CM News

Emotional Intelligence Starts with Self-Awareness

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:10:54 GMT

by Dan Angelo

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage emotions effectively to navigate social situations and achieve goals. Rich Bracken showed that caring for oneself is where it begins.

Bracken, an award-winning keynote speaker, thought leader, and consultant focused on emotional intelligence, was the featured speaker at the Sunday afternoon Main Stage event at CAMEX26 in Phoenix, AZ. He’s also an accomplished DJ and sprinkled in dance music throughout the presentation to get his points across.

“This session is about you,” he told the audience. “We’ve talked about how we talk to other people and how we manage other things and how we get through the day and how we get through inventory, but the heartbeat of your campus starts with you.”

To Bracken, everyone needs emotional intelligence to understand and manage their day. They also need to be understanding to navigate the emotional intelligence of others.

Emotional intelligence boils down to self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management, according to Bracken. His research on the topic showed that 58% of someone’s performance on a day-to-day basis involves emotional intelligence and 70% of an employee’s view of a company’s culture has to do with the leader’s emotional intelligence.

In addition, companies and leaders that focus on emotional intelligence report 76% more engagement and 61% more creativity, particularly when dealing with younger employees, such as campus store student workers.

“Engage them. Ask them questions. Ask their opinions, and you will be shocked at how creative they can be,” Bracken said. “When I engage younger employees, I learn something, and I get better. They come up with creative solutions because they see things in a different light.”

He added that success for an organization is 22 times more likely when leaders prioritize their own emotional intelligence and that of those around them. That requires the self-awareness to empathize with themselves and others.

“Stop overloading yourselves,” Bracken said. “Take the time during the day to tune in with yourself. It’s understanding that we have to deal with those emotions, because they are going to come whether you like it or not.”

For the leader in the campus store, social awareness might be the most critical issue when it comes down to emotional intelligence and how to deal with it. It’s the ability to understand situations and figure out what other people might need.

“It’s critical that we listen, that we listen intently, and that we ask questions,” Bracken said. “We have to make people feel seen and heard. It’s important because now we’re more connected as a society, but we’re more disconnected as a people than we’ve ever been.”

The top way to increase emotional intelligence is prioritizing time and setting boundaries when it comes to that time. Creating a routine that provides a person with five minutes to regroup before a meeting, or for a couple of minutes to themselves during the day, can work wonders.

Taking just a couple of minutes to listen to one song or grab a drink of water can help calm a person. The campus store leader owes it to themselves, their staff, and customers to figure out what helps them become their best that day.

“We do not invest enough in self-care,” Bracken said. “If you are not taking care of yourself, if you are not optimizing your behavior, if you’re not getting in the right mindset to bounce back from things, if you are not planning your goals, if you’re not planning your day to say, ‘World, this is me,’ then you are missing out on the opportunity to succeed, be happier, and be less stressed.

“Figure out what you need to do to be your best self today through self-care and believe in yourself,” he added. “You are capable. You are brilliantly talented. You work extremely hard, and you can do anything you set your mind to. So go find your best self.”

Separating the Zings from the Clunks

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:21:26 GMT

by Dan Angelo

Zings are those little moments during the day that bring a smile to your face, while clunks are just the opposite. Life is full of zings and clunks.

That was the message Tami Evans, keynote speaker, performance strategist, author, and actress, delivered during her Main Stage presentation at CAMEX26 in Phoenix, AZ. She also made sure there were plenty of zings in the message by providing a healthy dose of laughter.

“Research has shown that employees who reported three zings to every clunk in the workplace, or life, reported a generalized happier level of satisfaction and fulfillment in their work,” she said. “More importantly, it was linked back to a stable, financial bottom line for the organization. Three zings to every clunk.”

It takes confidence to celebrate the zings and let go of the clunks. That confidence is about tuning into your intuition, which is the ability to understand something immediately without conscious reasoning, according to Evans.

She added that a leader in a campus store should have the courage to know nothing is perfect. Store leaders should also be trying to find different ways to keep things moving forward.

“I know that life is not about unicorns,” Evans said. “I’m not asking you to look for Tinker Bell. I’m just asking that if things look dark and you see someone or something that ignites a spark of levity, don’t snub it, feed it. I call it happy kindling because when things are dark, you can light a spark with that happy kindling.”

Of course, those things are usually easier said than done. So, Evans provided some guidance to find zings and let go of clunks.

“Think of this as a tool you can use whenever you’re making a decision,” she said. “Clunks don’t get smaller, they only grow and get stinkier. Clunks feel heavy and zings feel light, so when you’re weighing a decision that you want to make, go ahead and ask yourself, ‘Does this bring zings or does it bring clunks?’ If you ignore it, it always weighs more.”

Another clunk comes from all those colleagues who could be considered, “Yeah, buts.” That person who hears an idea and always comes back with, “Yeah, but …” The solution to that person is to consider a positive reply instead of just letting the concern stop every great notion.

“This is your tool to use, and P.S., this can work for your staff, too,” Evans said. “Keep track of all your zings and clunks and then let them come up with the solutions and ideas.”

Before getting into the zings, clunks, and “Yeah, buts” of life, Evans reminded the listeners that there are plenty of perfectionists in the world, and in the Main Stage audience. She called herself a “recovering people-pleaser” and perfectionist, which is just part of the baggage that a human being carries around every day.

