Back-to-school shopping is retail's holiday season of the summer

If Prime Day and similar mid-July flash savings events are the new Black Friday in July, that would make the back-to-school shopping season the summer equivalent of December holiday shopping.

Data from the NRF projects back-to-school spending to reach 80.7 billion dollars, and clothing and accessories top the list of expenses for children.

Retail analyst Edited noted that the back-to-school season does not have a clearly defined start or end date. While June and September have stood out as peak times for new product arrivals in back-to-school categories, July eclipsed June in arrivals by 36 percent last year.

As such, Edited reported that Prime Day is becoming an incentive for retailers to deliver on time for back-to-school sales. Several Amazon competitors offered alternative sales events in mid-July this year to contend with Prime Day and as a result, parents choosing to shop for back-to-school items in July over June and September.

Athleisure is the best performing back-to-school apparel category

According to Edited's research, parents and children alike are opting for comfort and function, making athleisure the top selling category for back-to-school clothing. Top products include sweatshirts, track pants and sneakers.

Additionally, gender fluid clothing options are gaining traction, as childrenswear dubbed as "unisex" has increased by 870 percent year over year in the U.S. market.

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