Georgia Southern University Store knows the importance of a user-friendly website that piques student interest. The college store site must appeal to students, alumni and parents alike. In the current state of the retail and education industries, providing easily accessible ways to purchase merchandise, technology and course materials is more important than ever before.
Every year, MBS holds two training events in our Columbia, Missouri, location for our system customers. The events help stores learn more about their collegiate retail system and exchange tips and tricks with other college stores that use the same tools. However, this year, we were unable to host our partner stores in Columbia. Instead, we created our first MBS Forums Virtual Summit event.
For the Washington and Lee University Store, detailed reporting is a must. They partnered with MBS Store Technology Solutions for their collegiate retail system in 2015 and found that the stronger, more detailed reporting better served their business intelligence needs.
When you walk into a department store and see a clearance rack, you probably check it out. The same is true for online shopping. When that Instagram ad catches your eye or you are simply in the mood to shop online, you still want a great deal. A dedicated clearance page on your site highlights the merchandise you need to move, makes it easy for customers to find a great deal and will inspire customers to visit your site more often.
What does your college store website tell shoppers about your store? As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, eCommerce sites became the only connection to customers for many retail stores. More so than ever before, your store website is a vitally important revenue source.
In today’s world, customer convenience is one of the most important services you can offer shoppers. Customers want a smooth shopping experience with options that go beyond product selection. By streamlining the online shopping experience, you can inspire more web sales and ensure customers will come back again.
Every college store faces challenges as they move to reopen. Taking into account local, state and federal restrictions, stores like the Hope College Bookstore have had to look for creative ways to solve unprecedented problems this term. For Hope College Bookstore the first major hurdle to overcome was how to handle course material distribution with limited occupancy restrictions.
On August 4, 2020, MBS in partnership with Toshiba hosted a webinar for system partners to go over the best retail practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Toshiba Channel Sales Executive Lora Coggins joined MBS Store Technology Solutions Manager of Customer Education Wayne Jones to present what tier-one retailers are doing in these unprecedented times.
Online customer communication is multifaceted. Emails and text messages, online ads, promo codes and social media all contribute to building a strong digital presence that strengthens your store brand and elevates service.
The importance of eCommerce for college stores has grown exponentially over the past several months. While making sure your eCommerce website it up to date and offers students the same products they can get in your store is important, it is also necessary to actively promote your site and work to engage students online. With excellent planning, your campus store can host online events with a strong return on investment and increase student engagement.
Contact our editorial team to set up an interview or to contribute a guest post.
Customer Service
800-325-0530
cserv@mbsbooks.com
Order Processing
800-325-0577
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.
© 2024 MBS. All rights reserved.
