Foreword Online

Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers



Preparing for Mobile Sales and Events

Posted by Liz Schulte on 6/14/21 6:30 AM

As COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift, mobile sales and events will still be pivotal to the success of college stores. From pop-up locations to campus events and celebrations, the bookstore needs to be where students and customers congregate. That’s why it's important that your store’s retail system has the mobile options necessary to meet customer demands inside and out of the bookstore.

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How to Avoid the Retail Race to the Bottom

Posted by Liz Schulte on 8/22/18 5:30 AM

You are five minutes late to meet a friend, but you also have to pick up a couple things before the store closes. You rush inside the store, hoping to get in and out quickly. Immediately you are greeted by rows of overstuffed shelves with more merchandise that you can take in at a glance. You scan the store looking for someone to help you or a sign pointing you in the way you need to go. You only see flashy, red sale signage and uninterested faces. Already late, you squeeze your way through the aisles searching for the few things that you needed to pick up. Your phone rings. It’s your friend asking where you are. You shove the items you managed to find onto the shelves and leave because you don’t have time to deal with it right now.

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Spotlight Esther Rosner: Navigating the Changes in the Book Industry

Posted by Liz Schulte on 8/7/18 5:30 AM

Esther Rosner, MBS territory manager, began working for the company when it was located at the Paris Road location in Columbia, Missouri. Through the years, she has watched MBS grow and the book industry change. We sat down with Esther at the annual sales force meeting to hear about the evolution of the textbook industry and how stores continue to adapt to the industry changes.

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Is It Time for a New POS System?

Posted by Liz Schulte on 7/16/18 5:30 AM

Every store has to make sales. That’s the bottom line. Time is, in fact, money in a retail environment. There is rarely a day that it’s convenient to read an article expatiating on the 54 products your college store has to have to grow. It’s even less realistic to implement many of those ideas.

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5 Things an MBS Microsoft™ Surface Pro POS Will Do for You

Posted by Lori Reese on 3/20/18 5:30 AM

Imagine this: It is homecoming. The parades are on, the crowds are dense and the beer is flowing. You and six of your best associates are each armed with a Microsoft™ Surface Pro Mobile POS. In the past, you would have been forced to accept cash payments only for spirit wear. Now you can accept all tenders — even student cards and financial aid — right there at the parade. You no longer have to wait for the crowds to come to you. Your store taps into the school excitement on-the-spot.

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The Life of a College Store Retailer

Posted by Lori Reese on 1/12/18 5:30 AM
Do your colleagues understand all you do?
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The MBS Microsoft™ Surface Pro POS Brings UCM Opportunity

Posted by Lori Reese on 7/12/17 5:30 AM

University of Central Missouri University Store Director Charlie Rutt needed no persuasion when it came to adopting the MBS POS on a Microsoft Surface Pro. When the tablet-sized register first appeared, Rutt seized the chance to increase sales with a mobile solution.

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Untether Your Point of Service with the MBS POS on Microsoft Surface Pro

Posted by Dean Asher on 11/21/16 5:00 AM

Working at a college store requires being on the move. We understand that there are opportunities and events outside the bookstore, and our mobile POS is designed to free you from traditional retail boundaries, expanding your sales floor to wherever your customers are.

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Wichita State Scores a Slam Dunk with Alumni Pep Rally

Posted by Dean Asher on 4/11/15 12:00 AM

For most basketball fans, all eyes were on March Madness last month. But for Missouri Valley Conference fans, focus shifted toward Arch Madness — the Missouri Valley Tournament, March 5-8.

The Wichita State University Shockers were among the competing teams, which means one thing for the University Bookstore and Alumni Association: the annual alumni pep rally. Fans flock to St. Louis to catch the big games and the bookstore follows to sell spirit wear, memorabilia and more.

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Feedback on Favorite CAMEX 2011 Features

Posted by admin on 4/15/11 2:10 AM
Held every spring, the Campus Market Expo (CAMEX) is widely known as the college bookstore retailing industry's largest tradeshow and educational event. And this year proved to be no exception! Continually looking for ways to further develop our operations, we asked our attendees about their favorite experiences at this year’s event.
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