Top Back to School Supplies for Dropshipping in 2025

Back-to-school shopping is the second-largest sales season of the year, following the holiday season. It’s a time when shoppers purchase essential back-to-school supplies to prepare for the new school year. 

Parents and students are the main shoppers during the back-to-school season. They’re always looking for the best back-to-school supplies—from stylish backpacks to cool nails and useful school items like lunch boxes. Teachers are also big purchasers during this time. Many of them purchase school supplies such as writing tools and organizational tools to help keep classrooms neat and ready for learning.

According to eMarketer, though some shoppers are spending less on school supplies in 2025 because of rising prices and economic worries, the market is projected to reach $203.4 billion by 2025 and grow to $277.1 billion by 2034. This means back-to-school shopping is still a huge and profitable market for online store owners and dropshippers. 

Keep reading to explore the latest back-to-school trends and top tips to keep your dropshipping business growing—even during this challenging economic environment!

5 Principal Back-to-School Shopping Trends 2025

Back-to-school shopping in 2025 is shaped by changing habits, new technologies, and growing awareness of value and sustainability. From early planning to eco-friendly picks, shoppers are looking for smarter, more personalized ways to prepare for the school year. 

Let’s explore the five key trends leading this season and see how they can help your dropshipping business thrive.

Early-Bird Shopping: School Materials Fly Off Shelves Sooner Than Ever

Given the tariff policies and economic uncertainty, back-to-school shopping starts earlier this year in June. Consumers are worried that unstable trade conditions may drive up the cost of back-to-school supplies and will likely lead to price hikes. 

Therefore, many shoppers plan to pull forward spending on back-to-school items, especially on electronics such as phones and laptops. The traffic is expected to peak from late June through mid-August because a certain number of shoppers time their back-to-school and college shopping around retailer events like Prime Day. 

Sourcing and marketing your offerings ahead can ensure an increase in sales. Thus, for dropshippers, preparing inventory ahead can save much effort. 

Sustainable Shopping: Eco-Friendly School Supplies on the Rise

Sustainability is reshaping back-to-school shopping in 2025. 79% of parents in the UK say they would use a platform to resell old school supplies their children no longer need. It shows that eco-friendly back-to-school shopping is no longer a niche concern—it’s becoming a powerful trend.

Gen Z and Millennial parents, who are the most active back-to-school shoppers, are making choices that reflect their values. They are seeking out eco-conscious brands that offer sustainable school materials, use recyclable packaging, and provide carbon-neutral shipping. These shoppers prefer to buy from companies that care about the planet and offer the best back-to-school supplies in an environmentally responsible way.

Budget-Conscious Shopping: Value-Driven Back-to-School Deals

According to Jungle Scout’s 2025 Consumer Trends Report, which surveys nearly 1,000 U.S. shoppers each year, 63% of consumers say that price and discounts are the most important factors in their purchase decisions. When it comes to back-to-school supplies, nearly 49% of shoppers prioritize low prices and good deals.

This growing focus on affordability is closely tied to ongoing economic uncertainty. As a result, some value-driven destinations such as discount stores and secondhand shops have seen a noticeable rise in traffic.

Smarter Shopping with AI: Personalization & Predictive Analytics

AI-powered personalization and predictive analytics are transforming the way retailers approach back-to-school shopping. By tracking real-time shopping behavior, smart tools can recommend the best back-to-school supplies and dynamic pricing based on each customer’s needs, ultimately boosting engagement and sales during the back-to-school season.

Consumers' Picks: How Influencers Shape School Item Choices

Social media is shaping back-to-school shopping like never before. 70% of consumers say their decisions will be influenced by social and creator content. In addition, over 57% of Gen Z dream of becoming influencers, inspired by the stylish lifestyles, brand deals, and creativity they see on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. 

This digital trend is directly impacting how people shop, as they increasingly select products that reflect the aesthetics, trends, and brands endorsed by their favorite digital creators’ “back-to-school hauls”. Partner with content creators who authentically reach the target audience of your dropshipping business.

15+ Best Back-to-School Supplies to Sell Online 2025

Some back-to-school categories are not suitable for dropshipping, such as computers, phones, large furniture, and some other brand products that may put you at risk of copyright infringement.

So we are recommending back-to-school products that are small, lightweight, low-cost, and safe for dropshipping.

Now let's have a look at the list of back-to-school supplies!

✔ Ballpoint Pens

Ballpoint pens are essential back-to-school supplies with consistent global demand, and they're easily found in local grocery stores. So, is selling ballpoint pens online still profitable?

