As the new semester approaches, study supplies are experiencing strong sales. Photo: VCG

As the new semester approaches, sales of study supplies and electronic products are entering peak season, with China's "back-to-school economy" continuing to heat up.
 
At a Miniso store in Beijing's The Place shopping mall, the stationery section has seen three times the usual number of shoppers after school hours, mostly primary and middle school students. A representative of the store told the Global Times that notebooks co-branded with popular cartoons are particularly popular, while parents prefer practical stationery.

"My child is starting third grade this semester. Since assignments, reading notes and composition books all need to be updated to match the new grade, we always buy a fresh set. Teachers are strict and advise us not to buy stationery that is more playful than practical," a parent surnamed Liu told the Global Times at the store.

Similar trends can be observed in other regions. "This month, stationery sales have been robust, with revenue up nearly 50 percent compared with normal periods.

Distinctive gel pens and cartoon-themed notebooks are especially popular with students, with dozens sold daily," a stationery shop owner in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province, told the Xinhua News Agency on Monday.

Beyond study necessities, digital products are also experiencing strong sales as students upgrade their devices. Incentives such as government subsidies, discounts on e-commerce platforms, and promotions from retailers and financial institutions are fueling the replacement boom.

Data from Chinese shopping platform Smzdm.com showed that smartphones, earphones, tablets and computers remain students' top picks, while action cameras have quickly gained ground this year thanks to their portability and suitability for sports and travel, especially among student users. Digital products equipped with artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies are also attracting more attention.

On Tuesday, Chinese stationery maker Deli's zipper pencil case topped the hot-selling chart on the platform.

Suning.com's recent "818 Home Appliance and 3C Consumption Insights" report showed that during the back-to-school season, combined with the "818" shopping festival, sales of laptops, tablets and smartwatches rose 184 percent, 129 percent and 94 percent year-on-year, according to Xinhua.

Experts noted that consumers are placing a greater emphasis on quality, a trend extending beyond food and apparel to learning and work-related products. Electronic learning devices are valued for their practicality, while well-designed, functional stationery appeals to young buyers. More broadly, the shift reflects rising demand for efficiency, health, and individuality.

Bian Yongzu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine, said that multiple factors are driving the upgrade in back-to-school consumption. 

"China's economic growth and higher household incomes allow parents to invest more in their children's education. At the same time, the digital era has made electronic tools essential in both study and daily life. In addition, shifting consumption concepts, reinforced by the spread of the internet and artificial intelligence, are narrowing urban-rural gaps and reducing the digital divide, leading students from different backgrounds to show increasingly similar consumption patterns," Bian told the Global Times.

He emphasized that this trend not only fuels an upgrade in student-related consumption, but also reflects Chinese society's broader transition toward a more equalized and digitally unified era of consumer awareness.

Similar consumer behavior was observed in summer tourism, with data from Chinese travel platforms showing a clear trend toward higher-quality experiences.

A statement from Fliggy on Tuesday sent to the Global Times said that the average order value during the summer vacation increased by 9.9 percent year-on-year. With more students and families traveling, demand surged for trips that included cultural and entertainment experiences.

Students were particularly active this summer, Fliggy said. The share of student travelers continued to rise. The average order value rose 15.1 percent year-on-year, suggesting a shift toward higher-quality, more immersive travel experiences among university students.

Global Times