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Would you expect backlash if you removed bookstore from your store's name? None - 20% Very Little - 20% Some - 20% Big Time - 40%  
     
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August 12, 2011
National Student Day Featured
in Bright Lights of the Big City
National Student Day (NSD) recently made its way to the big stage of Times Square in New York City as part of NACS' national promotional efforts. The NSD logo and the date of the event were front-and-center on Reuters' electronic sign for all of Manhattan to see.
The New York presentation is part of a targeted marketing effort from NACS that includes a heavy emphasis on social networks to gain the attention of students.
"A significant part of promoting National Student Day is through the use of social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter," said Jennifer Libertowski, NACS public relations specialist. "In order for this event to be successful, we need to communicate with students through the platforms that they primarily use."
In addition to the Times Square display, NACS is "liking" the Facebook pages of all stores that are currently participating in NSD, posting information on the NACS Facebook page about NSD that college stores can use, and "liking" the Facebook pages of organizations that share the volunteerism mission associated with NSD.
NACS is also using Twitter with the handle NatlStudentDay to reach out to volunteer organizations and OnCampus Research, the association's research arm, is tweeting about NSD to its more than 18,000 Student Panel participants.
"We created a specific National Student Day Facebook page and Twitter account, NatlStudentDay, to communicate with students," Libertowski said. "Stores can repost status updates or retweet info from Twitter. Posts will range from information about the national contests students can enter, to general volunteering information."
More than 400 stores have signed on to host NSD promotions and events in their stores, which can be done for little or no cost to the store itself. The overall goal is to help college stores change any negative perceptions some students have of them by highlighting and celebrating the philanthropic efforts of your campus community.
To learn more about NSD and how your store can take part in the project, go to www.nationalstudentday.com.
'Guru to Go to' Is in the College Store
Robyn Paul, sales and marketing coordinator at the Thompson Rivers University Bookstore, Kamloops, BC, Canada, has become known as the person to whom student groups, university departments, and even organizations from around the community turn to for their promotional needs.
"I'm a one-stop shop, really," she said. "These groups don't need to go to an outside company to get things, go to an outside screen printer, and then get the item approved by the university. I make the process really simple for people because I've got everything at my disposal."
Find out more about how Paul is positioning her store as the on-campus promotional expert.
- NACS BUZZ -
Scammers Using PartnerShip Name
NACS members should be aware that people not affiliated with PartnerShip LLC are using the company's name and address to distribute counterfeit checks nationwide. These checks are being distributed through FedEx, and used in connection with a fraudulent overpayment-type fraud.
PartnerShip has at least three examples of counterfeit checks that were delivered via FedEx and appear to originate from either Frank Lewis, Frank James, or James Frank at PartnerShip, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin, OH. These fraudulent checks list the account holder as QSS LC, Alamo, TX, drawn on Frost National Bank, 100 W. Houston St., San Antonio, TX.
PartnerShip does not employ or have any affiliation with a Frank Lewis, Frank James, or James Frank; and does not conduct business with QSS LC located at P.O. Box 319, Alamo, TX 78516.
These counterfeit checks are high-quality documents containing the bank's routing number, a fraudulent account number, and a facsimile signature.
If you receive a check from QSS LC drawn on Frost National Bank that appears to originate from anyone at PartnerShip in Oberlin or Cleveland, OH, retain the check and contact Frost National Bank, 100 W. Houston St., San Antonio, TX 78296, (800) 233-9874 (option 6).
Deadline to Renew NACS Membership Looming
If you want to continue to receive NACS member benefits, such as Campus Marketplace and CM Scan newsletters, in addition to The College Store magazine and other tools and information, you must renew your NACS membership by Aug. 19. Contact membership@nacs.org to renew.
NACS Urges FTC to Alter Ad Claim Regulations
NACS is fighting back on behalf of its bricks-and-mortar stores against the inflated and unsubstantiated advertising claims by some online retailers. NACS has asked the Federal Trade Commission to consider revising the Dot Com Disclosure guidelines so that consumers can make purchasing decisions based on pricing claims that are clear and substantiated.
"Some online retailers have gotten in the habit of making aggressive and potentially unqualified statements in order to attract the fleeting attention of online buyers," said Charles Schmidt, NACS director of public relations.
Claims such as "Save up to 50%" or "Click here to save 65%" are prevalent in online advertising, said Schmidt, and NACS is concerned because, in many instances, the consumer is never provided the basis for these savings amounts.
