As the new semester approaches, students and parents have begun purchasing school supplies. Recently, reporters visited several bookstores and stationery shops across the city and found that merchants are launching a variety of promotional activities around the back-to-school economy. During the visits, it was noted that consumers’ mindsets are quietly shifting—placing greater emphasis on practicality and cost-effectiveness, while shopping behavior is becoming more rational.

Buying Books—Parents Spare No Expense

The Lanzhou Book Fair is currently in full swing. Many students, either with friends or accompanied by parents, came to browse and shop. The exhibition areas are divided into themes such as science, lifestyle, art, children’s literature, social sciences, and educational publications. Major publishers and bookstores have launched promotions like “discounts on bulk purchases” and “free gifts with book buys,” attracting many families to stop and shop.

One parent attending the fair with her child shared:
“In our family, when it comes to buying books for the child, we basically say yes to any request. A few years ago, my child mostly read children’s literature, such as works by Cao Wenxuan and Yang Hongying. Over the past year or two, he’s been more interested in social science books, like A History of the World in 100 Objects from the British Museum or Exploring the Ocean. We let his interests guide his choices.”
The parent explained that reading brings benefits such as expanding knowledge and providing spiritual fulfillment—things that cannot be gained by doing exercises alone. That’s why she insists her child reads every week and is always willing to buy the books he likes.

In the tutoring materials section of the fair, many parents were carefully comparing different editions of textbooks and workbooks, prioritizing practical and reasonably priced products. Ms. Li, who was with her daughter about to start junior high, was attentively reviewing a math guidebook. She said:
“These days we look for ‘fewer but better’ books. For example, this one not only has detailed explanations but also includes online video tutorials. It’s more suitable for parents to help children identify and fill in their learning gaps.”

Shopping with a List—Buying Stationery as Needed

On the other side of the fair, the stationery section was also bustling with activity. Reporters observed that many families came prepared with shopping lists, checking items as they went to avoid impulse purchases.

“We follow the principle of not wasting. Before coming here, we organized the study desk, reviewed what we already had, and streamlined the list to match real needs and a set budget. We only buy essential study supplies and a few daily necessities,” said one parent. “For example, we only replenish broken pens and notebooks rather than buying a full new set. The money saved can be spent on a couple of extra books—that’s a real educational investment.”

A staff member at the exhibition explained:
“For the back-to-school season, we launched an 8.8% discount across the board, highlighting practical and cost-effective items, such as domestically made fountain pens and eco-friendly notebooks, which are proving very popular.”

“Since my child grew quite a bit over the summer, I’m taking advantage of the promotions to buy a few clothes so he’ll have something new to wear when school starts,” said Ms. Wang, who visited a nearby mall after the book fair. She added, “Right now summer clothes are heavily discounted—a T-shirt costs just over 30 yuan, which is a great deal.”

Reporters also found that this back-to-school period coincides with summer clearance sales and the launch of autumn collections. Many sports brands and children’s clothing and shoe stores in shopping malls have introduced “back-to-school refresh” promotions. Some lifestyle stores have also joined the back-to-school economy chain by offering bundles of “stationery + daily essentials.” One woman told reporters that since her child grows quickly, she often stocks up on clothes and shoes during sales that he can wear next year, helping to save on expenses.

Overall, back-to-school consumption has shifted from the old habit of “full replacement” to the new trend of “targeted replenishment,” with both merchants and consumers promoting a rational, sustainable shopping culture.

Declaration: This article comes from Zhang Dan, All-Media Reporter of Lanzhou Daily(Lanzhou Evening News).If copyright issues are involved, please contact us to delete.