Today’s back-to-school shopping season cuts across product lines, sales channels and regions, stretching operations and planning to the limit. Following are five key takeaways from how top retailers planned for back-to-school, and set themselves up for success all year. No single team is responsible for the back-to-school season. During back-to-school season, the unexpected becomes routine. While back-to-school season may be complex, it doesn’t have to be chaotic.