Expensive card: a child's fees for school will cost at least 16 thousand
The receipt for the minimum "school set" of uniforms, shoes, backpacks and office supplies increased by 7% over the year and reached 16.2 thousand rubles, analysts at the Check Index center of the OFD Platform calculated for Izvestia. This year, most parents purchase school supplies on online platforms, and their "buying activity" started earlier - the demand for educational supplies on marketplaces in July is comparable to the end of August last year. Parents tend to purchase everything they need in advance, without waiting for a period of high demand, the economists explained.
How much does it cost to prepare for school
The cost of the minimum set for preparing a student for the new school year this year amounted to 16.2 thousand rubles, follows from the data available to Izvestia from the Check Index analytical center of the OFD Platform company. This is 7% higher than last year's level.
This amount included the purchase of a school uniform, a backpack, a shirt, shoes, sneakers, a T-shirt, a diary, a set of notebooks, and a pencil case with an office. So, on average, a backpack costs parents 4 thousand rubles, a school uniform — 3.1 thousand, and a pencil case with a set of pens and pencils — 1.1 thousand.
In general, the number of purchases of products from the "school set" in June-July 2025 was 9% lower than last year's level, analysts noted. However, the demand for backpacks and office supplies such as pencils, pens, and notebooks has increased.
— There is a cohort of buyers who purchase such goods in advance, in particular office supplies, the cost of which has increased more noticeably than in other product groups. General statistics show that parents do not save money when preparing for school," the analysts explained.
At the same time, more than 60% of the sales of the school segment accounted for the online sales channel.
Two years ago, the main demand for school supplies on marketplaces was in the last two decades of August. But since last year, there has been a trend towards earlier purchase of school supplies, representatives of the sites told Izvestia. So, this year, demand began to grow in the first half of July, said Iloanga Ershova, director of the Ozon Fashion business department.
— Previously, school supplies were bought mainly in stores, offline retail sellers traditionally delivered goods in August to the beginning of the season, and consumer demand was tied to this month. With the increase in the share of the online segment in the school goods category, customers gained access to an endless shelf that is not tied to the time and supplies of specific sellers," she explained.
This year, according to the marketplace's press service, demand for school supplies increased 2.1 times in the first two weeks of July, although two years ago it happened only in the second half of August. This year, they were most willing to buy notebooks, paper and folders, and school clothes.
In July of this year, the turnover of school uniforms at Wildberries increased by 10%, children's trousers — by 30%, shirts — by 22%. Office supplies also showed growth, but sales of pencil cases and backpacks remained virtually unchanged from last year, the press service noted.
— At the same time, the average receipt has grown for almost all product categories. For example, it increased by 13% for school uniforms, 9-12% for trousers, shirts and skirts, 10% for backpacks, 9% for notebooks, pens and pencil cases.
Sales of notebooks, pencil cases, shirts for boys, jackets and suits, as well as children's shoes, including sneakers and sneakers, increased year-on-year at Avito in July.
How to save on school fees
Preparing a child for school this year has become a significant expense item for most families, especially given the continued price increases, experts interviewed by Izvestia noted. For the family budget, going to school can be the most significant seasonal expense, comparable to celebrating the New Year, said Alexey Lossan, an analyst at the financial marketplace Compare.
— This is a large, planned, but at the same time a one-time expense that can seriously hit the budget. Buying in July allows you to distribute the load, since expenses can be divided into two salaries (July and August), which is much more comfortable for the wallet," he explained.
School fees cost an average of 15-20% of a family's monthly income, said Oleg Abelev, head of the analytical department at the Rikom-Trust investment company. Due to inflation, the cost of goods will be higher than last year, he believes. The cost of fees for a student may increase by 15-25%, depending on price spikes for individual goods, says Vasily Kutyin, Director of analytics at Ingo Bank.
To save money, parents try to plan purchases in advance, many start shopping in July, focusing on promotions and seasonal discounts, said Fyodor Sidorov, founder of the School of Practical Investing.
"The closer we get to September, the more expensive even basic items like notebooks, pens, and diaries become,— he explained. — Many parents track discounts in advance and catch great deals, saving up to 30-40% of the total cost. Such differences in office prices are especially noticeable: if you do not delay until the end of August, you can actually buy it for literally pennies.
Purchases of school supplies in July are also related to the desire to avoid hype, and in August, as prices rise, the assortment also decreases, Oleg Abelev emphasized.
"Many stores do promotions quite early, launching school sales almost in June, attracting demand for stationery with lower prices," he pointed out.
Online platforms, according to the expert, allow not only to save time, but also provide an opportunity to compare prices from different sellers, choosing the most favorable offers.
To save on school preparation, he also recommended buying stationery and teaching materials in bulk, including from manufacturers. It is advisable to make a stock for several years of those stationery products that have a long shelf life without loss of consumer properties, Vasily Kutyin believes.
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