How to Make a School Supply List With Links (Free, 2026)
A plain list makes parents guess. A list with links makes them buy the right thing in one tap. Here's exactly how to add links to your supply list, free.
Why add links at all
Every August, you send home a supply list and then spend the first weeks of school answering "what kind of scissors?" and "wide-ruled or college-ruled?" The parents aren't the problem — a plain list just leaves too much room to guess.
A supply list with links fixes that. Parents tap each item and buy the exact product. Here's how to make one, two ways.
Option 1 — The manual way (free, tedious)
You can add links in a Google Doc: type each item, find it on Amazon or Target, copy the URL, and paste it after the name. It works, but it's slow, it looks plain on a phone, and you have to check every link yourself. Broken links are easy to miss and frustrating for parents.
Option 2 — Use a supply list tool (free, about a minute)
A tool like ClassGear is built for this:
1. Name your list. If you already have items written down somewhere, use "Paste a whole list at once" — paste your existing list and AI pulls out every item and quantity automatically, even from a messy Word doc or email. 2. For each item, paste a product link from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more — the title and photo fill in automatically. 3. Set the quantity and add a note ("pack of 12," "wide-ruled only"). 4. Publish, and copy your single shareable link. 5. Drop the link into a text, email, Google Classroom, Remind, or your school portal.
Parents open it on their phone, see each item with a photo and a "Buy" button, and tap to order. No account to start, no app for parents, and it's free.
Tips for a list parents actually finish
- Link the specific product — right brand, size, and count — so there's nothing to guess.
- State quantities clearly next to each item.
- Send a link, not a PDF. PDFs don't tap to buy, and they go stale.
- Add a short note up top: "We start day one, please have these ready."
- Mix stores when it helps — Amazon, Target, Walmart in one list lets families shop where they want.
Why a linked list stays free
When a parent buys through a link, ClassGear earns a small commission from the retailer — never from you or families. Parents pay the usual price. That's why the tool is free, with no paid tier and no catch.
However you build it, the goal is the same: replace "what do I need?" texts with one tap. Make your list with links free at classgear.co.