Where can I find the cheapest school supplies in Philadelphia?

As the back-to-school season begins, Philadelphia families are looking for the best deals on school supplies as consumer prices remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

According to a Deloitte survey, parents in Philadelphia are prioritizing convenience and low prices this year. Many are starting to shop as early as July to take advantage of sales, but they are also willing to spend more money on school supplies than parents in other regions of the country.

The consulting firm’s annual back-to-school survey, which surveyed nearly 1,200 parents nationwide, including 443 in the Philadelphia area, found that parents in Philadelphia expect to spend $761 per child on back-to-school purchases this year — $175 more than the national average. That includes the cost of school supplies, but also new clothing, technology and equipment for extracurricular activities.

Last year, parents in Philadelphia reported in a Deloitte survey that they spent $617 per child on school supplies.

“Parents are really cautious this year because they’re worried about general inflation and economic pressures,” said Jenna Pogorzelski, Deloitte’s retail media leader in Philadelphia. “I think that’s just a direct indicator of why overall spending on school supplies has declined nationwide.”

Nearly two-thirds of Philadelphia parents plan to buy their supplies online or at big-box stores like Staples, Target or Walmart. The driving factors? Convenience and price, Pogorzelski says.

“Seven out of 10 parents value convenience when shopping, especially when they take their children with them and try to shop at places where they can get everything they need at once,” Pogorzelski said. “But they also compare prices to save money. Parents plan to shop at about five stores this season to get the right goods at the right price.”

Brand loyalty appears to be waning, with many parents willing to switch to another brand if their usual choice is more expensive, Pogorzelski added.

Where to find the cheapest school supplies in Philly

The Inquirer compiled a 12-item shopping list and visited Staples, Target, Walmart and Dollar Tree to find out which stores offer the cheapest prices on basic school supplies. We also checked prices on Amazon for comparison.

The purchase took place between Tuesday, August 13th and Thursday, August 15th, 2024, at the following locations:

This price comparison gives parents an idea of ​​where to find the cheapest, basic school supplies in Philadelphia. Prices for high-end headphones, extracurricular activities and sports, and new clothes for school are not included in this analysis – only the school supplies.

At the time of shopping, stores were advertising school supply sales with large, bright displays, often in the front of the store. But that’s not all. At stores like Target and Walmart, additional school supply items were also heavily discounted in the back of the store. Most, if not all, of the products were still available at the stores studied, with the exception of a few items that were sold out at Walmart.

Most basic school supplies cost less than $2 during back-to-school sales. However, expensive items like backpacks, which start at $14, can affect a store’s overall pricing. Dollar Tree, for example, did not have suitable backpacks in its inventory, while Target offered more expensive options compared to Walmart, although it had better deals on other items.

The verdict: Walmart is the leader in low prices

Walmart proved to be the cheapest optionespecially because of the low prices on backpacks. The total cost for the 12 items on the Inquirer list at Walmart was $25.89 (before tax). Without the backpack, the total price drops to $10.91.

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

Additionally, Target offers something Walmart doesn’t: Price Match Guarantee. If an identical item is sold on a competitor like Amazon or Walmart, Target will try to match the price to attract customers.

Where to pay more for school supplies in Philly

Staplesthe only store on this list that specializes exclusively 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 highest of any store. Despite the higher prices, Staples offers a wide selection of name-brand items and electronics, and also has a price match similar to Target, so even better deals are possible.

Dollar Tree is often considered a budget option, but was not the best choice for school supplies.

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

However, Walmart and Target sell many items for under 99 cents, while Dollar Tree requires customers to pay $1.25 for the same items.

Because Dollar Tree doesn’t sell high-end backpacks, the total price at Dollar Tree is $12.82—about $2 more for smaller, lower-quality items than Walmart and Target, not including those stores’ backpack prices.

Amazon is convenient, but not the cheapest school supply store

Amazon offers the opportunity to shop conveniently without having to leave the house. But the idea that Amazon Cheaper prices aren’t always the case, says Kevin Brasler, editor in chief of the nonprofit publication Consumers’ Checkbook, which studies food, health care and other consumer prices in the region.

“We really relied on Amazon for the past few years because it was so convenient. The kids could pick out what they wanted and I could veto or approve it from home,” Brasler said. “Everyone used to assume that Amazon had 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 after Staples. Excluding backpacks, Amazon was the most expensive at $16.93. However, these prices may have been lower during Amazon Prime Day in July.

Walmart and Target offer the cheapest school supplies in Philadelphia

For the best deals, Philadelphia families should consider: Walmart And Goaland take advantage of Target’s price-matching policy when possible. Both stores offer one-stop shopping with a wide range of products beyond basic school supplies. They sell clothing, computers and headphones, sports equipment and more, in addition to basic school supplies at lower prices than the competition.

For those in need, free school supplies are often available at back-to-school drives and giveaways run by local organizations. Look for flyers on social media, contact community groups, or check out the Inquirer’s list of back-to-school drives in Philadelphia.