“We reach a point where everything is going along really well and then suddenly, someone reaches out, usually just before noon, and asks you to do something a little extra that’s outside of your area of responsibility, and without even thinking about it, you say, ‘Yes,’” she said. “And before you realize it, you’re face down in a pile of commitments and obligations and responsibilities and you’re having a panic attack.”

Just politely saying, “Let me get back to you on that,” gives you the time to take a breath, reassess, and be sure that you’re up for another challenge, Evans advised. She then laid out a plan to identify and deal with some of the issues that can make a busy day seem so daunting, calling it her SNAP program, which stands for:

* Say the troubling issue out loud.

* Notice where the issue is in your body, be it your chest, stomach, or forehead, and then you can begin to find ways to control it.

* Assess, whether the concern is accurate and finally …

* Plan an action step to move forward.

“The trick is to take an action step, and the magic about an action step is that you need to take it without attachment to the outcome,” Evans said. “The word I’ve created to define this is ‘detaction’—take action without attachment.”

While she calls herself an employee engagement and levity leadership expert, she’s also a mom with a son who headed off to college recently. She realized a couple of things about campus visits that should be important to every store.

“Swag matters,” she said with a hearty laugh. “And number two is that your store can make or break a decision. Every single school we visited, we went to the store, and it was the way people treated us, the way they welcomed us, and there was a massive difference. So, understand that what you’re doing is working.”

NIL Doesn't Need to be a Strange, New World

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:31:56 GMT

by Dan Angelo

There are some things the campus store should know about name, image, and likeness.

For instance, paying for the name or likeness of athletes to promote a product started in the 1920s. And despite the hype, reports of million-dollar deals for college athletes are just not the norm. One other thing, NIL is not going away.

“There are a lot of different kinds of NIL activities,” said Bill Carter, founder of Student-Athlete Insights, during his “Decoding NIL: What It Means for Campus Retail” education session at CAMEX26 in Phoenix, AZ. “Essentially, NIL tends to be a social-media endeavor. About 80% of all NIL activity is social media in nature. Yes, they do appearances and sell their own merchandise and do camps and clinics and private instruction, but for most student-athletes, this is about social media.”

Student-Athlete Insights is an industry leader in NIL education, consulting, and research, helping athletes, brands, and universities work through NIL opportunities. Carter was also the co-founder of the sports agency Fuse and now works with more than 30 Division I universities and their students on NIL issues. In addition, he teaches courses on the subject at Boston College, Boston, MA, and the University of Vermont, Burlington.

“The next time you’re reading an NIL article or listening to something, try to consider NIL from an entire ecosystem perspective,” he said. “In other words, 99% of the news media really focuses on student-athletes and compensation, but there’s much more to the ecosystem. There’s a lot more going on behind the scenes in terms of what student-athletes are doing.”

Carter explained that NIL comes in three distinct forms.

Free market NIL is the relationship between a brand or business and the student-athlete promoting that product or business. Collective NIL is relatively new and includes boosters who band together to support the institution and its athletes. The third form is university NIL, which is essentially a form of revenue sharing.

The revenue sharing portion became necessary when the courts ruled (in June 2025) that universities in the Power 4 conferences (Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, and Southeastern Conference) are required to share $20.5 million annually with their athletes at each institution. How the schools dole out that money is up to the university.

Mid-major schools in Division I are not required to participate and can choose the amount they want to share with their student-athletes if they do. Carter reports that each mid-major institution in the revenue-sharing program will distribute roughly $300,000 to their student-athletes this year.

“About 80% to 85% is going to football, some percentage is going to men’s basketball, and some percentage is going to women’s basketball,” Carter said. “Then, either nothing, or maybe that final 1%, might be distributed across the non-revenue or Olympic sports.”

There are also regulations covering NIL activities. For example, students must comply with state NIL laws and regulations, and the amount paid for an activity can’t be based or incentivized by performance. The settlement that produced the revenue sharing format also created the College Sports Commission, which oversees the distribution of payments and evaluates each opportunity the student-athlete receives that’s valued at more than $600.

The College Sports Commission checks to see if the opportunity is valid and is priced at an amount that would be considered fair market value for such a service.

However, perhaps the most important thing to know is that while the average compensation is around $1,000 per transaction, the majority of the compensation for each transaction is actually closer to $100 per activity when payments to star quarterbacks or high-scoring power forwards are taken out of the equation. In addition, the student is responsible for paying taxes on the income.

“There’s a lot of discussion that the NIL education required at many schools actually focuses on financial literacy,” Carter said. “At this time of the year, there’s a lot of discussion about helping the student-athlete in preparation for April 15.”

Carter suggested campus stores need to know the key individuals on campus who deal with NIL, and what their roles are. Stores should also be prepared for some of the challenges ahead, such as explaining to student athletes that compensation is nowhere near the lofty amounts often reported. In addition, stores need to understand and acquire any licenses necessary for NIL merchandise and consider the many NIL platforms that were created to help the students create revenue opportunities.

Perhaps the most important conversation, according to Carter, was having the right conversation with the athletic department.

“Do you have an NIL merchandise licensing program in place? Are there sponsor conflicts? And will the store be the official in-person NIL-merchandise point?” he asked. “Those are probably the top three questions for me.

