Every year, we see the back-to-school ads and promotions start a little earlier, as retailers race to beat out the competition. It’s the second-largest spending season of the year for retailers, and the pressure is on to bring in the most customers and, of course, the dollar signs.

This Global News article summarizes some key trends in Canadian back-to-school shopping this year. Here are some highlights worth noting:

• 79% of Canadians will shop for back-to-school online with Albertan’s spending the most at $201 online
• Two thirds of Canadians plan to start their back-to-school shopping in August (right now!)
• The average Canadian will spend $325 in stores