Merchants project boost in school supply sales for this weekend
A few days before the bell rings to mark the start of the 2026-2027 school year in the Dominican Republic, the commercial sector maintains high expectations. Sellers hope that this weekend will be key for inventory movement, taking advantage of the fact that Saturday, August 15, coincides with the payday for a large part of the working class.
The public education system’s school calendar has set the return to classrooms for next Monday, August 24, a day on which the integration of more than two million students across the national territory is expected.
Commercial sector expectations
To date, the sales flow has been rated as fair by those in charge at various establishments. However, there is palpable optimism among employees, who see the days leading up to the start of classes as the ideal opportunity to reach their sales goals.
- Backpacks and notebooks top the list of most demanded items.
- Uniforms and footwear are seeing an increase in customer traffic.
- A sustained increase in demand is projected until the first day of school.
The perspective of Dominican families
For many parents and guardians, financial planning is essential when preparing for back-to-school. Such is the case for Carolina, a mother who went to do her shopping after receiving her salary, a common practice among Dominican families who adjust their budget to the payment schedule.
I was waiting to get paid. You know that the person who works always has to wait to get paid to buy school supplies.
Carolina, mother.
When asked about the cost of the items, the citizen pointed out that, although some products such as backpacks have experienced a slight upward adjustment, prices remain within the usual ranges for each season. Carolina reported that she made an investment of nearly 8,000 Dominican pesos to cover the academic requirements for one of her children.
With the weekend just around the corner, commercial establishments are expected to receive a higher volume of families looking to complete their school supply lists, thus ensuring that students have everything they need to start the new school year successfully.
