Ark. (KAIT) – Online shopping and school district bulk purchasing is contributing to fewer in-person shoppers, according to an Arkansas State University finance professor
Phillip Tew, an associate professor of finance at Arkansas State University, said families shopping for school supplies are focused on finding the lowest price when it comes to common commodities like pencils.
“A pencil is a pencil,” Tew said.
He said the cost of shopping in person, including time spent getting ready, driving and fuel, adds up in ways that make online options more appealing.
“That’s why the brick-and-mortar stores are going to struggle with this, unless they find a way to separate themselves,” Tew said.
Tew said that now, some school districts are even purchasing supplies directly and having families pay back a portion of the cost.
“That way, they know that everybody’s getting the correct things,” Tew explained. “They are able to buy in bulk, so to get a discounted price, and so the parents don’t have to pay as much.”
He said that shift in purchasing behavior may have also contributed to a decline in in-person shoppers during tax-free weekend.
To report a typo or correction, pleaseclick here.
Copyright 2026 KAIT. All rights reserved.
