Back To School boost sees online revenues rise +5.3 percent year-on-year, Wunderkind’s data shows

Back To School, an increasingly important trading period for UK retailers, delivered a welcome boost to online retail revenues, according to the latest data from Wunderkind, the AI-driven performance marketing solution.

Original data from Wunderkind’s Marketing Pulse, which analysed over 55.4 million customer journeys during the start-of-school shopping season during 2024 and 2023, showed that web revenues for Back To School 2024 rose +5.3 percent year-on-year, delivering a welcome uplift in retail sales.

Wunderkind’s data showed that Thursday 29th August was the biggest revenue-generating day of the 2024 Back To School season, when online sales rose +46 percent on the daily average for the period (26th Aug – 8th Sep), as parents surged to make pre-term purchases. Monday 2nd September, the first day of the school year for many, saw the highest converting day of Back To School, with web conversions up +10 percent on the daily average, as final start-of-term spending and last-minute purchases were made.

As well as the opportunity to grow sales, the event also provides retailers with a timely opportunity to engage existing shoppers and acquire new customers ahead of the all-important Golden Quarter, delivering future engagement opportunities to win share of wallet during Peak Trading, Wunderkind suggests.

Wulfric Light-Wilkinson, International GM of Wunderkind, emphasised the strategic importance of the Back To School period, commented:  “In addition to being a profitable sales window on its own, Back To School serves as a critical precursor to the Golden Quarter, positioning brands for a successful peak season. Retailers that perform well during Back To School typically carry that momentum into strong Black Friday and Christmas campaigns, as they benefit from acquiring new customers and capturing valuable first-party data for use in Q4.”

Light-Wilkinson also highlighted the growing challenges in paid third-party channels, noting: “As platforms like social media, search, and display become more competitive and costly, brands must focus on optimising their owned channels. By building first-party data, retailers can drive more cost-efficient conversions and deliver personalised, one-to-one experiences during pivotal trading periods.”