When do back to school sales start, and when are they best

Verdict: Buy basics early, wait on big items. Pens, paper and folders drop first. Laptops and dorm gear tend to improve later in the season.

Back to school sales usually start in early summer and fade by mid-September. The part that matters is the order. Items do not all get cheap at once. Small things go first because stores use them to pull you in. Big things go later, when stores need to clear stock.

Dates change each year, so use this as a pattern and check the store's own page.

What is the back to school sales timeline?

In most years the flow looks like this:

• Early summer. Stores start showing school aisles. Paper, pens and folders get loss-leader prices. A loss leader is a cheap item meant to bring you in.
• Midsummer. Clothing and backpacks start to move. Choice is wide, discounts are small.
• Late summer. This is often the peak for laptops, tablets and dorm gear. Stores compete hardest here.
• September. Leftovers get marked down. Choice is thinner, but the cuts can be deeper.

Ruling: Do the cheap stuff early and the costly stuff late.

Which items should you buy first?

Buy first the things that are cheap, small and the same everywhere. Pencils, paper, glue, folders and basic notebooks are the same no matter when you buy. Prices start low and stay low.

Read the full list from the school first. Some teachers ask for exact brands or sizes. If you buy the wrong one, the sale does not matter. See when to buy school supplies to pay less for a longer list.

Ruling: Buy the items on the school list as soon as you have the list. Skip anything that is not on it.

Which items should you wait on?

Wait on items where the price swings a lot and the choice is large. That means laptops, tablets, headphones and dorm electronics. A laptop that is the same price in June can be much lower in late summer, and some years the best price waits for the fall sale season.

For laptops, the full breakdown is in back to school laptop deals: when to buy one. If the laptop is for a student, also see student discount vs sale price.

Ruling: Set a target price in June and watch until it hits. Do not pay full price in July out of nerves.

How do you set a target price?

Use the price-history check from how to check price history before you buy. Look at the last 30 days, the last 90 days and the last big event for the exact item. Your target is the lowest of the three.

A worked example

These numbers are round and made up. A backpack is $40 in June. Last August it dipped to $30. Your target is $30. If a July banner says "now $35", skip it. If the August price hits $30, buy.

Ruling: If the price is not at or below your target, wait. If it is, buy and stop looking.

What are common mistakes?

• Buying before you have the school list.
• Paying for size or color you cannot return.
• Mixing up a sale item with an item made cheaper for the sale.
• Spending more than planned because the cart "saved" you money.
• Waiting so long that your size or color sells out.

When does the answer flip?

If the student starts class early, or a laptop is needed for a summer course, buy when you need it. A tool that is not there on day one costs more than the sale saves. Also, if stock for a specific item is thin, buy earlier than the pattern says.

How do you plan the weeks before school?

Work backward from the first day. Four weeks out, get the school list and sort it into three piles: buy now, watch, and skip. Two weeks out, buy the piles that are at target. In the last week, fill gaps from the store nearest you, even at a small premium. A missing item on day one costs more than a few dollars saved.

Keep one note on your phone with the item, the target price and the best price you have seen. When you see a price on the note, you can decide in ten seconds.

Ruling: A short note beats a long browse.

Should you buy in store or online?

In store, you can check size and quality, and you skip shipping. Online, you can compare many sellers and read the return rules. For basics, the store is fine. For big items, compare online first, then check if the store will match the price. Policies differ, so read the store's own page.

Ruling: Compare online, then buy where the total cost and return rules are best.