“NIL is a new language, but you know your business,” he continued. “You know so many aspects of this business, so don’t hesitate to take the lead. Your athletic department probably doesn’t know as much as they are pretending to know, so if you’re really interested in NIL, you are capable of taking the lead in whatever NIL venture you’re considering.”

Putting the Foundation First

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:05:33 GMT

Money makes the world go round … and just about everything else. Many organizations vying for a share of your attention and donation dollars, they’ve had to become a bit more creative. Over the years, those on the NACS Foundation board have found ways to grab your attention and your contributions.

CAMEX serves as an important waypoint in the Foundation’s fundraising year. Between the sale of flame pins , the oversized hats, and individual donations, the organization raised $4,405 at this year’s event held in Phoenix, AZ earlier this month. It’s a good start but a far cry from the amount needed to earn some special ink.

Montana State University bookstore’s Chad Schreier promised to get a tattoo if the Foundation raised $50,000 by its June meeting in downtown Cleveland. This isn’t Chad’s first foray into unique fundraising activities. In 2015, during a Leadership Institute meeting he and J. Bryson Baker decided to roll down a hill into a retention pond. Details are a bit light, but the rumor is that it started with a competition over the design of a paper airplane and then escalated to raising money to roll down the hill (sorry we can’t trace the evolution of that process).

This might just be where the "anything for the Foundation" call to action started. After completing the roll down the hill, Chad and Bryson got cleaned up in the restaurant bathroom. The Foundation came away with more than $9,600 over the four days of the meeting. We can neither confirm nor deny NACS was banned from that restaurant and there is now a sign posted to let diners know that they are not allowed in the pond.

Former industry executive Tom Hoffa was in town for a NACS Foundation Board meeting at the Cleveland Airport Marriott. A group of the Foundation Board Members gathered where Tom promised to do a headstand in the middle of the lobby if folks committed to donating to the NACS Foundation. The group picked up the gauntlet and threw in their cash. Tom got a little worried that security would be called on him, so he made an announcement so that others in the lobby would know why he was doing a headstand. This announcement so delighted members of one group that also happened to be in the lobby at the time (with no connection to NACS), they donated to the cause.

Like Schreier, Hoffa’s commitment to the cause led to a second activity. In 2016, Tom attended the NACS Foundation Phonathon—an event that brought the Foundation Board and a few other volunteers to the Oberlin, OH, office to spend the day calling vendors asking them to donate to the “Bring a Buyer to CAMEX” program or to commit goods and services to an annual online auction. This time, in exchange for personal donations, Tom was willing to wear lipstick. When his employees at Pearson heard about the challenge, they mounted a fundraising effort to stop it from happening because they didn't want to have to think about Tom in lipstick every time they had a meeting. Tom's employees raised more money than those who wanted to see Tom in lipstick.

There have been a few other interesting and unusual fundraising challenges over the years.

More than a decade ago, Steve Bartek completed the "Bartek Buzz" challenge, Steve spent several months growing out his hair before allowing it to be shaved off, on stage, during CAMEX. resero’s Chris Przybylski and VitalSource’s Cary Atkins jumped in a pool fully clothed. When the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs were in the 2016 World Series donors made pledges on behalf of their teams and raised $1,664.

It will be interesting to see what, if anything, other NACS Foundation members are willing to try to raise that money and whether or not Chad will be sporting some new ink come June. If you’d like to ensure Chad gets that tattoo, please visit the NACS Foundation's giving page to donate to a good cause.

Moving Forward as Leaders

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:45:09 GMT

by Dan Angelo

Store leadership was the focus of the education session “From Course Materials to Campus Strategy: What It Means to Be a Store Leader in 2026” at CAMEX in Phoenix, AZ.

The presenters focused on two aspects of leadership., Corsicana, TX, talked about how her style builds relationships across the campus, while Brian Wright, director, VolShop, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, stressed the importance of constantly improving the organization.

“Nobody was having any kind of fun, and that is not my personality,” Mitchell said. “I had to bring the place to life. I had to let them (the administration) understand the retail side of it and what we’re really all about.”

“There are a lot of connections that you make that have long-term benefits,” Wright added. “We’re always going to work on improving satisfaction for students while they are in the store. Retail is in the details, and we can do that with all the things we can offer our students.”

When Mitchell came to her store, she saw an institution that stayed in its own lanes. She made the effort to get to know people in every single department, then started working on projects to back it up.

One project was the Navarro Express at Christmastime. Using the film “Polar Express” as inspiration, the store places railroad tracks around the campus in an effort to connect everyone at the institution and in the community. The school president even plays the role of the conductor.

“We have been doing this for 11 years, and the entire community from four counties comes out for it,” Mitchell said. “We’re always asking our community for donations, so we do this for our community, and they give back in a very big way.”

The event even morphed into Beauville, a free community-wide family event with crafting, face painting, food trucks, live reindeer, and more. The event uses a space on campus set up like Whoville from Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and is named after the school’s bulldog mascot, Beau.

She also spearheaded an event based on “Dancing with the Stars,” at the president’s suggestion, which has raised more than $100,000 for scholarships for students at the institution. One sponsor of the event, who also served as a judge, is a local businessman who went on to fund a million-dollar recreational vehicle technology program at Navarro College.

“Don’t think that didn’t resonate with our president, the board of trustees, and the faculty,” she said. “So, they love the bookstore, but more importantly, they value it and see the connection. They see we’re not only recruiting and retaining students; we’re recruiting community and recruiting investors, so your voice matters.”

