Back to school is just around the corner, which is why today, Shipt, the same-day delivery company and shopping accomplice, is releasing the Ultimate School Shopping Guide to help parents, teachers and college students navigate what to buy ahead of the return to school. Shipt also tapped its trusted brand ambassador and mother of two, Kristen Bell, to offer her expertise in back to school preparation.

Known for their personalized shopping experience, Shipt recently polled parents, caregivers, teachers and college students to uncover the top must-have school supplies for back to school preparation. Rooted in insights from the survey as well as proprietary Shipt data, the same-day delivery company created the Ultimate School Shopping Guide, a shoppable menu of school essentials to assist consumers throughout the retail season. Available on the Shipt app now, customers can purchase everything they need for the first day ahead of time with ease.

“Back to school season is incredibly exciting - new school supplies, new teachers and new routines - but can also feel overwhelming and stressful with all that’s needed to prepare and purchase,” said Rina Hurst, Chief Business Officer at Shipt and mother of two young kids. “After a summer of free time and fun activities, it’s difficult to get back into the mindset of the school season, which is why Shipt is taking the guesswork out of back to school shopping this year. Our Ultimate School Shopping Guide makes back to school shopping easy by sharing insights from parents, teachers and students around the country on what products you really need to purchase this year, and where you can save your budget. With just a few, easy steps, you can have your entire Ultimate School Shopping Guide delivered right to your door so you can focus on getting organized and ready for the busy year ahead.”

July is the most popular time to begin school shopping, according to teachers (50%) as well as parents and caregivers (37%). So, where should shoppers start? According to Shipt’s Ultimate Shopping Guide, here are the top insights to know: 

• No Back-to-Back Backpacks: To no surprise, backpacks are one of the hottest items to purchase for parents of students, with a staggering 84% of parents purchasing a new backpack every year. 

• Write This One Down: While nearly half of parents (41%) claim they buy just 5-15 pens or pencils for the year, those same supplies are what more than half of parents (52%) claim their children run out of the fastest.

• Classroom SOS: For those looking to lend a helping hand, the top two items that teachers run out of the fastest in their classroom are pencils and dry erase markers (last year alone, Shipt delivered nearly 5,000 dry erase marker packs!).

• Lunch Box Ready: Preparing school lunches is a full time job for some parents with over one in four (28%) reporting that they purchase school snacks and lunch supplies on a daily basis. Did you know over 27 million packages of Cheez-Its® were sold last year around back to school season, as well as 23 million packages of Goldfish® and nearly 900,000 Nature Valley Granola Bars, according to Shipt data?   

• Digital Classrooms: In addition to pens, notebooks, calculators and books, teachers are also purchasing bigger ticket items this back-to-school season with 72% planning to purchase an electronic tablet for school use. 

• Dorm Room Decorators: Living in a college dorm is likely the first time students have total control over their bedroom decor – so, what will they do with this new found freedom? Over half plan to use photos to decorate (59%) or store-bought art (58%). Additional dorm room must-haves include bedding sets with pillows, microwaves, towels and lamps.

• Keepin’ It Cool: Whether you’re hosting, studying or late night-snacking, don’t forget to add a mini fridge to your dorm room must-haves this school year. Almost half of college students (44%) report that they’ve purchased a mini fridge in the past and plan to do so again. And, what’s the number one item stocked in their mini fridges? One in three college students (33%) say beverages. 

In addition to the survey’s data-driven insights, Kristen Bell, mother of two with years of back to school preparation, also shared her recommendations on must-have supplies, including Yoobi Ring Binders, re(zip) Lay Flat Leak Proof Reusable Lunch Bags, Hello Bello Organic Kids’ Multivitamin Fruit and Veggie Vegan Gummies, Yoobi Chalk Markers and more.

"As a mother of two active children, I'm always striving to plan ahead and relying on trusted resources to help my family get everything done,” said Kristen Bell, actress and mother. “A back to school shopping hack I will never go without is Shipt’s personalized shopping and same-day delivery. I know I can count on my preferred shopper to get the kids’ must-have school supplies and snack essentials without worry.”

To celebrate the season, the same-day delivery platform is also putting the wheels on its own bus by launching a series of exciting events in New York City (7/20-7/21), Boston (7/23-7/24), Philadelphia (7/27-7/28), and Baltimore (8/1-8/2). The family-friendly Shipt Back to School Bus will showcase this year’s trending products; share helpful insights for parents, teachers and students; offer fun, interactive games and more! For specific locations for each city, follow Shipt on Instagram (@Shipt). 

In the spirit of being everyone’s go-to shopping accomplice, Shipt and Kristen Bell are donating 2,000 backpacks valued at nearly $50,000 to Operation Backpack®, an initiative through the non-profit, Volunteers of America, dedicated to connecting children in need with new backpacks filled with grade-specific school supplies. Attendees are invited to join Shipt on the tour by building backpacks on-site for Shipt and Kristen Bell to donate on their behalf. If you are interested in donating to Operation Backpack, Shipt encourages you to do so through their website at https://www.voa.org/operation-backpack. 

To find out more information on Shipt and to download the Shipt app, visit www.shipt.com and follow Shipt on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. For visuals and media assets, download our press kit here.