Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers

There comes a time when every campus store will eventually need to create a sign, a social media image or header, or a poster to market an in-store event or promotion to college students. However, some campus stores may not have access to a graphic designer. In those cases, you or someone on your staff, might have to design the piece yourself. A basic understanding of the elements of design helps you produce a better, more professional finished product that entices students into your store

Customer experience is a buzzword in the retail world. A great retail experience can change how a customer perceives a store and the store’s brand. However, in a campus store, the impact of a student’s experience with your store extends beyond the walls and brand of your store. It also changes how students view your entire campus.

In today’s retail world, customers have very specific expectations for service, convenience and even technology. As more traditional retailers adopt new technology and practices to improve the customer experience, consumers expect the same level of service from every store they shop with — including the campus store.

The SDSU Bookstore’s relationship with students begins before classes start. Students need a reliable place where they can purchase their course materials, but great campus stores like the SDSU Bookstore offer so much more. The SDSU Bookstore educates freshman students and their families during orientations by giving them tips on how to save money on their course materials.

As course materials become increasingly complicated, the overall student experience during rush can influence how they see the campus store. Some students see the crowds and immediately decide to order online. Others brave the rush only to become frustrated when they can’t find what they need and have to wait in line for help. Recently, we spoke with several stores that have implemented textbook counter service to improve the student experience in their stores. 

Students at community colleges often face a variety of challenges. From balancing work life, school life and family life to weathering financial hardships and covering living expenses, many students are one unplanned hurdle away from not being able to finish their degree. Campus resources that offer students academic or nonacademic lifelines can be the extra boost they need to make it through the week, the month, the year or all the way to graduation. Recently, Normandale Community College offered its students one such lifeline that showed how much their school and community cares about one another.

The Monroe Community College Bookstore in New York identified an opportunity to streamline students’ rush experience. In the 2018 fall term, they made two major changes to how they handled textbooks in their store: they reorganized their shelves by author and they switched to clerk service. Recently, we sat down with Book Store Manager Charli Suter and Textbook Manager Darren Kwiatkowski to discuss what led to this change and how it has helped improve the student customer experience.

When you are shopping, does an advertisement you saw online entice you to buy more than talking to a friend who tells you about a great sale or deal they found? Probably not. Students, like any shoppers, want to know they are getting high-quality merchandise for a fantastic price, but in the world of retail marketing, everyone claims their products are the best and that they are giving you the deal of a lifetime. Naturally, firsthand experiences are easier to trust.

The CU Book Store is known for their innovation and success in reducing course material costs for students. In 2015, the store won the NACS Collegiate Retailer of the Year, and the 2017 and 2018, it won ICBA’s MVP Store. Recently, the Assistant Director, Academic Resource Support, Jason Katzman decided to try MBS’ new ordering tool SimpleSource.

Central Washington University Wildcat Shop noticed there was a problem with their student customer service during rush. Large crowds congested the aisles, and lines of students waiting for help made it difficult to maneuver through the stacks. Looking for ways to alleviate the problem, they switched to counter service.