3 Tips for Increasing Amazon Back to School Sales

Back to School is a relatively long sales season that runs from late July to early September.​ We go over three ways your business can prep for Back to School and hold a successful sale.

Welcome to the DealNews Seller's Guide. Today we’ll go over three ways sellers can increase their Amazon Back to School sales. What should you do to be successful during Back to School season this year?

The school year has just let out for the summer in some places, but it's time for Amazon sellers to start prepping for Back to School season. 

Want to increase your Amazon Back to School sales in 2021? Let's go over three ways your business can prep for the upcoming school year and hold a successful sale.

1. Get the Timing Right

Back to School is a relatively long sales season that runs from late July to early September. In the U.S. it usually wraps up around Labor Day, when kids are back in classrooms. Schools don't have set return dates nationwide, as classrooms across the country begin the school year at different times; however, most students get school supply lists by August at the latest. Early shoppers may have already been hunting for bargains by then, but those who wait until the last minute could be scrambling to get supplies right as the school year begins.

SEE ALSO: 8 Amazon Listing Optimization Tips You May Not Have Considered

Aside from school start times, you can also look to state sales tax holidays to guide your own sales plans. Seventeen states offer tax free events that line up with Back to School season, and they can range from two days to a full week. These allow parents to pick up items in categories like clothing, computers, and school supplies without paying sales tax on them.

The tax breaks are generally restricted to purchases under a certain amount, but these holidays are a very appealing time for shoppers to make big purchases. And it doesn't cost you anything to benefit from these sales! If you sell products in tax free categories to people in the appropriate state during one of these holidays, they won't pay taxes on the items automatically. Amazon isn't a regional marketplace, but you'll want to be sure your sales are ready to grab people's attention when they're shopping these tax free events.

So when should you start prepping your Back to School promotions? Probably as soon as your Amazon Prime Day sales wrap up. You should also plan for your promotions to run through early September.

 

2. Be Aware of Changes for 2021 A lot of learning went online in 2020, which changed the season's typical sales patterns. According to the National Retail Federation, the year saw parents investing more heavily in home learning setups, including computers, desks, and other must-haves.

But most students are expected to return to in-person learning in 2021. In fact, The Washington Post reported that nearly half of U.S. schools were open full time before the school year ended for the summer. And even more will fully reopen in the fall, as increased vaccination rates and lowered social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mean it's easier and safer to do so.

So Back to School sales are more likely to resemble those from 2019 than 2020 this year, with an increased focus on items needed for in-person learning. Expect backpacks and lunch bags to be in high demand, as well as furniture and decor for kitting out a college dorm room.

 

3. Gauge Which Products Will Be Back to School Bestsellers

The first thing to think about when you're prepping for Back to School is which products to sell. Fortunately, Back to School products are relatively predictable year to year — the things kids need to head to the classroom every year are pretty much the sam