Target’s price match policy when possible. Both stores offer one-stop shopping, with a wide range of products beyond basic school supplies, selling clothing, computers and headphones, sporting gear, and much more, on top of basic school supplies that are cheaper than competitors’.

For those in need, free school supplies are often available at back-to-school drives and giveaways hosted by local organizations. Keep an eye out for fliers on social media, reach out to community groups, or check out The Inquirer’s list of back-to-school drives in Philly.