Online back-to-school spending set to rise by 20% in 2026

Online sales for the 2026 back-to-school season are forecast to grow by 20%, with average order spending climbing to 198 euro. According to findings from Webloyalty, technology and computing items represent over half of all purchases, followed by books and clothing. The shift towards e-commerce comes as households look to compare prices and secure deals in the face of inflation and reduced savings, marking the start of the major autumn and winter retail period ahead of Black Friday and Christmas.

Online sales for the back-to-school period are projected to increase by 20% compared to the 2025 campaign, with the average spend per order reaching 198 euro, up from 181 euro last year. The projections have been published in the Back to School 2026 report by Webloyalty.

The average purchase amount is set to rise by 9% year-on-year, representing an accumulated increase of 30% since 2024, alongside a 10% growth in the total number of orders. Consumer electronics and computers will dominate purchases, accounting for 52% of the total, followed by books at 30% and children’s fashion at 18%.

This shopping period is taking place against a backdrop of increasing consumer prices and tighter household finances. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) concluded July with a year-on-year rate of 3.6%, according to final data from the National Statistics Institute, which is one-tenth of a percentage point higher than preliminary estimates.

Household savings fell to 11.3% of gross disposable income during the first quarter of the year, a drop of one percentage point compared to the previous year. Over the same period, consumer spending grew by 6.1%, outpacing the 5.1% rise in disposable income and placing tighter constraints on household budgets for seasonal costs.

According to Webloyalty, price comparison and the hunt for discounts explain a significant portion of the expected shift towards e-commerce. For retailers, the back-to-school period also represents the beginning of the most intense commercial stretch of the year, which will lead directly into Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Christmas shopping season.