The Back-to-School Trinity Is Losing Its Bite

Not long ago, the back-to-school rush was a guaranteed payday for electronics shops. A new phone, a new laptop, maybe a tablet to round things out—the holy trinity gleamed on display, and parents swiped their cards faster than students could crack open a textbook.

This season, the spell has broken. Shop owners stare at half-empty shelves and joke that the "three-piece set" has quietly become a "three-piece inventory problem." Sale signs go up, prices slide down, and foot traffic plays hooky like the first week of class.

The lights are still on, the boxes are still stacked, but fewer hands reach for the wallet. Whether belts are tightening at home or students have finally made peace with last year's gear, the answer is still up in the air.