Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers

Do you believe in luck? Do strange occurrences happen when there is a full moon? Whether or not you personally believe in superstitions, many people do. So many, in fact, that on Friday the 13th retail sales can suffer. This April, take the opportunity to turn this well-known superstition into a fun sales event for your store.

As a customer, the experience you have in stores, online and on social media reflects on the overall company. The customer experience isn’t about just mastering one of these channels, it is about providing information and support across the board. As a college store, your day-to-day interactions with students are about more than just ensuring they come back through. Positive student interactions reflect well on the entire campus community. Whether you have simplified picking up their textbooks or offer a friendly ear, you are improving the student’s overall college experience. That is what customer service is about.

Customer retention is a problem across college stores. Understanding how students feel about your store is an essential part of identifying the areas that with improvement can help you provide students with a better experience and increase satisfaction. Surveys give your store insight to what students think, their priorities and how you can better help them achieve success. But, how do you create a survey that is measurable, moves you closer to your goals and produces usable information?

A new year is a great time to revamp your social media efforts. Maybe you have pages on multiple social media platforms, but are only interacting on one of them. Maybe you have fallen off on your posting consistency or tracking efforts. Now is a good time to hash out a new plan and stop doing what isn’t working.

In the print vs. digital debate, it is easy to take sides based on personal preference. I love books: the smell, the feel, the experience, etc. However, over the last few years, my personal reading habits have shifted. Most of my reading now happens digitally. It doesn’t make me love books less, but it has given me an appreciation for the convenience of digital. When it comes to the print vs digital debate, I tend to be of the mind that the reader should choose. However, research has demonstrated that reading comprehension improves with print texts.   

We communicate all day, every day, in various ways: through speaking, email, text message, social media or simple gestures. However, all communication is not the same. Emails can often be read with an unintended tone. A sentence that seem clear to the writer might confuse the reader. These miscommunications can negatively impact your store’s intended message. That’s why developing a strong communication strategy is important.

The sounds, sights and sensations hurled at students grow as more people fight to win their demographic. A variety of businesses vie for their attention, each promising bigger and better things if they are chosen. With so much noise all around, how does your store stand out from the crowd?

You need to buy a new coffeemaker. Does a commercial with a former TV doctor advertising a coffeemaker and jet-set lifestyle influence your decision more or less than hearing your sister or neighbor talk about how much they love their new coffeemaker and all the features it has? The answer to the question comes down to one thing: trust. Consumers trust people they know. People who are “real.” Students are no different. In fact, Generation Z is even more inclined to reject conventional advertising than their previous generations.

With winter slowly coming to a close and spring break right around the corner, everyone could use a little bit of fun to brighten their day. A lively scavenger hunt will engage students and give them the opportunity to save some green in the store this March.

Amazon is one of the biggest retail innovators of the last two decades, arguably the 21^st century. They seemingly dive into markets overnight and change the way things are done along with the public’s expectations. We watched with amazement when Amazon acquired Whole Foods, wondering what, if anything, would change. Now, the famously expensive grocery chain has seen price cuts and Prime members will get perks in the store — a clear sign Amazon is leaving its mark. What wisdom can small stores extrapolate from Amazon’s business practices to carry their college store into the future?