Next Generation Gift Card
Top Back to School Gift Cards for Every Student’s Needs
Back to school shopping does not have to mean going through a long list of notebooks, laptops, sneakers, school supplies, and everyday essentials. I find that one of the easiest ways to make the process more flexible is with a digital gift card.
Back to school gift cards give students and families the freedom to choose what they actually need, whether that means replacing an old laptop, stocking up on supplies, or picking up something they forgot at the last minute.
Shopping looks different for every student. Some may need to upgrade their technology, while others may be more focused on school supplies. When I look at back to school shopping this way, it’s clear that there are gift cards for almost every kind of need.
So, rather than simply listing popular options, I’ve looked at what each gift card can offer and why it could be useful for back to school shopping.
Here are 7 digital gift cards I think are worth considering before the new school year begins.
Top 7 Back to School Digital Gift Cards
| Store | Why I Like It | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | Laptops, headphones, tablets, accessories & other tech essentials | Tech-savvy students & college students |
| Walmart | School supplies, clothing, snacks, electronics & everyday essentials | Students who need a little bit of everything |
| Target | School supplies, clothing, dorm essentials, snacks & more | Back to school shopping in one place |
| Kohl’s | Clothing, activewear, shoes & accessories for a wardrobe refresh | Students updating their school outfits |
| Famous Footwear | Sneakers, athletic shoes & everyday footwear from popular brands | Students who need new school shoes |
| Staples | Notebooks, binders, pens, planners, backpacks & school supplies | School students stocking up on classroom essentials |
| Barnes & Noble | Textbooks, study materials, novels & other reading essentials | Students who need books or study materials |
1. Best Buy
When the Backpack Needs a Tech Upgrade
A new school year often means new technology. At Best Buy, students can shop for laptops, tablets, desktop computers, headphones, earbuds, computer accessories, printers, calculators, chargers, and other electronics that can make studying and completing assignments easier.
A Best Buy digital gift card gives students the freedom to choose the technology that fits their coursework and budget. A college student might put it toward a laptop for research and online classes, while another student may need headphones for focused study sessions or a printer for assignments.
Instead of guessing which device they need, you can let them make the call.
2. Walmart
One Stop for the Back to school Scramble
Back to school shopping can quickly turn into a cart full of unrelated things. Walmart makes it easier to bring many of those purchases under one roof, from notebooks, pens, pencils, folders, backpacks, and lunch supplies to clothing, shoes, electronics, snacks, personal-care products, and dorm or household essentials.
For students heading back to school, that variety can be especially useful. They might need a new backpack and school supplies one day and realize they also need toiletries, snacks, headphones, or a few dorm essentials the next.
A Walmart digital gift card gives them the flexibility to pick up whatever is still missing from their back to school list.
3. Target
When the Shopping List Keeps Growing
Some students need a little of everything, and Target is well suited to that kind of shopping trip. Students can find school supplies such as notebooks, binders, pens, pencils, folders, and backpacks alongside clothing, shoes, accessories, electronics, beauty and personal-care products, snacks, bedding, storage solutions, and dorm essentials.
That makes a Target digital gift card particularly useful for students moving into a dorm or apartment. A student could use it for bedding and storage containers, then return later for school supplies, snacks, or something they need for their room.
Rather than deciding what belongs on their list, a gift card lets students make those choices themselves.
4. Kohl’s
For Students Ready for a Back to School Wardrobe Refresh
A back to school refresh does not have to stop at notebooks and laptops. For many students, the new academic year is also a chance to update their everyday wardrobe, especially their clothes and shoes.
At Kohl’s, students can shop for clothing, shoes, accessories, activewear, jackets, hoodies, and other essentials suited to school, sports, or everyday wear.
A Kohl’s gift card puts the choice in the student’s hands. They can pick the clothing style they like, find something that fits their routine, or choose new pieces for the school year ahead. It is a practical gift that still gives students plenty of room to show their personal style.
