Like many college stores, the Thompson Rivers University Bookstore has weathered a lot of industry changes over the last few years. Searching for a way to counteract declining textbook sales and improve student service, Course Materials Purchasing Coordinator Jon Mackintosh signed up for SimpleSource with the hope that he could save time and bring more high-quality used wholesale textbooks into the store.
Diversifying revenue is a must for most college stores in today’s market. Developing unique ways to set themselves apart from competitors solidifies student engagement and campus relevance while securing the future of the campus store.
Switching your retail management system isn’t done on a whim. A lot of research goes into making sure that the new system will continue to be the right fit as your store and the retail industry evolve. However, while there are numerous benefits to upgrading your system, implementation can still seem like a daunting task. That’s why we recently sat down with Senior Systems Consultant Angela Gray to discuss how she helps ensure a streamlined implementation process for our partner stores.
Every industry experiences disruption that changes the way business is done. From education to retail to publishing, businesses and organizations must develop strategies that will help them compete in an increasingly virtual world. College stores experience change from all sides: new course material formats, evolving student and customer expectations, and recent campus and state initiatives. How can your store not only compete but thrive in this new world of retail giants?
Retail store design plays a critical role in how students and the community view your campus store. When the BYU Store Director Mark Clegg joined the store team, he knew he needed to lead the way in modernizing the store. His goal was to provide the campus community a school-branded immersive retail experience that would bring customers to the store time and again.
It is harder than ever to get and keep students’ attention. A fresh inventory selection with pop-up stores and consignment merchandise helps, but savvy stores like the UCLA Store also incorporates marketing and additional services that bring a steady stream of campus and community foot traffic.
Recently, the University of Wisconsin University Book Store in Madison capitalized on a great opportunity and expanded its technology business. When it was announced that the University was closing its tech store, bookstore management stepped up and prevented students from losing an important on-campus service.
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Revenue generating ideas help college stores supplement top-line revenue while expanding their customer base. Stores like the MECC (Mountain Empire Community College) Bookstore in Virginia have proactively worked to take on additional services and create new ways to bring customers into the store. We sat down with MECC Bookstore Manager Dora Hill to discuss the challenges her store faces and how she is working to overcome them.
In the ever-changing landscape of collegiate retail, campus stores need revenue generating ideas that help fill in the financial gaps left by strained budgets and decreased textbooks sales. From pop-up shops to expanding bookstore services, campus stores develop ideas that push the boundaries of their traditional retail models to better serve their customers while generating additional top-line revenue. Recently, the Umpqua Community College Bookstore was given the opportunity to expand its service beyond campus and develop stronger community ties.
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