Every year from late July to August, the United States welcomes the annual back-to-school season. For parents and students, this is the peak season for back-to-school shopping; for cross-border sellers, it's one of the most sought-after summer traffic periods after Prime Day.

According to 2024 data from the National Retail Federation (NRF), back-to-school spending in the United States has reached $41.6 billion, with an average spending of over $890 per person. This figure covers not only K-12 students but also dormitory living expenses for college students, making it a strong demand period across all age groups.

Why is back-to-school considered the "golden time" for cross-border sales?

During back-to-school season, almost all major US e-commerce platforms focus on traffic driven by the back-to-school theme. For example:

Amazon, Walmart, Target, and eBay launched "Back to School Deals" pages, prioritizing categories like stationery, digital products, apparel, and dorm supplies.

Platforms like TikTok Shop and Temu also used short videos and viral content to drive conversions for related products, offering frequent fan benefits.

Families and students saw a significant increase in social media activity, leading to a surge in searches for keywords related to campus and the start of school.

This period not only boosts conversion rates and average order value, but also allows brands to penetrate the American household consumer scene and build long-term brand awareness.

Which categories are most likely to "explode" during back-to-school season?

Cross-border sellers can consider two main areas when selecting and deploying their products:

1. Essential school supplies

This category is characterized by essential demand, high repurchase rates, and relatively unsaturated competition from major brands. It is particularly well-suited for Chinese sellers with pricing advantages and supply chain control. Includes:

Notebooks, school bags, pencil cases, compass sets

Tablet stands, Bluetooth keyboards, children's study lights

Children's watches, student printers, small marking machines

2. Dormitory/Back-to-School Living

College students returning to campus are driving demand for essential products, particularly accommodation products, which are performing well on Amazon and Walmart. Hot-selling categories include:

Four-piece bedding sets, mattress protectors, storage bags

Small appliances (desk lamps, electric kettles, mini fans)

Portable water bottles, lunch bags, shoe racks, hooks

According to Google Trends data, search interest for "college dorm essentials" increases almost exponentially from July to August each year, indicating a continued traffic dividend for dormitory-themed products.

Behind the explosive growth: Fulfillment capabilities are key to success during peak season.

While the back-to-school season presents enormous opportunities, timeliness and inventory accuracy determine ultimate profits. American customers have very straightforward logistics requirements: on-time delivery, no errors, and flexible returns and exchanges. Platform ratings and store operations increasingly rely on shipping speed and return efficiency.

Especially on fast-paced platforms like Temu, TikTok Shop, and SHEIN, failure to achieve "72-hour delivery and accurate fulfillment" can easily lead to lost orders, system downgrades, and missed peak season windows.

At this time, stable and efficient US overseas warehouses are absolutely essential.

U-Speed US overseas warehouse: Helping you win the fulfillment battle during Back-to-School Season

To address sellers' cross-border fulfillment challenges, U-Speed has established two US overseas warehouses, located in the East Coast (New Jersey) and West Coast (Los Angeles), totaling over 20,000 square meters. They can handle 100,000 packages daily and are directly connected to multiple major platforms, making them officially certified semi-managed warehouses by Temu and SHEIN.

✅ Direct integration with multiple platforms for automated order processing

U-Speed has integrated with the dropshipping systems of TikTok, SHEIN, Temu, and AliExpress. This supports platform-driven order placement and real-time inventory synchronization, eliminating the need for sellers to repeatedly redirect orders or manually check inventory, reducing error rates.

✅ Supports a wide range of goods: general merchandise, electrical goods, and cosmetics.

From electrical school supplies and dorm appliances to sensitive cosmetics and apparel, U-Speed can legally and compliantly receive and ship goods. It caters to a wide range of categories and is ideal for medium- to large-scale sellers with structured product distribution.

✅ Refined warehouse management improves picking and turnover efficiency

U-Speed uses its proprietary WMS system for intelligent SKU zoning, allowing products to be stocked based on shipping frequency, effectively reducing shipping times. The warehouse is equipped with professional equipment such as PDAs, electronic scales, and pallets. Our SOP processes are detailed down to the picking sequence and packing size, significantly improving delivery stability during peak seasons.

✅ Swift Return and Relabel Processing

Back-to-school season brings high order volumes and a corresponding increase in return rates. U-Speed offers a 48-hour return warehousing and relabeling service, simultaneously updating system data to ensure timely resale, eliminating inventory pressure and profit losses.

Choose the right products and prepare your warehouse to win the final battle of summer.

For cross-border sellers, Back to School is more than just a promotional event; it's the final battle of the summer sprint. It connects household consumption with student needs, serving as the dividing line between back-to-school season, seasonal promotions, and the launch of fall and winter product categories.

Preparing inventory in advance is just the first step. Sellers who truly capitalize on this wave of traffic are those who master product, logistics, and platform operations. If you're looking for a partner who can truly solve your fulfillment, shipping, and returns challenges, you might want to check out U-Speed's US overseas warehouse and leverage warehousing efficiency to accelerate your sales.