Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers

For many students, the time between spring break and finals seems to drag on — but not at your store! A campus-wide scavenger hunt is just the thing to get students excited about a new season.

Students typically have a negative perception of their college bookstore, especially during buyback. So, anything you can do to enhance your image and drive traffic to this important event is essential to your success. Last semester, Emily Phillips, director of campus retail operations at Coker College Bookstore, found a way to accomplish both of these key tasks.

Valentine’s Day is a perfect time to celebrate just how thankful you are for your students’ continued support. University of Minnesota Bookstores has found a way to do that successfully while building engagement and generating sales at the same time. In fact, the store has been using the same promotion for so long now that it’s become a part of campus culture, according to Kari Erpenbach, marketing manager.

One of the best things about this close-knit industry is the willingness of college stores to band together; to share ideas in the interest of helping others succeed. In fact, that’s the very concept that Foreword Online was founded upon.

Educate

Adoptions may seem like a simple task to your store, but for a faculty member who spends their time focused on classwork and grading, that may not be the case. The best way to help them understand the importance of their course material decisions is to explain it in a way that they can understand. That’s easier said than done, however, when you have a full to-do list. So we’re here to help with several new flyers you can use to spread the word about the significance of early adoptions, the choosing of low-cost course materials and the promoting of the campus bookstore as a viable shopping option to students. Many of them are customizable, so you can add in personalized instructions based on your store’s process! Download them now to see for yourself!

On Friday, February 7, 2014, UC Davis is launching UC Davis Wears Red Day, a new campus-wide initiative spearheaded by the Chancellor's Office--in partnership with Dr. Amparo Villablanca, Director of the UC Davis Women's Cardiovascular Medicine Program, and Adele Zhang, curator of the UC Davis Design Museum--to help raise awareness with the entire UC Davis community that heart disease is the leading killer of women, as well as men, in the United States. The goal is to have as many departments and organizations as possible participate by wearing red and by identifying their own ways to encourage heart health, focusing on their unique strengths and abilities.

We all know that price is essential to winning student business. And, convenience is the key to keeping it. In order to gain continued sales from any customer, you have to ensure that your store’s processes are simple and seamless for both your staff and your students; which is exactly why Stacy Elofir, director of University Store at Towson University, decided to create an after-hours drop off option for rental returns.

After a long winter break, it can seem like spring break is years away to students. A quirky Groundhog Day promotion is the perfect way to break up the monotony of studying and classes. We’ve created four unique ways to engage your students in-store and on social media. Choose the one that best fits your needs or combine them for extra fun!

The latest holiday craze is the Elf on the Shelf, a popular new holiday tradition that’s based on a 2005 children's picture book. The story, which explains how Santa Claus knows who is naughty and who is nice, includes a doll and the mischievous elf’s location is supposed to change each day, providing children with the responsibility of locating its current perch.

The end of the term is always a hectic time for college stores. Last semester, Titan Shops attempted to change that with a promotion that got rental books back in their hands earlier. Their simple, yet effective approach allowed them to ultimately streamline the return process and reduce the stress on their staff.