Kamil Szabłowski – OLX
This is perfectly illustrated by OLX data, which show that in August, the traditional month of increased interest in textbooks, platform users intensively search for items constituting room furnishings and… musical instruments.
The school starter kit has more and more components
According to OLX data, alongside notebooks, books, or backpacks, Poles have started searching for items that are necessary for a student’s functioning, but go beyond the catalog of those traditionally defined as a school starter kit. This is confirmed by a significant increase in interest in musical instruments, the searches for which increased year-on-year by nearly 22% (July-August 2026 vs July-August 2025). In practice, this means that the actual cost of preparing a student for school may be significantly higher than initially assumed. And these assumptions, according to research, most often ranged from PLN 251 to 500 (29%). Every fifth parent (20%) planned it to be between PLN 501 and 750, and 16% expected a budget at the level of PLN 751-1000[1].
Fewer expenses for the traditional starter kit, more for room furnishings and electronics
OLX data show how the catalog of school expenses is changing. It turns out that compared to last year, the number of people interested in the traditional school starter kit is decreasing. In 2025, between July and August, the increase in the number of searches in this category was 19.5%, while forecasts for the analogous period of the current year assume that searches will be 10.3% higher. However, this does not mean that parents are limiting school-related expenses. Platform data show that they are rather shifting them to other categories. This is evidenced by the increase in traffic in categories related to room furnishings. According to OLX, the number of searches for bookcases increased year-on-year by over 8%, and for children’s desks by over 2% (year-on-year). Electronics enjoy a level of interest similar to last year’s and remain in the TOP 10 searched categories.
- Today, the school starter kit is no longer a list limited to notebooks, textbooks, or a backpack. Increasingly, it also includes room furnishings, electronics, and even items related to developing a child’s interests, such as musical instruments or sports equipment. This means that the actual budget needed to prepare a student for the new school year can be much higher than we initially assume. Therefore, it is worth looking for bargains and comparing available offers. A solution that can effectively reduce expenses is also second-hand items. It is worth considering them especially in the case of the most expensive elements of the starter kit, such as electronics or furniture, because choosing used equipment or furnishings can bring very concrete savings. The same applies to textbooks. Buying used books is a simple way to limit costs, especially when part of the school starter kit can be purchased in good condition for a fraction of the price of new copies – says Kamil Szabłowski, PR & Communication Manager at OLX.
Supply accelerates before the start of the school year
August is the period when interest in textbooks traditionally grows, and this is reflected in supply, which increases starting as early as July. This is a repeatable pattern perfectly illustrated by last year’s data – in 2025, the number of offers remained stable at around 355–365 thousand until June, after which it grew sharply from July, reaching about 680 thousand listings at the turn of August and September – i.e., about 90% higher than the baseline level. The situation looks similar in the current year – after a drop in the number of offers in June, the market accelerated again, and by July 21, the number of active listings increased by 16% compared to June. July data thus confirm a repeatable seasonal pattern, which suggests that in the coming weeks the number of listings will grow dynamically. For consumers, this can be a signal not to rush purchases, because a larger number of offers means a wider choice, and thus a greater chance of finding the most price-favorable proposition.
[1] PayPo, DIY survey conducted on the Omnisurv platform by IQS on July 23-26, 2026. Parents of children aged 3 to 18, N=500.
