Foreword Online

Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers



University of St. Thomas Campus Stores Share the Advantages of Offering Textbook Rental

Posted by Liz Schulte on 7/18/22 7:00 AM

Why do the University of St. Thomas Campus Stores offer a robust inclusive access program, digital textbooks, print and used textbooks, as well as a strong rental program? Because students want options. We spoke with Course Material Manager Tami Steinke about the store’s rental program and benefits it offers the campus store.

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Lafayette College Store Creates Incredible Word of Mouth for Buyback

Posted by Liz Schulte on 7/11/22 7:30 AM

Lafayette College Store recently had a fantastic buyback. In fact, students were so enthusiastic about buyback they came back multiple times. We recently sat down with Assistant Store Manager Peter Violante and Course Materials Coordinator Darrell Parry to discuss how their store encouraged buyback participation and how word of mouth about the event spread across campus.

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Offer Students Guaranteed Buyback This Fall

Posted by Liz Schulte on 6/13/22 6:45 AM

Guaranteed buyback simply means guaranteeing a minimum buyback price on qualifying textbooks upfront. When purchasing their textbooks at the beginning of term, students can easily see the minimum they will receive back at the end of term, making it simple to make informed, financial decisions. Best of all, you can offer this transparent pricing and guaranteed minimum buyback amounts without risk to the bookstore. Here’s how.

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Get a Return on Excess Textbook Inventory

Posted by Liz Schulte on 5/16/22 7:00 AM

Now is a busy time of year for college stores with graduation and buyback — and doing inventory is looming around the corner. It’s easy for things to fall through the cracks. Does your store have a plan for how it will handle textbook inventory that it won’t use again soon? If not, now is the perfect time to speak with your MBS representative.

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MBS Rental Rebate Program Helps College Stores Better Compete

Posted by Liz Schulte on 5/9/22 7:00 AM

College store rental programs can better compete and increase market share with MBS Rental. Our competitive rebate program (an industry best) guarantees rebates on a large number of titles and minimizes risk for the college store.

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Tips to Streamline Rental Return Processing

Posted by Liz Schulte on 5/2/22 6:30 AM

The end of term is naturally a busy time for college stores. There is a lot to do in a small amount of time and you may have limited resources available. We have gathered some time-saving tips for you to help streamline rental returns this term.

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University of Calgary Bookstore Ensures Students Receive the Best Possible Price

Posted by Liz Schulte on 2/21/22 6:30 AM

College stores do not operate with the same goals and priorities as traditional retail stores. Where traditional retailers may seek to encourage shoppers to buy unnecessary goods and push profit margins, college stores are tasked with ensuring students have the necessary materials for class and to help provide cost savings. We spoke with Shannon Blackadder, Textbook and Trade Manager, University of Calgary Bookstore, to discuss how the store ensures students receive great services and prices.

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Three Ways to Streamline Order Fulfillment

Posted by Liz Schulte on 4/5/21 6:30 AM

Order processing for online orders needs to be fast and accurate. However, this can be a challenge with limited staff and resources. College store associates often have to fulfill many different roles in the store, and the recent uptick in online orders, while great for the store, might strain your traditional methods. How can college stores simplify online order processing?

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Managing Buyback and Rental Returns Student Communication

Posted by Liz Schulte on 3/29/21 6:00 AM

Buyback is an important event for the college store. It helps stores ensure you have the low-cost used book inventory necessary for the following term and gives students an easy time and place to return rental books. However, due to state, local and campus restrictions, it may not be possible to have an on-campus buyback this term.

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South Central College Book Store Simplifies Online Shopping

Posted by Liz Schulte on 2/15/21 6:00 AM

College bookstore websites have always been important. However, due to COVID-19 the college store website became the primary connection bookstores have with students. South Central College Book Store has worked hard to ensure that its website offers students easy access to current information, detailed how-to instructions and every product a student could buy in the store.

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