When it comes to back-to-school shopping , Walmart is one store you don’t want to skip. It’s easy to jump straight to Target back-to-school deals or hit up office supply stores, but Walmart back-to-school deals are some of the cheapest you’ll find, especially on basics like crayons, glue, and highlighters. And because everything’s in one place and stores stay open late, it’s an easy win for checking off a full supply list.
Walmart’s back-to-school deals kick off in June and run through early September. When you stack Walmart’s sale prices with Fetch and Ibotta rebates, it isn't uncommon to pay 50% - 75% less than regular prices, and in some cases, score free school supplies.
Based on how early Walmart rolled out deals last season, we expect a similar timeline in 2026, with school supply sales likely starting in late June.
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The Walmart Back-to-School Sale happens every summer, with rollback prices on clothing and supplies.
Walmart has a large section of rollback prices that begins early in the back-to-school shopping season (like June, early).
But the bulk of Walmart’s deals on school supplies happens in July when the back-to-school season is in full swing. You can pair Walmart’s low prices with Fetch and Ibotta rebates to maximize your savings.
KCL predicts the Walmart School Supplies Sale will begin on June 24, 2026.
Based on Walmart’s timing and pricing in recent years, KCL predicts the Walmart School Supplies Sale will begin June 24, 2026.
Walmart tends to quietly roll out its back-to-school deals. In 2025, the school supply sale kicked off on June 25, with select items priced as low as $0.25. Expect even more manufacturer coupons and rebate offers to stack with those low prices starting in early July.
7 Tips for Saving at the Walmart Back-to-School Sale
1. Print or clip coupons and use them with Walmart Back-to-School Sale prices.
Before you shop for Walmart school supplies, look for coupons you can use on common back-to-school brands like Crayola, Bic, Paper-Mate, Sharpie, and more.
Since Walmart accepts manufacturer coupons, you shouldn’t have a problem using one coupon per item on top of sale prices. Walmart will usually follow the manufacturer’s limitations stated on the coupon. However, it’s up to the store manager whether or not they’ll accept more than one of the same coupon on multiple items in a single transaction. Keep in mind, most coupons for school supplies have a limit of two.
Find all your top back-to-school coupons right here:
2. Earn cash back on Walmart school supplies with Ibotta and Fetch — and even score free items.
Ibotta regularly offers cash back on school supplies at Walmart, both in-store and online. For online deals, look for Walmart Cash Offers in your Ibotta app. Just link your Walmart account or upload your receipt after checkout.
Some deals even stack. In past years, we found $0.50 Five Star folders and got $1 back on two, making them totally free with Ibotta.
Before you shop, download Ibotta, search “Walmart,” and add your offers. Then either upload your receipt or just pay with a card saved to your Walmart account for automatic cash back.
If you use Fetch Rewards , you can link your Walmart account there too for extra rewards on in-store or online purchases.
3. Check prices while you shop with the barcode scanner in the Walmart app.
One thing we know for sure is that Walmart store prices and Walmart.com prices are not always the same. That’s where the Walmart price checker in the Walmart app (iOS/Android) comes in handy.
Open the Walmart app and tap the little barcode icon in the top right corner of your search bar. Then hold your phone over the item’s barcode to scan it and look up the online price. If you notice that the online price is lower, that’s when it’s time to ask for a price match.
4. Ask for a price match on school supplies if you find a better deal on Walmart.com.
Walmart price matches their own online prices. So if you scan an item in-store and there’s a lower price online, you can request the lower price at checkout. Just show the online price to an employee at the cash register or customer service desk and ask for a price match.
Items That Qualify for a Price Match:
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Identical in size, model, brand, color, etc.
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In stock on Walmart.com
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Sold and shipped by Walmart (and not from a third-party Marketplace seller)
5. Get free shipping with Walmart+ or when you spend more than $35 on school supplies online.
Hate in-store crowds? You can shop on Walmart.com and get free shipping with Walmart+ or on orders of $35 or more. You can’t use paper coupons, but it’s still a solid option, especially if you’ve already compared prices using our stock-up list. Plus, some cash-back offers still apply to online orders.
KCL TIP: Wanna try Walmart+ out for free? Sign up to get a free 30-day Walmart+ membership, no credit card required.
6. Find your school supply list on Walmart.com.
You can easily find the exact school supplies you need with Walmart’s School Supply List Finder on Walmart.com. Just enter your ZIP code to see a full list of schools in your area. Select your school from the results, pick the grade you’re shopping for, and get a full list of recommended items curated by Walmart.
If everything on your lists looks good, you can add all the items to your online cart at once, or save the list and shop in-store.
7. Hit up the Walmart back-to-school clearance at the end of August for even lower prices.
Don’t worry, procrastinators. Putting off shopping is no biggie with Walmart’s back-to-school clearance at the end of August. You may even be able to score clearance deals before school starts, depending on where you live.
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