Foreword Online

Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers



The Aztec Empire

Posted by Lori Reese on 6/12/17 5:30 AM

“There’s always that stigma of the bookstore trying to gouge the student,” said Aztec Shops’ Campus Stores Division Director Kathy Brown. Establishing customer trust has been key to the San Diego State University college store’s success.

Read More

UMBC Bookstore; 51 Years of Event Innovation

Posted by Jason Smallheer on 5/15/17 5:30 AM

The University of Maryland Baltimore County Bookstore finds new ways to engage customers. Knowing the industry is changing, and students have more options, UMBC Bookstore Director Bob Somers challenges his team to think outside the box and keep customers coming through the doors.

Read More

The Ichabod Shop “Memes” Business; Get Adoptions In

Posted by Jason Smallheer on 4/17/17 5:30 AM

The Ichabod Shop at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, has found a way to make faculty aware of the deadline for course material adoptions, open the door for more conversations and be the “person” departments want to hear from daily.

Read More

Wartburg College Plays Games at Knight; Building a Community

Posted by Jason Smallheer on 1/23/17 5:30 AM

With the course materials industry ever-changing and recognizing a segment of her business was no longer profitable, Wartburg Store Manager and Textbook Services Director Janet Huebner saw an opportunity; replacing her trade books section with … board games.

Read More

Luther College Book Shop Goes Nutty; Doubles Sales

Posted by Jason Smallheer on 1/16/17 5:30 AM

Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, boasts an enrollment of just under 2,400 and no official school mascot. Deanna Casterton, Director of Luther College Book Shop, sought to change the status quo by creating and naming a mascot for her store with the Nutty Election Day Celebration.

Read More

What Does Your Customer Experience Say about You?

Posted by Jason Smallheer on 12/20/16 5:30 AM

A customer comes into your store and they always leave with a something: a product, a service and always a story. Stories are told everyday–from tales about traffic, lunch or the experience in your store. Look around. What story will your customers tell about you?

Read More

Greatest Hits of 2016: A Look Back at Foreword Online's Best Posts

Posted by Dean Asher on 12/7/16 5:00 AM

News about upcoming services to college bookstores. Fond farewells to longtime industry leaders. Stories from other collegiate retailers increasing rentals and on-time faculty adoptions in an increasingly competitive business. Monthly marketing plans to better promote your store.

We've published some great content in 2016 if we say so ourselves, and based on our viewership statistics, it seems you agree. In case you missed them the first time — or just want to read them all again — here's a list of our most viewed and shared store stories, Monthly Marketing Plans and other articles from 2016. 

Read More

New Duck Store Joins the Flock in $95M Facility

Posted by Kate Seat on 11/14/16 7:01 AM

With seven locations in town, including four on or next to campus, The Duck Store has been a vital part of the University of Oregon campus and the Eugene community since 1920.

Read More

LLCC Bookstore Offers Locker Rental to Students

Posted by Dean Asher on 11/7/16 5:00 AM

Elementary and middle school parents are likely already familiar with the studies linking excessive backpack weight to back pain and other health problems in their students. In an effort to literally take the load off its students' shoulders, Lincoln Land Community College Bookstore is offering an inexpensive, safe place to store heavy textbooks and other supplies right on campus.

Read More

Washburn U Bookstore Serves up Special Offers for Students

Posted by Kate Seat on 10/31/16 8:08 AM

Extending hours during home football games, offering secret sales, participating in on-campus events — the staff of The Ichabod Shop at Washburn University are always looking for new ways to make sure their store is an asset to the students and community they serve. This year, they added a promotion designed to address two common concerns for many students: how to save money on course materials and still receive them before the start of classes.

Read More

Subscribe for updates

Share your experience

Contact our editorial team to set up an interview or to contribute a guest post.

Most popular posts