First-of-its-Kind Program Changes the School Supply Industry

• 

The Challenge

Each year, U.S. parents spend more than $4 billion for back-to-school supplies. Nearly all K-12 students (88%) are given lists of required supplies they will need at the start of the school year, adding stress for parents at an already frantic time. With the vast majority of school supply purchases influenced by teacher-provided lists, “making the list” can be integral to a brand’s back-to-school success.

The Solution

Enter TeacherLists, an award-winning digital platform that streamlines the school supply list process, making it easier for parents, schools, and our brand and retail partners. TeacherLists digitizes more than 1 million supply lists into a standard format, which allows them to be viewed and shared anywhere, including school websites, parent apps, in-store digital kiosks, national retailer websites, and on TeacherLists.com.

Our marketing efforts encourage teachers to include products from our brand partners on their lists. These lists—complete with branded items from our partners—are then easily converted into prepopulated shopping carts, making it simple for parents to purchase with one click.

The Results

In just five years, TeacherLists has grown to more than 1 million lists and has become the sole repository for school supply lists nationwide. Leading retailers—including Target and Staples—use TeacherLists to increase both conversion rates and average basket size as well as to make shopping for supplies easier for customers. Educational technology companies like Blackboard have incorporated TeacherLists directly into their school software programs, ensuring that parents have access to their children’s exact lists in the same place they rely on for school information. They even include direct links to national retailers, which makes the entire process seamless and more convenient for schools, teachers, and parents.