Faculty play an influential role in how students purchase their course materials. By regularly communicating your store’s value, you can help faculty understand why directing students to the bookstore is one of the best ways to support student success.

Key Benefits of the Campus Store

Expert Guidance and Support

The campus store offers students personalized assistance that online marketplaces simply cannot match. Whether students are deciding between print and digital formats, navigating access codes, or troubleshooting course material questions, campus store staff are available to help. This expertise makes it easier for students to get the resources they need quickly and confidently.

Affordable Course Material Options

Helping students manage costs is a top priority for campus stores. By offering a variety of purchasing options, stores give students the flexibility to choose materials that fit both their learning preferences and their budgets. Options may include used textbooks, rentals, digital materials, inclusive access programs, loose-leaf editions, and more, creating multiple opportunities for savings.

Access Through Financial Aid

One significant advantage of the campus store is that students can often use their financial aid funds to purchase course materials. Unlike many off-campus retailers, the campus store helps ensure all students can obtain required materials at the start of the term, regardless of their financial situation.

Price Match Programs

If your store offers price match, share that information with faculty and students. Price matching allows students to receive competitive pricing while still purchasing from the campus store. This means they can save money and support their campus community at the same time.

Accuracy and Convenience

Purchasing textbooks online can sometimes lead to students receiving the wrong edition or even the wrong title. The campus store helps eliminate this risk by providing course-specific ordering tools and verified textbook information. Solutions like Registrar Link through the MBS system can automatically populate students’ shopping carts with the materials required for their individual schedules, making the purchasing process simple and accurate.

Supporting the Campus Community

Campus stores are more than retail operations. Revenue generated by the campus store often supports campus initiatives, student programs, scholarships, student unions, and other important services. Many stores also contribute directly to student well-being through food drives, clothing closets, and other support programs. Every purchase helps strengthen the broader campus community.

Keep the Message Front and Center

Take time to identify the unique ways your store supports students and contributes to campus life. Then create a plan to share those benefits with faculty consistently throughout the year. Regular communication is essential. The more often faculty hear these messages, the more likely they are to remember the value the bookstore provides and recommend it as the first destination for course materials.