Rush can bring a lot of students through your store, but what keeps them coming back week after week? We have compiled some ideas to help you give students a reason to visit the store regularly and keep sales rolling throughout the term.
Rush can bring a lot of students through your store, but what keeps them coming back week after week? We have compiled some ideas to help you give students a reason to visit the store regularly and keep sales rolling throughout the term.
Bookstores know how valuable it is to develop strong relationships with faculty members. Even though both the bookstore and faculty want to do what’s best for students, there are challenges: faculty and bookstore staff are busy, each face their own deadlines and the store’s timeline for faculty adoptions may not always match with faculty’s preferred timeline. That’s why communication is key.
College stores work hard to ensure that all students have easy access to the materials they need to be successful each term. It can be disheartening to hear that a professor recommended students purchase their course materials somewhere else. Get proactive about winning faculty endorsements for the bookstore, so they recommend your store first each term.
Figuring out how many books you will need for each course to meet student demand is an art. Sometimes you are right on the mark, while other times you might have too few, which can lead to students having to shop elsewhere. However, MBS is always here to help. Ensure that your store is the reliable campus hub of course materials and don’t miss out on sales. If you are running short on books, place an ASAP order today!
Increasing in-store traffic and web traffic are essential to expanding the store’s market share and reintroducing students to the benefits of shopping locally. So, how can your store effectively expand its reach now and in the future?
A student goes online to check her schedule for the upcoming term. She clicks on the registrar’s link which takes her directly to the college store site and prepopulates the online shopping cart with her required course materials. After reviewing the contents of the shopping cart, she selects in-store pickup to avoid shipping costs and checks out. The whole experience was easy, and she never once had to wait in line. She arrives in the bookstore on the designated date and time to pick up her order — ready to start a new term. This is a reality more and more students are experiencing. However, what goes on behind the scenes at the college store to make this possible?
What advantages set the campus store apart from its competitors? Campus stores have direct access to students, exclusive channels of communication, the largest variety of payment methods, more innate trust and a mission that extends beyond retail. Let’s take a look at the five specific ways your store can build student engagement.
It’s almost time for back to school. That means stores need to start thinking about the best ways to communicate with new and returning students to help increase rush foot traffic and maximize your competitive advantages. We have gathered three student communication tips to help you select the best back-to-school marketing materials for your store.
Why do the University of St. Thomas Campus Stores offer a robust inclusive access program, digital textbooks, print and used textbooks, as well as a strong rental program? Because students want options. We spoke with Course Material Manager Tami Steinke about the store’s rental program and benefits it offers the campus store.
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