Back-to-School 2025: Amid Tariff Fears, Only 22% of Parents Feel Brands Try to Build a Relationship

Why This Season Feels Different 

Back-to-school shopping remains a key moment for retailers, although this year it comes with heightened financial pressure. Parents are approaching the season with caution, balancing rising costs, economic uncertainty, and a clear desire to feel understood. 

Optimove’s latest report, Back-to-School 2025: The Empathy Imperative, shows that only 22% of parents feel brands are really trying to build a real relationship with them. The vast majority believe companies are simply trying to close a sale. At the same time, 81% are concerned about tariffs, and nearly half (46%) cite budget pressure as their biggest worry. 

In a season defined by financial and emotional strain, retailers must go beyond standard promotions. Those that lead with empathetic engagement, timely offers, and personalized experiences will be best positioned to earn trust and loyalty. 

See more details in the chart below:

Loyalty is Real, But So is Price Sensitivity 

Even with growing financial pressure, parents are not lowering their standards. Eight out of ten say quality is the most important factor in their back-to-school purchases, followed closely by price. That balance between value and cost is shaping how they shop and which brands they choose. 

Brand loyalty appears strong, with 87% of parents saying they are likely to buy from the same brand as last year. But that loyalty has limits. 78% admit that a well-timed discount or promotion could change their mind. 

To stay top of mind, brands need more than recognition. They need to deliver timely value, personalized offers, and a clear understanding of what families are going through.  

Consumers Want Empathy, Not Just Messages 

Too many brands are talking to parents instead of connecting with them, and shoppers are tuning out. 

While personalization is gaining traction and becoming a staple for retailers, it often misses the mark. Parents want messages that reflect their real needs, not just their purchase history. Sixty-seven percent (67%) value timely and relevant communication, but 85% unsubscribe when they feel overwhelmed. 

The problem isn’t volume alone. It’s intent. Sixty percent (60%) of parents believe companies are just pushing to close sales. Clearly, when personalization feels transactional instead of thoughtful, it does more harm than good.  

Positionless Marketing Powers Empathy in Practice 

Empathy is not just tone. It is a strategy that depends on timing, context, and execution. However, most marketing teams still rely on workflows that are too slow and fragmented to keep up with fast-changing customer needs. 

Positionless Marketing gives marketers that ability. By removing silos and allowing teams to act independently, it helps brands adapt in real time. Whether it is launching a promotion in response to a pricing shift or adjusting tone and frequency based on customer fatigue, marketers gain the flexibility to respond faster and more thoughtfully. 

AI plays a key role here. It allows marketers to scale personalization without losing the human touch. For retailers navigating a sensitive season, that kind of agility is what makes empathy possible. This shift allows brands to move from being just vendors to becoming trusted partners during a sensitive shopping season. 

From Insight to Action: Practical Steps for Empathetic Marketing 

Positionless Marketing enables teams to move faster and respond with empathy. The following six priorities show where that agility can have the greatest impact during the back-to-school season: 

1. Lead with empathy: Acknowledge the pressures parents are facing and reflect that awareness in tone, timing, and messaging. Transparency about pricing, promotions, and product availability builds trust.
2. Prioritize long-term value: Focus on solutions that help families plan and save, such as bundles, durable goods, or loyalty rewards, rather than relying on aggressive, short-term promotions.
3. Support budget flexibility: Provide payment options like buy-now-pay-later or installment plans to ease the burden of seasonal spending.
4. Personalize with precision: Use data to tailor messages to each shopper’s context. Instead of increasing frequency, deliver fewer, more relevant messages.
5. Streamline the omnichannel experience: Parents need to move easily between online and in-store touchpoints, with consistent service, accurate inventory, and flexible fulfillment. 72% expect real-time, personalized interactions, making speed and accuracy essential.
6. Offer planning tools: Help parents stay in control with budget checklists, curated recommendations, and user reviews that simplify decision-making.  

Empathy Should Be a Long-Term Strategy, Not a Seasonal Tactic 

Empathy may be at the forefront of this back-to-school season, but it is not just a response to temporary pressure. It is becoming a defining expectation. When parents say they feel unheard, overwhelmed, or reduced to a transaction, they are not just reacting to marketing volume. They are reacting to how brands choose to show up in moments that matter. 

In a period of economic uncertainty, empathy becomes even more critical. Families are adjusting not only their budgets but their expectations around how brands communicate and support them. 

Retailers who treat empathy as a mindset, not a message, will be better prepared to build long-term loyalty. Those who structure their teams to act on that empathy consistently will move faster and connect more meaningfully. 

In Summary: Explore the Full Findings 

Download the full Back-to-School 2025: The Empathy Imperative report for deeper insights on how consumer expectations are shifting, and how Positionless Marketing can help retailers respond with consistency and care.