LTK, a shopping platform powered by creator content, has released a Back-to-School Creator Playbook. This report summarises key findings related to LTK’s Back-to-School Consumer Study conducted in April 2025.

Creators growing in importance:

Percentage of consumers making purchases through Creators during B2S:

• Gen Z - 86% (+27% YoY)
• Millennials - 76% (+16% YoY)
• Gen X - 72% (+5% YoY)
• Gen Pop - 68% (+4% YoY)

Key insight:

Promoting trending items with availability will be more important this year.

Most important back-to-school purchase factors:  

LTK Users

• Availability
• Brand
• Price
• Quality (tie)
• Convenience (tie)

General Population

• Price
• Quality
• Availability
• Convenience
• Brand

Percentage of consumers shopping for back-to-school this year:

• 75% Gen Z
• 79% Millennials
• 71% Gen X
• 67% General Population
• 94% of LTK‘s 40 million users
• 93% of college shoppers

LTK user Back-to-School searches:

• Teacher outfits 
• Sneakers 
• Back to school 
• Family photo outfits 
• Game day outfit 
• Homecoming dress 
• Backpack 
• Toddler girl/boy outfits 
• Back to School outfits 
• College outfits

70% prefer video content for Back-to-School

Anticipated shopping start for the general population:

62% of Gen Pop shop late July-early Sept

• 1 - Late May: 9%
• 2 - Early June: 8%
• 3 - Late June: 8%
• 4 - Early July: 13%
• 5 - Late July: 19%
• 6 - Early August: 23%
• 7 - Late August: 9%
• 8 - Early September: 11%

Get to know the college shopper:

Shopping peaks early August - Purchases for self and children 

• 78% Shopping for self 
• 49% Buying for children
• 55% Majority shopping online

Top categories college shoppers plan to buy

• Adult Clothing
• Adult Shoes
• Accessories
• Core Supplies
• Beauty & Personal Care
• Gear (Backpacks, Lunchboxes, Water Bottles)

What’s trending on LTK College

• Coordinated activewear
• Noise-cancelling earbuds
• Retro styles

Get to know Gen Z shopper:

Peaks early August

• 61% Shopping for self
• 71% Plan to spend more or the same
• 54% Like to watch Creators post deals and savings
• 91% Plan to shop sales during Back-to-School

Top categories Gen Z shoppers plan to buy

• Adult Clothing
• Adult Shoes
• Core Supplies
• Gear Backpacks, Lunchboxes, Water Bottles
• Accessories
• Beauty & Personal Care

What’s trending on LTK Gen Z

• Capri pant revival
• Jelly sandals
• "No makeup" makeup

Get to know the Millennial shopper:

Shopping peaks in late July

Shops earlier

• 64% Shopping for children and majority also plan to make self-purchases
• 43% Majority shopping online

More spending power than Gen Pop

• 79% More or the same spending power YoY
• 70% Plan to spend more or the same on Back-to-School

Top categories Millennial shoppers plan to buy

• Kids’ Clothes
• Kids’ Shoes
• Core Supplies
• Gear Backpacks, Lunchboxes, Water Bottles
• Accessories
• Adult Clothes

What’s trending on LTK Millennials

• Aesthetic-driven essentials
• Functional footwear
• Bento boxes

Read the full report here.