Since when did "Back to School" uniforms start being sold before they children have even broken up for the..

Question

..Summer!

I always look forward to taking my Grandsons to buy their school uniforms before they go back to school in September but my daughter-in-law tells me that she has already bought it for them - to save money!!!!

I can't believe that school uniforms are already on sale and can't believe that she can buy them now not knowing how the the boys might grow over the Summer.

I always bought my boys their back to school uniforms in August and that was when they went on sale anyhow not before the schools had even broken up!

What do others think of this practice?

Answer 1

Some people like to prepare early. People are busy nowadays and many women with children are working and might not have time to go shopping at the times you think are right.

Answer 2

It's called merchandising.

Merchants have to make a living.  One way they do this is to always have their eye on the next big reason people shop.  Once the Fourth of July is over, that would be the beginning of the school year.

One can't blame them - this is a down economy.

Answer 3

I refer you to my answer to your other question.  Mind your own business. If she wants to get her children's clothes now then that's her business not yours. and to answer your question, the "practice" is perfectly legitimate.

Answer 4

Well, I have a wardrobe for my 3year8month old until she is 6, and one for my 7 month old until he is 3. I usually shop in the "off" season for any clothes. To me an 80.00 winter coat for 15.00 is well worth buying it in the spring, and waiting to wear it untill the winter. It's very financiall savy, and to me is logical to plan ahead, and have what you need before you need it. I don't see anything wrong with buying the untiform early, if size is an issue it can be tailored.

Answer 5

Well, they put the Easter stuff out on February 15, and Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving, so I'm not surprised by school uniforms being out already. I've only just begun to see them in the stores, so there's not much selection yet. But my kids have been out of school since mid May, and have just 8 weeks until they go back, so it's really not early.

Answer 6

Don't blame her blame the retailers.  They push everything up heck Christmas stuff is out in Oct or Nov now.  My daughter is not in school but my wife is already buying fall clothes because they are in the store and people are buying up all the sizes so we are guessing about her size. She is trying to buy mix and match outfits so we spend less. She wants the tops to go with most if not all her bottoms and vice versa. She did want to buy a plain white shirt for her and saw a back to school line on line. We went to the store and they are already sold out.  They said that they had a sale and people not wanting to spend more in a month came in and just bought all of the size their child is now and the next size incase they grow.   When it is actually back to school time there is nothing left in the store and what is there is horribly over priced

Answer 7

I was at Hobby Lobby today.  Not only are their Fall items displayed at the front of the store, but there are isles and isles of Christmas ornaments, trees and decorations.  Some people are "early shoppers" I guess.  Its also highly likely that the stores run specials specifically for those people.  It helps sales while there aren't really any major holidays going on.  I know some places bring out last years items first, then bring out the newer stuff closer to the start of school (or holiday).

Answer 8

I think your daughter in law has done the right thing.

I doubt very much that HER sons will have grown that much over the summer and even if they have she could go back and exchange for larger sizes.

Answer 9

in northern Ireland the schools break up on 30th June i have already bought my sons uniform for September because i like to be organised and unless i feed him steroids i cant see him growing out of them before September. your daughter-in-law needs an award for putting up with you

Answer 10

When Christmas started at Halloween.

Answer 11

It helps mums budget better ,if they've got a few children , to be able to spread the cost over a couple of months rather than a couple of weeks

Answer 12

Joan it isn't that unusual.Just look at seasonal items for example.Summer won't be halfway through and you just can't find summer basics like swimsuits or sandals, splash pools or rakess.However you will be able to find heavy sweaters and snow suits and snow shovels .The garden centre of one of our local supermarkets is closing in a couple of weeks.You will notice very few stores allow shelves to sit empty.No sooner are Thanksgiving items off the shelf than the space is filled with Hallowe'en items.Don't blink twice because the day after Oct.31 and it is Christmas items. Business market to attract customers before their competitors.School uniforms are no exception.Thebottom line is sell,sell sell.

Answer 13

We had Easter Eggs in our local supermarket 2 days after Christmas.  As for the uniforms.  it's a bit silly to buy them so early children usually have a growth spurt during the summer break, and then nothing fits them!

Answer 14

Actually, my mum, who I hold in the highest esteem as she is the most sensible person I know, usually bought school uniforms before the schools broke up, or at least in the first couple of weeks. As my brother is now 28 shops must have been selling school clothes before the holidays for at least 24 years, as he started school aged 4. My mum found that things like blazers (when we were in secondary school) tend to sell out quite early, and if you leave it too long you can't find them in the first shop you go to and have to trawl the town looking for the items you need. Not much fun for you or the kids. My friend's mum once left buying her blazer until August and couldn't find one in the right size so had to go to a specialist school uniform shop for it and pay loads extra. So the earlier you get the uniform the better really. I'm sure your DIL was sensible and got clothes with a little bit of room in them. Kids don't shoot up 3 feet in six weeks! Also, in response to your other question, as a teacher I think the children in my class look lovely and smart in their supermarket uniforms. They are perfectly decent and correct uniforms and you can't tell the difference between them and, say, Marks and Spencer uniforms unless you look at the labels. Think of all the money you have saved as your DIL has already bought the uniforms. Perhaps you can use it to take the kids out and have fun with them during the holidays?

Answer 15

Sounds like a sensible move on your DIL's part.  If the boys grow out of them before the school year starts (and, well, they're growing *during* the school year, too - so, even buying them in August doesn't guarantee that you'll get full use out of them), she can return or exchange them if they're unworn at that time & still benefit financially from thinking ahead & buying them on sale.  

She'll also benefit from not having to listen to you telling her what she should & should not buy for her own children & I'm sure that standing in the exchange/return line, if necessary, is a small price to pay in comparison to that.