"In many instances, if clarification of the savings claims is provided at all, it is buried at the bottom of the advertisement, or several 'clicks' from the actual claim," Schmidt said.
In addition, the increase of online sellers providing a platform for third parties to market products leads to savings claims that are unclear and almost impossible to substantiate when sellers on the platform are routinely adding new products or otherwise changing their prices, Schmidt added.
In its request, NACS recommended that the FTC revise the Dot Com Disclosure guidance to:
- CAMEX COUNTDOWN -
Kawasaki Also to Join Book Talk Luncheon
CAMEX 2012 attendees will have two opportunities to engage with Saturday Mega Session speaker Guy Kawasaki—he will also be the featured author at the CAMEX Book Talk Luncheon at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, UT.
Those who register in advance for the ticketed luncheon will receive a copy of Kawasaki's book Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions a number of weeks prior to CAMEX. Participants are encouraged to read the book in advance. During the event, Kawasaki will lead a discussion about the implications of the book's message.
Kawasaki, formerly chief evangelist for Apple, is now an author, speaker, and technology entrepreneur.
The Book Talk Luncheon, with support from the NACS Foundation, will take place March 3 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for members, $55 for nonmembers. To register, look for the box in the Additional Events section of the CAMEX registration form online or in the CAMEX Preview, which will be mailed with The College Store magazine in September. Registration will open Sept. 7.
For more on CAMEX, visit www.camex.org. As details about CAMEX are firmed up, they will be posted on the site and reported in Campus Marketplace.
- QUICK READS -
HAGENS BERMAN, CLASS-ACTION LAW
specialists, filed suit on behalf of two people against Apple, along with Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin, and Simon & Schuster, over the agency model of e-book pricing. The suit claims Apple and the publishers artificially raised e-book prices in violation of federal and state antitrust laws, the Sherman Act, the Cartwright Act, and the Unfair Competition Act.
A FORRESTER RESEARCH STUDY
indicates most retailers are not keeping up with the technical advancements expected by consumers. The Forrester survey of 454 consumers and 192 retailers found that 62% of consumers intend to use mobile commerce or apps, yet only 32% of retailers have that ability. Mobile commerce is a rapidly growing retail feature and college stores should be investing in it. Another example from the study is that 29% of retailers surveyed offer the ability to check in-store product availability via mobile phone, but 38% of shoppers already do it now and 52% plan to in the future.
PUBLISHER MELVILLE HOUSE
is offering traditional print books with enhanced e-book features via QR (Quick Response) codes. The HybridBooks program allows users to use a smartphone to access additional features that are available to those who purchase the electronic books to enhance the reader experience. These items can be recipes, photos, maps, painting, or anything else related to the book.
BEST BUY IS EXPANDING
its kiosk business—Best Buy Express—to include college campuses and Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. Best Buy already has 150 Best Buy Express locations and plans to add 100 more in the next year. The kiosks, which are basically large vending machines, offer electronics—computer accessories, digital cameras, and headphones—at the same prices as in-store purchases. They are currently in airports, casinos, rest stops, and train stations.
PUBLISHER FIGURES INDICATE
that increased e-book sales are not enough, at least in the short term, to offset the decline in print sales. Second quarter reports from Harlequin, Penguin Group, and Simon & Schuster continue to show an increase in digital revenue and a decline in print, with overall sales falling or flat. Harlequin's digital sales jumped 113% and print sales dropped 10%, and Penguin's worldwide digital sales rose more than 60% in the six-month period (14% of its total sales), while print sales fell 13%. Simon & Schuster digital sales rose 115% while witnessing a 10% decline in print sales.
Borders' bankruptcy was partly to blame for the decline in print sales. It's not all bad news, however, as both Simon & Schuster and Penquin reported higher profits.
ONLINE RETAIL SPENDING
reached $37.5 billion for the second quarter, a 14% increase over a year ago, according to comScore Inc.'s U.S. retail e-commerce sales estimates. It's the seventh consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth and third consecutive quarter of double-digit growth rates. Top-performing online product categories were: consumer electronics, computer hardware, computer software, and event tickets.
HARVARD BOOK STORE
made a video depicting a relatively new purchasing habit adopted by many college store customers. Most bookstore employees will be able to relate to the experience. To see the video, go to www.harvard.com/events/hbs_channel/hbtv_presents_dont_be_an_iphoney/.
- NACS BLOGS -
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