That sort of proactive participation meant a lot to the president, who provided Mitchell with a seat at the table with the administration and board.

“They are letting me steer the ship with them as a partner,” she said. “We’ve opened eyes, we’ve opened ears, and we’ve opened hearts. We let them know we love what we do, that we love our school.”

Connecting with other segments of the university can certainly benefit the campus store. Once the baseline is set, the next step, according to VolShop director Wright is to work on taking the team to the next level.

The process for continuous improvement for Wright really took off when the VolShop completed its CAS standards project. The standards were developed by NACS and the Council for the Advancement of Standards to provide a framework that focuses on student success, operational excellence, and inclusion.

“It helps give the staff that 360-degree knowledge as we were all working together to get it through,” he said. “So, one of the things to start working on with your team is process literacy. A lot of times, we’re all working on processes in our organization but don’t know all the steps that we do.”

Using the CAS Standards to evaluate the store’s processes provided information on those that customers value. The added benefit is that when processes are improved, it makes a better experience for the shopper. The processes also become everyone’s responsibility.

An example is product replenishment. At the VolShop that process became automated and made it faster to get the right product to the customer at the right time.

“They should be constantly revisiting because we hold on to a lot of old processes,” Wright said. “We need to move forward to what the new processes are, and you can do that by monitoring the KPIs (key performance indicators) in your organization and seeing if you’re getting improvement.”

Another way to improve processes is to implement artificial intelligence.

“One area we’re moving into is with digital technology, digital books, courseware, and tech tools,” Wright explained. “That partnership is going to be more valuable than ever. We’ve been working with it for a long time, but expanding and growing those partnerships can be really beneficial as we go forward, especially as AI becomes more prevalent on your campus.”

Store leadership is also required to prepare for the future. Managers should be overseeing staff development as well as looking for chances to advance themselves.

“A lot of times, people become our bosses who don’t understand our work, so we need to take the opportunity to start looking at becoming heads of our auxiliary departments,” Wright said. “That way, we can help protect the store and support the store in the future, because too few of us move forward.”

Bulldog Bookstore’s Mitchell added one last thought on moving the store forward. “It’s very, very important to stay relevant and have your staff trained,” she said. “You don’t want to just walk away and say, ‘I’m retiring. I’m done.’ Think about the future of the people behind you, so I’ve really tried to develop a succession plan. It’s important to the success of your store and to keep the lease operators away.”

The State of NACS at CAMEX26

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:14:01 GMT

by Dan Angelo

NACS CEO Ed Schlichenmayer began his remarks at the opening session of CAMEX26 with a bit of unsettling news. College enrollment is down and will continue to remain down for the next decade.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the college store industry.

“One of my favorite parts of this is connecting and listening, but it’s really the interaction that I and the rest of the NACS staff and our board members have,” said Schlichenmayer during the Main Stage Kickoff at CAMEX26 in Phoenix, AZ. “It’s those interactions that help us understand and learn more about your successes and your challenges, and that helps us frame what’s important to you.”

The session started with Robb Faust, NACS director of learning and program development, and Lacey Wallace, research analyst, talking about how the CAMEX experience is like a puzzle that comes together in ways to help members learn and grow. Schlichenmayer continued the analogy by speaking about parts of the puzzle that helps the campus store industry remain relevant in the higher educational realm.

He began by noting that research shows campus enrollment will decline between 1% and 2% per year over the next 10 years for a total decline of about 15% by the end of that period. That means there will be roughly three million fewer students on campus, a figure that will require institutions to become much more competitive when it comes to recruiting new students and retaining the ones already on campus.

“I do want to share a nugget of information that was shared with me quite some time ago,” Schlichenmayer said. “It was from an outsider, and when I say outsider I mean from outside the industry. With that said, when they visit a town and go to a college campus, they always visit the store first because they view the store as the window through which the institution is perceived.

“So, keep in mind that as the retailer on your campus, you are the first and early impression,” he continued. “And not just of your store, but of your institution.”

Another part of the recruitment and retention conversation is focused on academic success. Course materials have always been a hot topic on campus, but now it’s also about how they’re being accessed.

Schlichenmayer noted that a survey of students found that 91% liked the convenience of access programs and 86% said access programs helped them be more prepared for their classes. Another 83% claimed they truly believed that access programs contributed positively to their academic success.

“So, having those course materials, giving them confidence, taking away some of the frustrations of the first week of class, and being able to jump right in has made a huge positive difference,” Schlichenmayer said. “Those are some big numbers and they’re going to grow and they are going to factor in as we go forward as it relates to retention and improvement.”

The decline in enrollment will certainly have an impact on institutional budgets, but there is some good news on that front. Through his contacts within the higher education industry, Schlichenmayer was confident enough to report that federal spending will remain level, and that while college administrators will become more selective when approving new funding, it doesn’t mean they plan to make massive cuts.

He also pointed to the good work that the CAS Campus Store Standards are doing for the industry. The standards, created in conjunction with the Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, are providing stores with meaningful metrics that promote transparency.

They are also providing the rest of the campus with new ways to look at the store in a format that most departments are already using. The standards are showing administrators that the store is more than just a place to buy and sell stuff.

