Once again, a new term is upon us and it is likely that most college stores will be directing as much student traffic online as possible. How is rush different online and how can you be sure that students continue to have the level of service from the store that they expect? We have collected three tips to help boost your rush this term.
There is no doubt that mask wearing has become a new normal over the past year. With the emergence of a new accessory that everyone required to wear, it makes sense for campus stores to offer them to customers. However, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Store decided to take a slightly different route. The store has opted to donate a portion of its mask sales to the campus Student Support Fund, helping student who have been affected by the pandemic.
County College of Morris (CCM) Bookstore became an MBS Premier Partner because of the benefits and the level of service provided by MBS. Additional MBS support, access to the MBS Rental Management Tool and getting more books, all make it easier for the CCM Bookstore to do business in today’s collegiate retail industry.
Crowder College Bookstore Director Colleen Holland has heard a lot about the MBS Premier Partnership from her MBS representative over the years. Through the years, her store has gotten low-cost inventory from MBS and considered MBS to be a trusted vendor. But this year, Ms. Holland decided it was time to go a step further to receive the many benefits that come with a premier partnership.
There’s a lot on students’ minds. Right now, the businesses that can provide them with the easy and convenient options they are looking for can win their business. We have selected three ways college stores are going above and beyond to provide students with better, more convenient service.
Spring and summer buyback were challenging for college stores. Stores needed a plan that would ensure student and staff health and safety and follow local, state and federal guidelines as they constantly evolved. Peninsula College Bookstore looked at the resources available to them and decided to offer students buyback quotes through virtual video chats.
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.
Social media can help drive store traffic (both in-store and online), and it can even be an additional revenue stream for your college store. That’s why it is worth devoting time to strengthen your social media presence and maximize student engagement. We recently sat down with Salisbury University Bookstore’s Merchandiser Bryan Hailey and Merchandiser Emily Davis to discuss their store’s approach to social media marketing.
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.
Preparing for the fall term was not an easy feat. Shocker Stores Director Andi Stipp at Wichita State University has been working since the COVID-19 outbreak to make contingency plans. When her school announced they would return to campus for fall, Ms. Stipp knew the next step her store needed to take was to minimize in-store rush traffic as much as possible.
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