5. Famous Footwear
Start the School Year on the Right Foot
Few back to school purchases get as much everyday use as a good pair of shoes. Students can spend hours walking between classrooms, commuting to school, attending activities, or participating in sports, making comfortable and reliable footwear an important part of their school-year essentials.
Famous Footwear offers sneakers, athletic shoes, casual footwear, sandals, boots, and other styles from popular brands. A Famous Footwear gift card allows students to choose footwear based on their size, comfort, preferred style, and daily routine.
Whether they need a fresh pair of sneakers for everyday classes or athletic shoes for after-school activities, students can pick the pair that works best for them.
6. Staples
Where the School-Supply List Comes to Life
Few things signal the start of a new school year quite like a fresh stack of notebooks and a pencil case filled with new supplies. Staples caters directly to that back to school mindset, offering notebooks, binders, folders, pens, pencils, markers, highlighters, calculators, planners, organizers, backpacks, printer supplies, technology accessories, and other school and office essentials.
Students can use a Staples gift card to stock up on the basics they will reach for throughout the semester or pick up something specific from their teacher’s supply list.
For parents and relatives, it also solves a common back to school problem: not knowing whether a student needs another pack of pens or has already bought six.
7. Barnes & Noble
More Than Just Another Book for the Backpack
For students, books can serve more than one purpose. Barnes & Noble offers textbooks, educational and reference books, study materials, fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, magazines, stationery, gifts, and other reading-related products.
A Barnes & Noble gift card can therefore support both the academic and personal side of student life. A student may use it to find a required textbook or reference book, pick up study materials, or choose a novel to read after classes are over.
That combination makes it a thoughtful back to school gift for students who see reading as both part of their education and a way to unwind.
Back to School List Never Goes Exactly as Planned
Every student starts the school year with a different checklist. One may need a new laptop, another may be looking for sneakers, while someone else may suddenly realize they still need notebooks, books, or dorm essentials. That is where digital gift cards make things easier.
Instead of trying to guess what a student wants, you can give them the freedom to choose what actually makes sense for them.
And when the first day is just around the corner, that flexibility becomes even more useful. Digital gift cards can be delivered electronically, making them an easy option for that last-minute back to school needs.
How Do You Choose the Right Back to School Gift Card?
Think about what the student is likely to need rather than trying to guess exactly what they will buy.
If technology is at the top of the list, Best Buy or Apple may make more sense. If the student needs a broad range of everyday products, Walmart or Target offers greater variety.
For traditional back to school supplies, Staples is a natural fit, while Adidas works well for students refreshing their sneakers or athletic wardrobe. And if books are central to their school year, Barnes & Noble can be a thoughtful choice.
The bigger idea is simple: the best back to school gift card is the one that gives students enough choice to make the gift useful.
What If You Can’t Decide on Just One Store?
This is where a multi-brand digital gift card can make back to school shopping even easier.
Instead of choosing between a technology store, clothing brand, general retailer, and school-supply store, you can explore a more flexible option through PlusGiftCard. The platform lets shoppers choose individual brands, combine multiple brands, or create a custom mix, depending on their needs.
PlusGiftCard also offers digital delivery and cashback on purchases, adding another layer of value to the shopping experience.
That can be particularly useful when you’re shopping for a student whose needs are still evolving. One portion of the gift could go toward school supplies, another toward clothing, and another toward technology, without requiring you to send several separate physical cards.
Making the Most of Back to School Gifting
Back to school shopping has changed. Students need more than pencils and notebooks, and their lists can stretch from laptops and headphones to sneakers, books, dorm essentials, and everyday purchases.
That is why digital gift cards can be such a practical choice. They replace the guesswork of picking one specific item with the freedom to choose what is actually needed.
Whether you choose Best Buy, Walmart, Target, or Apple, the goal is the same: give students a back to school gift they can genuinely use.
Explore your options at PlusGiftCard and make your next back to school gift a little easier to give—and much easier to use.
