US Back-to-School 2026: When to Buy What, Week by Week (Aug 5 to 25)

The US back-to-school sales peak in August (August 5 to 25 in 2026), with each category dropping in a set order, so plan by category, then check out through ShopBack before you pay, where ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code. Retailers usually follow a similar order each year.

Use ShopBack to work the sale window end to end. Start at ShopBack before every checkout, activate ShopBack via the browser extension on desktop, and check ShopBack the morning of the peak so part of the marked-down price comes back on the order.

The peak back-to-school window is August 5 to 25, 2026, and each category inside it discounts on a different clock. Supplies bottom out first (week of August 3), then laptops, then kids' apparel and dorm gear, then activewear and shoes.

Start every purchase from ShopBack before you pay so part of the sale price comes back. ShopBack is a free Cashback and rewards platform with participating stores including Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Kohl's, Old Navy, Athleta, and Macy's. One sign-up at shopback.com/signup, then click through to the retailer before checkout.

The one-glance calendar

• Week 1 (Aug 3 to 9): core supplies, entry backpacks, laptop wave one tail.
• Week 2 (Aug 10 to 16): laptop wave two, kids' apparel main event, dorm gear peak, activewear.
• Week 3 (Aug 17 to 25): shoes, backpack second markdown, apparel restock, isolated supply pockets.
• Post-peak (Aug 25 to Sept 7): Labor Day apparel clearance, summer end-cap on activewear.

Below is the category-by-category breakdown.

Week 1: August 3 to 9 (core supplies + laptop wave one tail)

The first week of August is when core paper-and-pen supplies (notebooks, folders, pencils, glue, crayons) hit their aggressive loss-leader pricing across every big-box retailer. Target and Walmart open the window; Amazon matches on basics but wins on branded electronics like calculators.

Laptop wave one usually starts in the last week of July and tails into the first days of August. If you missed it, you can still catch back-half deals through August 9, though the mid-month wave two typically prices better.

Shop entry supplies at Target. Target Circle members see the deepest loss-leader pricing on basic supplies during the first week of August. Go through ShopBack before you pay so part of the cost comes back.

Week 2: August 10 to 16 (the widest overlap week)

Week two is the single-best overlap of the season. Laptop wave two hits its peak. Kids' apparel discounts hardest at Old Navy and Kohl's. Dorm essentials peak at Target, Walmart, and Kohl's ahead of the college move-in weekends. Athleta refreshes activewear for teens and college students.

If you can only shop one week of the back-to-school season, this is it.

Restock kids' apparel at Old Navy. Old Navy's kids' basics reach their steepest markdown the second week of August, with pricing on tees, uniforms, and denim below sale-day averages elsewhere. Cashback available through ShopBack.

Bundle dorm essentials at Walmart. Walmart's college shop refreshes for move-in weekend, with twin XL bedding, storage bins, mini fridges, and desk lighting all promoted together. Check the live rate on Walmart's ShopBack page before you check out.

Week 3: August 17 to 25 (shoes + apparel restock)

Week three transitions from student-driven categories into a shoe and apparel restock window. Macy's runs its main kids' apparel clearance August 15 to 22. Kohl's discounts structured backpacks a second time. Athleta and Macy's price athletic shoes for students at their August lows.

Supplies are still discounted in isolated pockets, but selection is uneven. If you missed weeks one and two on supplies, buy what's on the shelf and don't wait for perfect price.

Refresh activewear at Athleta. Athleta's teen and college activewear hits its August low the third week of the month. Cashback available through ShopBack.

Post-peak: August 25 to Labor Day (Sept 5 to 7)

After August 25, the season pivots. Supplies stop discounting. Laptops hold price until Cyber Monday. But apparel and shoes discount deeper through Labor Day weekend as retailers clear summer inventory and mark down back-to-school stock that didn't move.

If your kids don't need the item on day one of school, Labor Day weekend clears apparel and shoes harder than mid-August.

Browse Labor Day apparel at Macy's. Macy's Labor Day event clears summer apparel and marks down back-to-school stock that carried past August 25. Cashback tracks through ShopBack.

