Back-to-School Sales Expected to Rise

As the summer comes to a close, families are clambering to secure essential back-to-school products. And according to the National Retail Federation (Washington, D.C.), this year is expected to be the most profitable back-to-school shopping season ever.

School supplies sales are on this rise. Families with children in elementary school through high school are projected to spend an average of $696 this year, an increase of 2 percent from last year, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Families with college students plan to spend $976, up 3.7 percent from last year.

An expected $26.2 billion will be spent on school gear this shopping season.