Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers

In an article from CNBC, Director of Social Media Mary Catherine Wellons polled experts from around the social media industry about what they think will social media will look like in 2039, 25 years from now. Check out the excerpt from Wellons' article below, and read her full article here. What do you think social media look like in 25 years?

They might have held their party a little early by Prince’s standards, but the University of Dayton Bookstore welcomed its freshmen students to school while going back in time.

From guaranteed buyback to renting books to providing everyday supplies, there’s a ton of things your store does to make life easier for students. But when students need a handy tip for an everyday problem, more and more are turning to the web for a certain type of advice.

Titan Shops, at Cal State University – Fullerton, always seems to be doing something to get new customers into their store. Whether it’s putting on an open house or traditional sales to coincide with holidays like National Student Day, Titan Shops Marketing Coordinator Katie Cover is usually busy planning something new and exciting. The most recent special event was a “secret sale,” something that the store likes to do a few times each semester.

The ‘90s may have been, like, the coolest decade ever. (You don’t have to convince us; just check out this marketing plan.) And we aren't the only ones flashing back — the Elizabethtown College Store dedicated a whole day last week to celebrating the ‘90s, with special sales, games, prizes and plenty of social media interaction inspired by everything fresh from back in the day.

The University Store at Murray State University recently rolled out the red carpet for the crème de la crème of its customers.

MBS welcomes Jerry Lynch to the family, in the role of Strategic Accounts Executive. Lynch brings a wealth of knowledge from more than three decades of experience in the textbook distribution industry, with a career that began almost 33 years ago as a sales representative for Follett. Lynch’s long tenure there included a position as National Sales Manager, and then for the last 14 years, as Vice President of Sales.

If you were to walk around the University of Arizona campus this fall, it would be difficult to ignore the university’s colors being worn by students, faculty and visitors alike. The supplier for a great deal of the apparel you would see is the University of Arizona BookStores, and considering they offer 25 percent off of a variety of items, there’s very little reason for customers to go elsewhere.

After a few months of being back at school, it’s time to give your students a break and have some fun! In honor of Booktober, we’ve brainstormed some activities inspired by their favorite fictional characters. From a literary costume competiton to a fictitious feast, these events are guaranteed to get students engaged and into your store, as well as prompt some serious social media interaction. And with the recent trend where absolutely every book ever is turned into a film, even the less-than-literary can still get into the spirit.

Several people at MBS took the plunge recently and participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge.