Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers

Every college store faces challenges as they move to reopen. Taking into account local, state and federal restrictions, stores like the Hope College Bookstore have had to look for creative ways to solve unprecedented problems this term. For Hope College Bookstore the first major hurdle to overcome was how to handle course material distribution with limited occupancy restrictions.

Retail metrics help stores make a variety of decisions from staffing to merchandise ordering. As college stores reopen for fall under new restrictions, limited capacity and social distancing requirements, what bookstore analytic metrics will be most important?

For many of us, times are unpredictable. As college stores look toward the start of a new term, strengthening online sales, student convenience and in-store safety precautions are three areas that will have the biggest impact no matter what happens this fall. We recently spoke with Lincoln Land Community College’s Director of Campus Services Andrew Blaylock to discuss the college store’s web orders and how they are preparing for fall.

On August 4, 2020, MBS in partnership with Toshiba hosted a webinar for system partners to go over the best retail practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Toshiba Channel Sales Executive Lora Coggins joined MBS Store Technology Solutions Manager of Customer Education Wayne Jones to present what tier-one retailers are doing in these unprecedented times.

Many college stores are making plans for fall amid uncertainty. While trying to plan for multiple scenarios, it is important to maximize the number of options available to students: a strong web presence with a responsive site, fast delivery, curbside pickup, and streamlined in-store pickup and purchasing. But how are stores streamlining in-store purchasing and keeping customers and employee safe? For many college stores, counter service is the answer.

COVID-19 has changed the way college stores across the nation operate. Adapting to current conditions and new restrictions, college stores have found ways to work within this new normal. Southeast Technical College Bookstore has taken the challenges they face and used them to improve customer service and add more convenient options for students. Bookstore Manager Jason Skiff recently spoke with us about the changes the store has made to prepare for fall.

College stores are preparing for a lot of changes this fall: unprecedented restrictions, limited staffing, a lower number of occupants allowed in buildings, etc. Part of preparing for these changes is identifying the best delivery options to serve your campus. With your MBS system, you can add as many delivery options as your store needs on your website, including various forms of shipping, in-store pickup, additional pickup locations and dorm delivery.

Words like unprecedented have been coming up a lot lately to describe the current state of nearly every industry that has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The educational industry is no exception. During these truly unprecedented times, college stores like the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Bookstore have demonstrated their adaptability, creativity and flexibility as they continue to find ways to proudly serve students and their campuses. We recently caught up with NWTC Bookstore and The Buzz Coffee Shop Manager Gretchen Bonnema to hear how her store is preparing for a 100 percent online fall term.

Ordering through MBS SimpleSource helps stores save money, time and get more books. The process is simple. Start your SimpleSource order as soon as possible. The earlier titles are submitted, the more discounted inventory you will have access to as the wantlist is reworked. Follow the progress of your order fulfillment in SimpleSource with easy to understand charts and graphs or set your cycles and let them run. We will take care of the rest.

The Clatsop Community College Bookstore is in an unusual position: it never closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the rest of campus moved online and closed to foot traffic, the college store remained open, becoming a single point of contact for all student needs. We sat down with Denise Russell, Bookstore/Copy Center Manager and Adjunct Professor, to discuss how the bookstore expanded its service during this time.