“The standards are a tool for you to educate your boss, your boss’s boss, and others on campus,” Schlichenmayer said. “They have a familiarity with the standards, which gives you a common ground to start the conversations, and they begin to see the store in a much different, much more positive light.”

In addition, the standards are providing administrators with the metrics to show just how well the store is doing. That information is starting other conversations on whether an independent store may be a better and more profitable model for the institution. Schlichenmayer reported that 35 institutions moved to the independent store model in 2024, 10 more made the move in 2025, and even more are considering it this year.

“Think of your campus as a community,” he said. “Think of it as broadening your network, whether you use the standards as a tool or not, but it is critically important that you spread your wings and make sure you have relationships in all kinds of places on campus.”

NACS Foundation Launches Mentorship Program

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:35:30 GMT

by Dan Angelo

The NACS Foundation always stays busy during CAMEX, but the weekend in Phoenix, AZ, for CAMEX26 was particularly hectic.

The organization held its normal fund-raising activity through the sales of flame pins, and sponsored all the education sessions, as usual. It also took time to announce a new initiative and hand out its highest honor, the Brian Cartier Distinguished Service Award, to past president Stephen Hochheiser.

“As we think about investing in the future, the next generation of leaders, it's also important to pause and to recognize leaders who have already shaped our industry,” said Gavin Jensen, foundation president and director of the Wildcat Store, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. “The future we are building does not happen in isolation. It's possible because of the vision, service, and commitment of those who have come before us, individuals who have dedicated their time, energy, and expertise to strengthening the independent campus or community.”

The lasting accomplishment during his tenure as NACS Foundation president was the completion of the Campus Store Standards, a framework for assessing the quality, services, and operation of campus stores.

“I had the privilege of unveiling the standards project at that general session in New Orleans,” Hochheiser said. “And I'm going to say that it's probably mostly because of being the right person at the right time, working with the right people, that I'm standing here today. It's because of others who had the vision and the energy to conceive of this project, as well as those who work tirelessly, to bring into fruition.”

Hochheiser, a NACS Honorary Member, has served the industry in a variety of volunteer leadership roles. He has been on the NACS Board of Trustees and the NACS Foundation Board, he chaired the Higher Education Executive Council of the Association of American Publishers and has served on the boards of the California Association of College Stores and the Southwest College Bookstore Association.

In addition, he worked in higher education publishing for 30 years for Cengage Learning and its precursors Thomson Learning, International Thomson Publishing, and Wadsworth. He also managed trade bookstores in the Mid-Atlantic region for 10 years and continues to serve as a marketing advisor for NACS, along with other volunteer boards in his home of Northfield, MN.

“I want to thank the NACS Foundation Board of Directors for this honor,” he said. “I'm very grateful. I also want to thank all of you for the work that you do. Whether or not the value you provide to your campus is adequately acknowledged by your administration, your faculty, or your students, I hope you are able to keep in mind every day that the service you provide your campus community is essential. You should be proud of the critical role you all play in higher education.”

Prior to making the presentation to Hochheiser, Jensen announced the launch of the NACS Foundation Mentorship Program, calling it an initiative to invest in the future of the industry.

“This program will be focused on the success of the independent campus store, an specifically on future leaders of the campus store industry,” Jensen said. “This program intentionally invests in the next generation of leaders.”

The inaugural program will include seven cohorts paired with seasoned industry leaders for one year. The goal is to help the mentees to strengthen their resumes, expand their networks, and to better understand the next steps in their careers.

“Each participant will identify their own goals, challenges, and areas of growth,” Jensen explained. “Mentors will then serve as guides to provide monthly structured support, sharing their expertise in helping mentees sharpen their professional focus, build confidence, and strengthen their leadership skills.

“We’re excited to see the impact of this program,” Jensen continued. “Not just on someone being mentored, but on the industry as a whole. When you buy a flame pin or invest in the NACS Foundation somehow, even as a volunteer, you are investing in the future of our stores, and the future of the next generation of leaders.”

The first round of mentors and mentees represent retail operations from across the country:

Sonya Horn , bookstore assistant, Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA.

Mentor : Shelly Schrimpf, assistant director, campus retail and licensing, Lope Shop, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ.

Barbara Coleman , retail sales associate, Monmouth University Store, West Long Branch, NJ.

Mentors : Misty Eaton, director, University Store, University of Wyoming, Laramie, and Rita Phillips , director, Iowa State University Bookstore, Ames.

Teresa Brown , manager, Grove City College Bookstore, Grove City, PA.

Mentors : Aaron Ochoa, director, UC Davis Stores, University of California, Davis, and Genta Guitron, chief wellness officer, MSU Bookstore, Montana State University, Bozeman.

Brendan MacKay , assistant manager, University of Guelph Bookstore, Guelph, ON, Canada.

Mentors : Gilberto Garcia, manager, Southwestern College Campus Store, Southwestern Community College District, Chula Vista, CA, and Michelle Staley, assistant director of merchandise and supplies, Colorado State University Bookstore, Fort Collins.

Sarah Drotzur , manager/buyer, WCTC Bookstore, Waukesha County Technical College, Pewaukee, WI.

Mentors : Roger Hailstork, director, UC San Diego Bookstore, University of California San Diego, and Len Fangmeyer, Loper Spirit Ship, University of Nebraska, Kearney.

Jennifer Sweany , manager, web store, San Diego State University Bookstore, San Diego, CA.

