6 Back-to-School Items That are a Better Value on Amazon Than at Staples
Written by
Seychelle Thomas
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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Staples is almost synonymous with back-to-school season. They have budget-friendly deals on tons of back-to-school items, with certain products priced as low as 25 cents. Although Staples has great deals on school supplies, here are a few items with a lower price on Amazon.
Mead One-Subject College Ruled Spiral Notebooks
- Price: $9.88
If you’ve had spiral notebooks on your child’s back-to-school list, you may want to order them from Amazon instead of Staples for the best price. The six-pack of Mead one-subject spiral notebooks is on sale for under $10 at Amazon. Meanwhile, Staples has the same product for over twice the price at $22.09.Â
Texas Instruments TI-30XIIS Scientific Calculator
- Price: $9.48
It’s not always easy to find the right scientific calculator, so typically you’d go to Staples to find the one your up-and-coming scholar needs. However, the TI-30 that’s at Staples is $16.99. That’s $7.50 more compared to Amazon’s discounted price of $9.48 for the same item.
Zebra Pen Mildliner Double-Ended Creative Markers
- Price: $17.74
If you have a creative student who loves to make their own bullet journals or has a penchant for creating artwork, you may want to get these double-ended creative markers from Amazon for $17.74. It’s a savings of $2.55 off the price you’d find at Staples for the same 15-count of markers at $20.29.Â
Bentgo Kids Insulated Lunch Tote
- Price: $19.99
Instead of a hit-or-miss school lunch, make sure your little one has a healthy meal that keeps their brain fueled and ready to learn. The Bentgo kids insulated lunch bag is available at both Amazon and Staples. But you’ll get the best price at Amazon. At Staples, this lunch bag is $24.99, but Amazon has it for $19.99 which saves you $5.
Jansport Cross Town Plus Laptop Backpack
- Price: $33.02
A Jansport backpack is a school-year staple, and this year you’ll find a better deal for it on Amazon. It’s not a large discount compared to the price at Staples, but every penny counts. On Amazon, a Jansport laptop backpack costs $33.02, which saves you $6.97 compared to Staples.
Blue Sky Enterprise Academic Planner
- Price: $14.99
Between school, homework, and extracurriculars, it can be hard to stay organized without a good planner. This one from Staples costs $17.99 on sale, but Amazon has the same 2025 to 2026 academic planner for $14.99. It helps you plan out assignments and projects by the year, month or week with its clean layout.
Overall, Amazon’s lineup right now beats out Staples on price, selection, and fun factor. Grab this haul and watch the savings stack up. Plus, with Amazon Prime, you can get those school supplies quickly with two-day shipping, so you never have to set foot in the store.
Editor’s note: Pricing and availability may vary depending on location.
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