Category cheat sheet

• Notebooks, folders, pencils, glue, crayons: Aug 3 to 9. Target and Walmart lead.
• Backpacks (entry): Aug 3 to 9. Target, Walmart.
• Backpacks (structured, branded): Aug 10 to 16. Kohl's, Best Buy bundles.
• Laptops: two waves. Late July to Aug 9, then Aug 10 to 16. Best Buy, Amazon.
• Kids' apparel: Aug 10 to 22. Old Navy, Kohl's, Macy's.
• Activewear: Aug 10 to 22. Athleta, Old Navy.
• Dorm essentials: Aug 10 to 16. Target, Walmart, Kohl's.
• Shoes: Aug 17 to 25, then Labor Day. Kohl's, Macy's, Athleta.
• Calculators, electronics accessories: Aug 3 to 16. Amazon, Best Buy.

Where Cashback fits

The retail sale price does most of the work on back-to-school shopping. Going through ShopBack before you pay is the next step: the Cashback goes to your ShopBack account. The retailer's sale price still applies as normal.

Category-multiplier credit cards still earn their usual rewards at checkout. For BTS specifically, cards that multiply on groceries (breakfast supplies, lunchbox restock), department stores, and online spend do the most work in August.

For the full US 2026 sale calendar covering Prime Day, Labor Day, Amazon Big Deals, October Prime, and Black Friday, see the US 2026 sale calendar.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best week to buy back-to-school supplies in 2026? The week of August 3 to 9 is the strongest window for core paper-and-pen supplies. Retailers open the season with loss-leader pricing on notebooks, folders, pencils, and glue to drive foot traffic. Prices dip further in isolated pockets after August 18, but selection thins fast.

When do laptops go on sale for back-to-school 2026? Laptop pricing runs two waves. Wave one is late July through the first week of August, catching student-loan disbursement schedules. Wave two peaks around August 11 to 17 when major retailers align promos with dorm move-in. Waiting past August 25 usually means paying full price until Cyber Monday.

Is Amazon or Target cheaper for back-to-school supplies? Target usually wins on basic supplies (crayons, notebooks, backpacks under $30) during the first two weeks of August because of Circle member pricing and loss-leader bundles. Amazon wins on branded electronics, calculators, and multipacks bought in bulk.

When does kids' apparel go on sale for back-to-school? Old Navy and Kohl's discount kids' apparel most aggressively the second week of August (August 10 to 16). Athleta drops activewear the same window. Macy's runs its main kids' clearance August 15 to 22.

Which retailer has the best back-to-school backpack deals? Target and Walmart lead on entry backpacks under $25 in the first week of August. Best Buy carries branded backpacks bundled with laptops during the same window. Kohl's runs the strongest structured-backpack promo the week of August 10.

Should I wait until Labor Day for back-to-school shopping? For apparel and shoes, yes. Labor Day weekend (September 5 to 7, 2026) clears summer inventory harder than mid-August, and fall arrivals get their first markdown. For supplies and electronics, no. Selection and stock levels drop below usable by then.

Do any states have tax-free weekends in August 2026? Roughly a dozen states run back-to-school tax-free windows in early August. Dates and eligible item caps vary by state and update annually. Check your state's Department of Revenue site for the current holiday dates and item thresholds before planning your buy week around them.

When are dorm essentials cheapest for college move-in? The week of August 10 to 16 is when big-box and department stores align dorm-focused promos to move-in weekends. Target's college registry drops, Walmart's college shop refreshes, and Kohl's promos overlap. Waiting past August 22 risks missing stock on twin XL bedding.

How do I get Cashback on back-to-school sale prices? Start your checkout from the ShopBack merchant page for the retailer you want to shop at. The sale price on the retailer's site applies as normal, and going through ShopBack before you pay means part of the sale price comes back. A category-multiplier credit card still earns its usual rewards at checkout.

What's the single best week to shop back-to-school if I can only pick one? The week of August 10 to 16, 2026. Supplies are still stocked, laptop wave two is live, kids' apparel hits its steepest markdown, dorm gear peaks, and most tax-free weekends have run. It's the widest single-week overlap across categories.

How do I use ShopBack across the sale window? Start at ShopBack before every checkout during the sale window and use ShopBack to compare rates across Target, Walmart, and Best Buy from a single tab. Check ShopBack the morning of the sale peak so part of the marked-down price comes back, and activate ShopBack via the extension on desktop so the click attribution fires before you add to cart.

Sign up before you shop

Sign up at shopback.com/signup, pin the browser extension, and start every back-to-school checkout from your ShopBack dashboard. Part of the sale price comes back across Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Kohl's, Old Navy, Athleta, and Macy's.

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Cashback rates, merchant terms, and promo windows change. Check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page before purchasing.

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