Absolutely—if you focus on creative and unique designs. Think 6-in-1 multi-tool pens, magnetic metal pens, multi-color ballpoint pens, and stress-relief sponge pens. Compared to ordinary pens, these novelty options are more eye-catching, more engaging, and offer strong sales potential in the online market.

✔ Highlighter Pens

Highlighters are essential tools for note-taking. In addition to the classic highlighter pens with fluorescent colors, you can also sell glitter highlighters and double-ended markers, which are more attractive to students and have seen more than 1,000 sales in many Amazon stores.

✔ Big Capacity Pencil Cases

Pencil cases are also a must-have back-to-school supply. It’s perfect for you to sell these big-capacity pencil cases for their practicality and high quality. Don’t wait to contact our customer manager and let SourcinBox source these pencil cases for you at a lower cost.

✔ Food-shaped Pencil Cases

In addition to the big-capacity pencil cases, the following food-shaped ones are also great back-to-college products for college students to showcase their personalization. If you're going to sell them, don't forget to remind your customers that these are not real food.

✔ Animal & Food & Puzzle Erasers

Erasers are back-to-school necessities. The following animal and food-shaped erasers are cute and more of a stress-relief toy for students. You can sell these at higher prices than common erasers. 

But please note that these kinds of erasers in small pieces are not safe for toddlers. So, include a warning when selling: Not recommended for young children due to the risk of accidental ingestion. 

✔ Stationery Sets

Stationery sets would be the most convenient choice for busy parents and many college students. Many Amazon stores report monthly sales of over 1,000 units. According to Google Trends, the popularity of stationery sets peaked two times during the school season and during Black Friday in November in the past year, which leaves you a long time to list and sell them in your online store.

✔ Toddler Backpacks

Don’t miss out on the golden opportunity to sell these trending toddler backpacks in this back-to-school season. Backpacks with a colorful appearance and in the shape of cute animals are a favorite choice for parents and young children.  On Amazon, it sells for over $15, yet the cost is much lower. 

Collaborate with a professional sourcing agent such as SourcinBox to help you source high-quality backpacks and other back-to-school supplies from excellent manufacturers directly, do quality checks, and fulfill your orders.

✔ Water Bottles

Water bottles are perfect for increasing back-to-school sales! Parents prefer to choose water bottles with spill-proof folding straw lids that ensure kids get a smooth and paced flow when drinking, while college students tend to buy bottles featuring a minimalist and elegant design. The product is lightweight, making it a great choice for dropshipping. You can also add some eco-friendly ones to your store to boost sales, and SourcinBox will help you deliver them quickly and hassle-free.

✔ Lunch Boxes

Most parents prepare lunch for their children to take to school, making lunch boxes one of the back-to-school seasonal bestsellers. Fun lunch boxes with cute cartoon prints or animal shapes can make kids more excited to eat. Parents love them, and many Amazon stores sell over 1,000 of these each month.

College students also like to bring homemade food to campus. So, a lunch box that is lightweight, saves space, and is made with eco-friendly materials is a great item to sell. Contact our customer manager and add these must-have school items with a big profit margin to your store!

✔ Name Stamps

With customized name stamps, kids can print their names on clothes, books, backpacks, water bottles, or other personal items to prevent loss or mix-ups. According to Google Trends, searches for "Name Stamp" have gone up every summer for the past five years. On Amazon, related products sell over 10,000 units per month and usually have ratings above 4.4 stars. 

SourconBox can provide you with POD (Print on demand) services, and if you don't want to sell POD stamps, you can sell confidential security stamps, which are the best tool to protect private information on express packages. You can also sell teacher stamps for grading classrooms since teachers are also potential back-to-school shoppers.

✔ Laptop Stands

A laptop stand is a great tool for college students. The demand for laptop stands will not change much, but you should find the most popular or trending ones to sell. The following types are popular now on Amazon with 2,000 to 8,000 monthly sales in many stores. Also, the selling price of these kinds of laptop stands can be up to 4 times the cost price. With such a big profit margin, it’s a must-have hot school material for your dropshipping store.

✔ Calculators

Calculators are always a popular item on students’ back-to-school shopping lists. These days, in addition to regular calculators, many fun and creative styles are becoming popular. Some look like mini keyboards and make a cool clicking sound, like a typewriter. Others come with a small writing pad. These fun designs make doing math more enjoyable for students. Many of these calculators have 4+star ratings on Amazon, with many labeled “Amazon’s Choice.” Get these back-to-school items at a low cost from SourcinBox and enjoy a good profit!

