ITC’s Classmate uses QR-led learning and omnichannel reach to defend stationery relevance, resurfacing a June move
Classmate is broadening beyond notebooks with expanded categories, Classmateshop.com and eduGAMES Infinity, including 11 QR-linked interactive challenges announced in June 2025, as ITC seeks to protect its position in India’s Rs 16,500-crore paper stationery market amid digital-learning disruption.
What happened
ITC’s Classmate is defending relevance in India’s Rs 16,500-crore stationery market through expanded product categories, omnichannel distribution and QR-enabled
Key facts
- Launched in 2003
- India paper-based stationery market valued at Rs 16,500 crore
- ITC FMCG FY25 revenue of Rs 21,981 crore
- Classmate consumer spends exceeded Rs 1,000 crore
- 11 QR-linked interactive challenges
Why this matters
The shift creates partnership opportunities with edtech, children’s content, gaming and school-distribution players that can deepen Classmate’s learning ecosystem faster than internally developed digital experiences alone.
What to watch
- Repeat QR scans per notebook and the share of users returning after the initial challenge.
- Growth in Classmateshop.com traffic, conversion, repeat orders and average basket size.
- Expansion of eduGAMES Infinity content beyond 11 challenges, especially curriculum-linked modules.
- Evidence that QR-enabled packs command higher sell-through or price realization versus standard notebooks.
- Competitor launches of QR-enabled notebooks, educational apps or school engagement partnerships.
- School adoption, educator endorsements and partnerships that shift Classmate from consumer marketing toward institutional learning relevance.
- Changes in paper input costs and notebook pricing, which could make value perception more important than digital features.
- Expand QR content from games into curriculum-aligned practice, writing improvement, exam preparation and parent-facing progress features.
- Use Classmateshop.com purchase and engagement data to create segmented bundles for school grades, exam seasons and hobby categories.
- Link offline retail packs to direct-to-consumer replenishment, loyalty rewards and personalized product recommendations.
- Partner with schools, edtech providers and educators to validate learning value and improve repeat QR usage.
- Build a marketplace-style assortment around Classmate, using owned digital traffic to increase attachment rates beyond notebooks.
- Defend core distribution and price-pack architecture, since digital engagement will not offset weak availability in mass stationery channels.