Foreword Online

Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers



Towson University Bookstore Offers Free Textbooks for 2015-16

Posted by Jason Smallheer on 9/26/16 5:00 AM

Students at Towson University in Towson, Maryland, have the opportunity to win free textbooks for the 2016-17 school year.

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How the Cookie Crumbles: Sourcing Problems, and How to Avoid Them

Posted by Dean Asher on 9/15/16 8:42 AM

The college textbook industry is kind of like the weirdest cookie jar in history.

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Why Adapt? Just Ask the Dinosaurs [eBook]

Posted by Kate Seat on 9/14/16 7:37 AM
Some trends shouldn’t be ignored

The word “fad” exists for a reason.

Some retail phases come and go — selfie stick, anyone? — and just because something’s popular, doesn’t mean your store should jump on board. With rental you should just wait and see, right?

Wrong.

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Don't Fear the Foot Traffic

Posted by Kate Seat on 9/1/16 5:00 AM

If you ask us, Halloween is the holiday that has it all: You get to dress up in a fun costume, go to parties, stay out late and — the best part — it’s socially acceptable to gorge yourself senseless on candy and treats. Sounds perfect!

Many college students agree, so that makes this holiday an ideal opportunity to attract new customers to your store and encourage existing ones to come back in with a series of killer events.

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Textbooks, Gummy Bears and Red Bull, Oh My: A Fresh Perspective on Buyback [Guest Blog]

Posted by Stephanie Webber on 8/31/16 5:00 AM

On average, there's not a lot of churn among college retail administrators. If you're subscribed to Foreword and reading this blog, odds are you've been in your position for a few years — and each buyback isn't exactly your first rodeo. But whether you've done two or two dozen, it pays to get a fresh perspective. Having started in June, MBS Supply Chain Analyst Stephanie Webber is fairly new to the textbook industry in general — and she got to work her first buyback ever just a few weeks later, when she volunteered to work the University of Missouri-Columbia's summer session buy. Keep reading after the jump to see what she learned about the process, and how it relates to what she does for MBS and its partner institutions every day.

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Fans Win with Mizzou Night at Busch Stadium

Posted by Kate Seat on 8/15/16 7:00 AM

On July 15, Mizzou fans took over Busch Stadium to watch the Cardinals go up against the Marlins. This event was part of the launch of a new initiative to co-brand college sports with Major League Baseball. To celebrate the new licensing partnership, the staff at The Mizzou Store and New Era Caps offered Mizzou fans a chance to win two tickets to the game, a one-night stay in a St. Louis area hotel and three MU/Cardinals caps.

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After Rush Is Over, Do These Five Things

Posted by Kate Seat on 8/12/16 8:16 AM

Once the last student in line has purchased their books and supplies for the new semester, investing the time for a little bit of assessment and proactive planning now can save you a lot of effort down the road.

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How to Build Snapchat Geofilters for Your Store

Posted by Dean Asher on 8/3/16 5:00 AM

If you’re on Snapchat, have you seen a lot of geofilters popping up on people’s stories? You know, those little graphical overlays that feature an illustration of a location or event at which the photo was taken and uploaded?

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Promote Your Website Off-line

Posted by Dean Asher on 8/1/16 5:00 AM

"If you build it, [they] will come."

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3 Ways to Make Your Store More Viable [Guest Blog]

Posted by Kate Seat on 7/27/16 7:30 AM

Lilli Brooks, Corporate Marketing Representative, shares her experience from over a decade of helping college stores of all sizes tackle their individual challenges. Find out what she's learned about the importance of making connections and why it's essential to keep evolving:

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