✔ Sportswear

Sports bras, leggings, athletic shorts, and quick-dry T-shirts are popular choices among active students. Lightweight, comfortable, and stylish, they’re perfect for gym or everyday wear. With strong demand on Amazon and in TikTok hauls, these school items offer low costs, high profit margins, and easy shipping, making them ideal for dropshippers.

✔Summer Slippers

Slippers are a dorm must-have for students. Stylish ones like these with comfy and practical features are practical items perfect for wearing around campus. With thousands of 4+ star reviews on Amazon, they offer high demand and low return rates. Their high sales potential and profits make them great products to enter the back-to-school market.

✔ Drawstring Cosmetics Bags

This stylish lay-flat cosmetics bag is a practical item for college students. Its water-resistant, machine-washable design makes cleanup a breeze, while the open layout allows for quick and easy access to all items. Similar school items have garnered over 1,000 positive reviews on Amazon and experienced a spike in popularity every back-to-school season, according to Google Trends. Lightweight and easy to ship, this makeup bag offers great profit margins and is a strong back-to-school supply pick for dropshipping stores.

✔ Compact Mirrors

This compact LED mirror is perfect for carrying in school bags or pockets. Featuring 1X/3X magnification and natural daylight lighting, it’s ideal for full-face makeup and close-up grooming. On Amazon, many similar mirrors have earned 4.5-star ratings or higher, demonstrating their popularity and low return rate. Lightweight and low-cost, compact mirrors offer high profit margins — up to 4 to 5 times the cost price. With SourcinBox, you will have the opportunity to source compact mirrors or other back-to-school supplies at lower prices.

✔ Press-on Nails

Press-on nails have seen a steady rise in Google search interest over the past five years, making now a great time to start selling. College students are key buyers during back-to-school season, often looking for easy beauty upgrades like press-on nails. On Amazon, many stores sell over 1,000 units monthly, and sales of some stores even reach 10,000. With high profit margins, the costs of these nails are about 1/7 of the retail price! Since it’s also sandal season in the U.S. and Europe, consider adding toenail press-ons to boost your dropshipping sales.

Tips and Best Practices for Boosting Back-to-School Dropshipping Sales

The back-to-school season is one of the biggest shopping periods of the year, and a golden opportunity for dropshippers to grow revenue. With the right strategies, you can turn high demand into strong profits. 

Here are four powerful ways to maximize your back-to-school sales in 2025.

1. Implementing Effective Discounts

Price still drives action. Back-to-school shoppers are often price-sensitive, especially parents buying for multiple children. Offering time-limited discounts, bundle back-to-school deals (like “buy 2 get 1 free”), or free shipping thresholds can encourage larger orders.

For example, create a “Back-to-School Essentials Bundle” with popular items like lunch boxes, water bottles, and pencil cases. You can also add countdown timers or “only X left in stock” badges to create urgency and boost conversions.

2. Leveraging Product Reviews and Ratings

Social proof is key. “About one-third of consumers consistently prioritize product reviews and ratings”. Highlighting high-rated products (4+ stars) on your product pages and ads can build trust and drive conversions.

Dropship bestsellers that already have proven traction on platforms like Amazon. You can also encourage happy customers to leave reviews by offering small incentives or post-purchase follow-ups.

3. Focusing on Environmental and Social Initiatives

Modern consumers, especially Gen Z and millennial parents, care about sustainability. School items with eco-friendly packaging, recyclable materials, or social impact stories (like donating to education causes) are more likely to grab attention.

If you're selling reusable water bottles, biodegradable lunch boxes, or recycled notebooks, highlight those features in your product listings and ads. Use clear icons like “100% recyclable” or “BPA-free” to boost appeal.

4. Tapping into Social Commerce and Influencer-Driven Shopping

Influencers now drive a big part of back-to-school purchases, especially on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Many students and parents search for “back-to-school hauls” or “what’s in my backpack” videos before making decisions.

Collaborate with micro and macro influencers, parent bloggers, and student creators in your target market to showcase your products. Also, enable direct shopping from social platforms through TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping, or by linking to your store from content.

Conclusion

Back-to-school supplies are a niche market that can be profitable for a long time. Most back-to-school products have a steady demand throughout the year. And after the back-to-school season, you'll also have opportunities to increase dropshipping sales on Black Friday, Christmas, and more.

If you’re interested in dropshipping the products mentioned in this blog or have other product ideas, you can send us a sourcing request or contact us directly. We’ll help you source the products you want straight from Chinese manufacturers at competitive prices.

Once sourced, you can easily import the products to your store using the SourcinBox app, where your store orders will sync automatically. We’ll then pack and ship the products directly and quickly to your customers.

For more winning product ideas, be sure to check out our YouTube channel and explore trending items on TikTok!