Recently, we sat down with Corporate Marketing Representative Lillian Brooks to discuss SimpleSource, MBS’ new ordering tool that college stores already love. SimpleSource saves time and money by helping bookstores efficiently source wholesale and marketplace inventory.
Creating DIY game day fashion is a fast, easy and fun way for students to personalize their outfit for big games. Popular DIY designs can range from simple to elaborate, but they all have one thing in common: They’re an affordable way for students to update their wardrobe. Help students embrace their creativity with a fun, spirit-boosting DIY t-shirt event.
Welcome to the first of a four-part series about working with digital texts in the classroom. Our goal is to offer our collegiate retail readers insight that will empower your discussions with faculty and administrators about affordable course material options. We will present the pros and cons of digital texts in a way that allows you to answer questions about how the format affects student engagement and success — and faculty workload.
The evolving nature of the educational landscape has inspired recent course material innovation. From new formats to new delivery mechanisms, each creative solution helps improve student learning, preparedness and affordability. However, it also means that course materials are no longer as simple as they once were.
In a perfect world, college students would be eager to discover what’s inside their required textbooks. They would know that the money they spent on course materials in your store was an investment in themselves — and in their future — with an invaluable pay-off. But this is not the case. Students often express hatred for course materials or any form of required reading. If they didn’t, the popular Best American Nonrequired Reading anthology series would have no audience, and collegiate retailers wouldn’t have to worry as much about textbook sales.
As the demand for college affordability increases so does the need for low-cost course materials. Open Educational Resources (OER) have been around for decades but have been slow to gain widespread usage on college campuses. However, recent campus, state and federal OER initiatives have doubled the number of instructors who report using OER in at least one course.
In today’s digital world, convenience is key. Don’t want to go to the grocery store? No problem. You can order online, and your purchase will be brought to your car or delivered to your home. Don’t feel like running down the road to pick up a new flashlight? No problem. It will be shipped to you in two days. Convenience is the new normal for all consumers, including students.
When faced with moving to a smaller location, the Belmont Store changed their textbook distribution and delivery to take the student experience to the next level.
Foreword Online will return on January 7, 2019. Happy holidays from all of us to you.
If this year’s holiday shopping season is anything like last year’s, many Americans will wait until the eleventh hour to buy gifts — students included. About half of us were done with our shopping last season by December 20, according to a survey by the National Retail Foundation. The report estimated that 126 million consumers, 53 percent, would wait until Super Saturday, the weekend before Christmas, to finish up their shopping.
As MBS’ signature publication, Foreword Online is dedicated to offering daily industry insight and cutting-edge news that keep college retailers ahead of the curve. Follow us on social media. Contact us with ideas and feedback. Subscribe for regular updates.