Mentors : Joe Stringer, e-commerce manager, Lope Shop, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, and Rico Ovalles, director, academic resources, Beach Shops, California State University Long Beach.

Kyle Mudge , accounts receivable specialist, MSU Bookstore, Montana State University, Bozeman.

Mentors : Andy Dunn, director, campus retail and licensing, Lope Shop, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, and Kim Anvinson, director, NDSU Bookstore, North Dakota State University, Fargo.

For more information on the NACS Foundation Mentorship Program, contact Jaymee Skelly, NACS Foundation director, at nacsfoundation@nacs.org.

NACS Faculty Watch Report: Digital Eclipses Print in Most Widely Used Course Material Format by Faculty, More Faculty Using OER and Support Access Programs, While Faculty are Skeptical About AI

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 13:58:31 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (February 23, 2026)— Print is no longer the most widely used course material format by faculty. According to the Faculty Watch™: 2025 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college teaching faculty, just 63% of faculty said they used a print material in one or more of their courses in the past year. Meanwhile, e-book use increased to 71%. In 2024, 70% of faculty used print materials in one or more of their classes, and 70% were using e-books. Regardless of use, more faculty still prefer print to digital. Faculty format preferences have changed very little in the past few years.

College faculty, on average, required fewer course materials during the 2025-26 academic year.. Faculty only required 3.4 materials on average across the 3.7 courses they taught. This was the lowest number of materials required by faculty since Faculty Watch began tracking this measure in 2016. In 2024, faculty required 3.5 materials across 3.8 courses. In 2020, faculty required 6.0 materials on average across the same number of courses.

More faculty this year report using open educational resources (OER). This year, 47% of faculty reported using OER. This is an increase from 44% last year and 39% in 2023. Faculty awareness of OER also increased this year. Faculty continue to report that certain challenges or barriers may keep them from using OER more often in their courses. More than a third of faculty (35%) had concerns about the quality of OER materials. Almost as many were not sure what titles or resources were available. About 20% of faculty said concern about the availability of instructor resources like slide decks or test banks was a barrier to adopting OER.

Faculty have been slow to adopt and use AI. Yet more than half of faculty (54%) say they are using AI in their academic work. The most common use case is content creation (35%) followed by administrative tasks (30%). Only about half of faculty say they are open or very open to using AI tools in the academic work in the future. When asked to tell us what training or support they would find most helpful as they navigate AI in higher education, the top faculty answers were ethical guidelines, tool recommendations, and training workshops.

Faculty raised concerns about possible misuse of AI by students in the classroom. Just 8% of faculty strongly agreed that they could spot when a student had used AI to complete or write an assignment. About a third (34%) agreed. Almost half of faculty (48%) strongly agreed that they worried about AI being used for plagiarism or cheating.

Faculty interest in affordable access programs remains high. Affordable access programs, whether offered on a course-by-course basis when offered for all courses campus-wide, ensure students have access to all their required course materials on or before the first day of class at below retail prices with the choice to opt out of the programs. When surveying faculty who had not previously participated in an affordable access program, more than 56% of respondents expressed interest in a course-by-course access program and 57% of respondents indicated interest in programs that cover all courses.

Most faculty (52% or more) participating in a course-by-course access program agreed that having the course materials provided through the program made it easier to plan, increased affordability, and made the first day of teaching more productive. About a third (32%) noticed improvements in student engagement.

Other key findings from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 963 college faculty from 22 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, include:

This year 58% of faculty knew the retail cost of all the materials assigned in their courses and 24% knew the retail cost of at least some of their materials.
More than half of faculty (62%) said they would be unlikely to continue with an adoption if the course materials cost more than what they felt was reasonable for a student to pay.
The top three areas where faculty wanted assistance from the college store were help with understanding affordability of course materials and if more affordable options exist (33% of faculty), help learning about alternative course material models (29% of faculty), and identifying and addressing accessibility concerns in course materials (also 29%).
Almost all faculty told us that students are first required to use their book in either the first (73%) or second (20%) week of class. Students were typically required to read or use their book weekly or more often during the fall 2025 term.

Faculty Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Reporters interested in obtaining a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores: About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing community. Our members are primarily campus stores owned by colleges, universities, and other nonprofit K-20 institutions across the United States. We conduct extensive research into course material use and affordability, partner with student organizations and other stakeholders to advance course material affordability efforts, establish best practices, and promote industry standards.

How Emotional Intelligence Strengthens Leadership in College Stores

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:34:11 GMT

by Rich Bracken

Running a college bookstore is about far more than selling textbooks and branded apparel. Leaders in this space balance seasonal rushes, staffing challenges, evolving course materials, campus relationships, and high customer expectations—often all at once.

In an environment this complex, operational skills matter. But what consistently separates strong bookstore leaders from overwhelmed ones is emotional intelligence (EQ).

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions—your own and those of others. For college bookstore leaders, EQ isn’t theoretical. It’s practical, visible, and impactful.

Here are four ways emotional intelligence directly improves leadership—and how to apply it.

1. Stay Calm During High-Pressure Seasons

Rush week, buyback, and move-in create unavoidable stress. When leaders react emotionally, tension spreads quickly through the team and into customer interactions.

Emotionally intelligent leaders manage their own reactions first. They remain steady, communicate clearly, and set the emotional tone for the store—especially when things don’t go perfectly.

