A recent study by T-Bank and its partners offers a detailed forecast on how average consumer spending for school-related items is expected to shift as families prepare for the upcoming academic year.
T-Bank, in collaboration with its partners T-Pay instant payment service and `Dolyami` (Shares) installment payment service, has released a study predicting changes in average spending on school-related items as families prepare for September 1st.
Flower Purchases See Significant Boost
The study forecasts that the average check for flowers in August-September 2025 will reach 2,036 rubles, an 8% increase compared to the previous year (1,892 rubles). The peak shopping days for flowers are expected to be August 30th and 31st, with demand surging by 64% relative to the average daily level. After September 1st, activity is projected to decline sharply.
Apparel and Footwear Spending Rises
In the `Apparel and Footwear` category, the average check for August-September 2025 is anticipated to be 3,244 rubles, marking a 9% increase from the same period last year. According to ETNA`s forecast, the highest volume of purchases will occur on August 30th. Since clothing is bought year-round, the additional pre-school demand is modest, about 4% above the average daily spending for August-September.
Stationery Costs Remain Stable, Demand Surges
Spending on stationery is expected to remain comparable to last year, at approximately 489 rubles per purchase. The highest spending in monetary terms for stationery is predicted for August 31st, while the peak in the number of purchases will be on September 2nd. During the period between August 30th and September 5th, the volume of stationery purchases is projected to nearly double, with a 96% increase compared to the average daily level.
Books See Price and Volume Increase
For books, T-Pay data indicates an average check of 815 rubles in August-September, a 6% rise from the previous year (767 rubles). The primary surge in book purchases is expected on September 2nd. During the peak days, from August 30th to September 3rd, the volume of book purchases will more than double, showing a 101% increase relative to the average daily level.
Installment Payments Gain Popularity
The `Dolyami` service highlights a significant increase in interest for installment plan purchases in August compared to less active summer months. Specifically, the number of such purchases for footwear more than doubled (+114%), for flowers increased by nearly a fifth (+19%), for apparel by 10%, and for electronics by 4%. In monetary terms, turnover for footwear in August was almost twice as high as in June-July (+94%), for apparel up by 16%, for flowers by 17%, and for electronics by 16%. Meanwhile, the average check remained relatively stable: it increased by 5% for apparel and 11% for electronics, but decreased by 2% for flowers and 9% for footwear.
Growth in School Fundraising Services
T-Bank also noted a growing demand for banking services that facilitate voluntary collections for school needs, often organized by active parents or parent committees. The number of clients using T-Bank`s collection service surged almost 12-fold from January 2021 to January 2024, and more than doubled in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Over three years, the total number of specialized `school` collections increased six-fold.
This comprehensive study is based on anonymized transaction data from T-Bank and `Dolyami` clients between January 1, 2024, and August 20, 2025, complemented by calculations from the ETNA analytics and forecasting service.
