This is a school story, so let us start with a little Econ 101: For many businesses, getting their stuff to you is their biggest logistical hurdle and often their biggest expense. That is why buying in bulk can mean discounts.
This is no great secret, of course. Just ask warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club. So, with back to school in mind, let us do a little investigative shopping in the school supplies sections. Take pencils for one. Buying a massive box of 150 pencils from Amazon put the per unit cost at 7 cents per pencil. That is significantly cheaper than the per-unit cost of 21 cents a pencil for a 30-pack of pencils also sold on Amazon.
Or take scissors for another example. Bulk pricing proved cheapest at 81 cents a pair in a bulk purchase from Amazon. But at $2.96 each, the bulk pricing at Costco was also the most expensive unit pricing of our investigative shopping trip.As stores compete for your back-to-school dollars, where you shop could help stretch your budget.