Pro Tip:

Before responding to a problem, pause and ask: “What tone do I want my team to mirror right now?” Your emotional response becomes the blueprint your staff follows.

2. Adapt Your Leadership to a Diverse Workforce

College bookstores employ a unique mix of full-time staff, student employees, and seasonal workers. A one-size-fits-all leadership style often leads to confusion, disengagement, or mistakes.

Leaders with strong EQ adjust how they communicate, coach, and give feedback based on experience level and confidence—not just job title.

Pro Tip:

Replace “Do you have any questions?” with “What questions do you have?” This small shift invites clarity and reduces silent misunderstandings, especially with newer or student employees.

3. De-Escalate Emotional Customer Interactions

Bookstores are often the place where student stress, financial pressure, and deadlines collide. Leaders who understand emotions—not just policies—help their teams respond with professionalism instead of defensiveness.

Emotionally intelligent leaders teach staff to acknowledge feelings before explaining solutions, turning tense moments into manageable conversations.

Pro Tip:

Train your team to lead with empathy first: “I understand why that’s frustrating—let’s look at what we can do.” Feeling heard lowers resistance and speeds resolution.

4. Build Trust Across Campus Through Awareness

Bookstore leaders regularly work with faculty, administrators, and campus partners—each with different priorities and pressures. Emotional intelligence helps leaders read the room, listen for concerns, and respond thoughtfully instead of reactively.

This awareness builds credibility and positions the bookstore as a collaborative campus partner, not just a retail operation.

Pro Tip:

If a conversation feels tense or unclear, name it respectfully: “It sounds like there may be concerns about timing or expectations—can we talk through that?” Addressing emotions early prevents bigger issues later.

The Bottom Line

College bookstore leadership is a people-first role in a high-pressure environment. Emotional intelligence allows leaders to stay grounded, communicate effectively, and guide teams through constant change.

When bookstore leaders develop emotional intelligence, they don’t just improve performance—they create calmer teams, better customer experiences, and stronger campus relationships.

And in today’s college retail environment, that’s a competitive advantage.

Rich Bracken will be the featured Afternoon Main Stage speaker at CAMEX26 in Phoenix. His high-energy presentation, Soundtrack for Success—The Impact of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership, infuses music and movement to help attendees enhance their own emotional intelligence. It will take place Sunday, March 1, at 4:15-5:30 p.m.

He has delivered keynote addresses and consulting services to numerous fortune 100 companies and global organizations, served as a presentation and public speaking coach to executives and celebrities, and was recognized by Smart Meetings as a National Top Speaker. He is also a brand ambassador for TalentSmartEQ, a top emotional intelligence research and training company.

National Association of College Stores Applauds President Trump’s Endorsement of the Credit Card Competition Act

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:34:03 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 13, 2026

OBERLIN, OH (January 13, 2026) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) today expressed its appreciation to President Donald J. Trump for his endorsement of the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act , legislation aimed at increasing competition in the credit card marketplace and addressing rising payment processing costs.

College stores serve millions of students, families, and campus communities each year, providing essential course materials, technology, and everyday necessities. Excessive credit card swipe fees place a growing financial burden on these campus-based retailers and ultimately increase costs for students and parents. According to the Merchant Payments Coalition , swipe fees drove up the cost of school and college shopping by more than $3 billion this current school year.

“President Trump’s support for the Credit Card Competition Act recognizes the need for greater transparency and competition in the payments system,” said Richard Hershman, Vice President of Government Relations of the National Association of College Stores. “This legislation represents an important step toward lowering transaction costs for merchants of all sizes and helping ensure that students are not paying more than necessary for essential educational materials.”

The Credit Card Competition Act would give merchants more choice in how electronic payments are processed, fostering competition among networks and helping reduce fees that currently drive up prices for consumers.

NACS appreciates President Trump’s leadership on this issue and looks forward to continued bipartisan engagement with policymakers to advance solutions that support affordability, fairness, and choice in the payments ecosystem.

For all inquiries, please contact us at: rhershman@nacs.org .

University Co-op

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:29:11 GMT

The University of Texas at Austin

The University Co-op at the University of Texas, one of the largest independent college bookstores in the U.S., underwent a strategic renovation to enhance its retail efficiency and customer experience. With the University of Texas moving to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024, the store needed to prepare for increased foot traffic, particularly on home game weekends.

Primary strategic objective:

The University Co-op operates as a nonprofit, reinvesting all profits into course material scholarships for students. The primary objective of the renovation was to create a more engaging and productive shopping experience, ultimately maximizing scholarship dollars for Longhorn students. Key enhancements included:

Interactive donor engagement features, such as the “Support-a-Steer Chandelier,” which animates the Co-op’s mission and encourages new levels of giving.

Physical renovation scope:

The project encompassed the ground, second, and third floors, including:

Interiors.
Branded graphics.
General and feature lighting.
Ceiling treatments and fields.
Flooring and perimeter walls.
All new fixturing on floors and walls.

The renovation was strategically phased over six months, allowing the store to remain operational with minimal disruption while implementing a future-ready retail experience.

What were the project goals and objectives?

The primary goal was to transform the Co-op into a more efficient, engaging, and high-performing retail destination that supports both everyday shopping and game-day surges.

