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.
Fall term is underway. As campuses settle into a new routine, many college stores have made it through the first rush with COVID-19 restrictions. In preparation for this term, stores made updates to help protect students and staff and provide faster, more convenient service. Today, let’s review some of the most popular college store updates for fall.
Have you ever bought clothing online and it didn’t fit like you expected? There simply isn’t one body type that represents all students. Purchasing clothing online can often feel like rolling the dice because the images and models you most often see do not represent you or your body type. The importance of eCommerce sales has only grown due to recent events. This fall consider adding more body inclusivity to your website to inspire more sales.
Many college stores are in the process of reviewing their return policies for the fall term. Unprecedented conditions mean college stores have a lot of new considerations. We recently asked several college stores if they had updated their return policy and what their policy will be for fall.
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.
Retail metrics help stores make a variety of decisions from staffing to merchandise ordering. As college stores reopen for fall under new restrictions, limited capacity and social distancing requirements, what bookstore analytic metrics will be most important?
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