Key objectives:

Accommodate high-traffic game days while maintaining an intuitive layout for daily visitors.
Bring order to a field of fixtures: Optimize the shopping experience by introducing distinct product zones and experiential elements.
Increase checkout capacity: Enhance operational efficiency with a streamlined checkout layout and improved queueing.
Strengthen brand loyalty through immersive design elements that celebrate Longhorn pride.
Reinforce the Co-op’s nonprofit mission by incorporating donor engagement opportunities into the retail environment.

Any unique challenges involved in this renovation? What solutions did you take to overcome them?
Challenge 1: “Tell me you’re with the University without telling me you’re with the University.” The University Co-op is an independent business subject to licensing restrictions. The challenge was to renovate this home for Longhorn students without relying on licensed iconography.

Solution:

Access and curate historic photographic assets.
Let the merchandise speak for itself.
Create a heroic reference to the Longhorn through commonly associated elements and finishes.
Give this vibrant crew “More Cowbell!”

Challenge 2: Define our winners and let them win.

Strategic assessment of the most productive lines and brands gave the design team permission to relocate and position the best products in the best places

Solution:

Grow hats to show authority in category.
Consolidate better brands into a bigger, better shop.
Create a destination for customization of athletic licensed apparel.
Relocate youth products to a more visible premium shop on the second floor.
Fitting rooms: Used as a lure to the third floor nearest women’s apparel and added to the ground floor (apparel is here, too).
Clearance relegated to third floor to activate prime corner.
Souvenir category became home to queueing traffic to encourage shopping.
Lower producing brands moved to second-tier locations.

Challenge 3: Keep the Co-op open throughout construction. The University Co-op is a vital resource for all Longhorn students, serving their needs throughout each week and each season from football to women’s volleyball to graduation and right back around to new student orientation. There was no good time for the store to close.

Solution:

A phased construction schedule strategically allowed completed work to create available space for the category moves; beginning with the third floor there was a procession of domino-like department overhauls and reconfigurations.
Closed poor-performing categories and minimized others to focus on the 80/20 SKUs to display them in much reduced space.
Completed new fitting rooms prior to the seasonal apparel push, which mitigated impact on conversion.
Relocated clearance, a highly flexible category, to open space for higher-margin categories.
Moved checkout operations to the dock area when the north half of the ground floor was being renovated.
Support an incredible staff of associates motivated by purpose to succeed.

Challenge 4: Craft one unified, up-to-date retail experience.

Solution:

Clear the slate, repaint, conceal slatwall, clean the ceiling, and add definition.
Clear the path, and create a journey through, up, and around.
Display the product with the same level of respect held for the university heritage: show pride and quality.
Re-lamp using LEDs to lower power consumption and install LED track to bring the space up-to-date in retail presentation.
Show the university’s history but tie it to their future.

Challenge 5: Prepare for a surge in traffic.

With the move to the SEC, the Co-op anticipated a significant increase in visitors, particularly for home game weekends. The building can handle big crowds but checkout was the bottleneck. The existing linear successive layout for checkout capacity was space-hungry and inefficient; a hallmark of checkout station design is repetitive wastes of space.

Solution:

Increase checkout capacity in a smaller efficient footprint to return space to merchandise and shopping.
Innovative workstation design for checkout: New design folds space, making it more efficient and saving hundreds of square feet.
Labor rationale guided checkout placement on the mezzanine.
The renovation introduced modular shelving and flexible layouts that can be adjusted based on demand, along with strategically placed checkout stations to reduce congestion.

What makes your project unique in terms of store planning, concept, materials, fixtures, lighting, etc.?

The hero element:

The Support-a-Steer Chandelier, crafted from aged leather and authentic longhorn cowbells, serves as a donor recognition feature—customers who contribute $100 to student scholarships ring the chandelier, creating a tangible and celebratory giving moment.

Rock-solid strategic store planning:

The new layout maximizes efficiency and flexibility. The new circulation path increases the shoppable area by 700 sq. ft. The new cashwrap configuration and workstation design returns 850 sq. ft.—nearly 50% of space required for traditional layout—back to the shoppable area.
The space adapts seamlessly between high-traffic game days, event occasions, and everyday shopping.
Distinct product zones improve customer wayfinding, including a premium Better Brands Area, a floor-to-beyond-the-ceiling hat wall, and a dedicated shop to customize and personalize jerseys and apparel.

Innovative fixtures and materials:

Modular and reconfigurable shelving enables quick layout adjustments based on seasonal demand.
Sustainable materials were incorporated, reflecting the Co-op’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

Experiential graphics and interactive features:

Bold signage and wayfinding graphics guide customers through the store effortlessly.

Lighting and brand experience:

Layered lighting strategies highlight key product zones.
Integrated digital screens enhance storytelling and brand engagement.
Longhorn-themed experiential moments throughout the space create a dynamic retail environment that strengthens school spirit and loyalty.

U of T Bookstore-St. George

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:20:56 GMT

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

We set out to modernize the St. George flagship and make the space work harder during peak academic moments—especially convocation—while elevating everyday shopping. Concretely, our goals were to:

Improve “throughput per selling square foot” by tightening adjacencies, clearing sightlines, and densifying high‑performing zones.
Refresh fixtures and feature bays so brand stories (our own and partner collaborations) feel integrated with core categories, not siloed.
Strengthen seasonal readiness, notably by rethinking the diploma frame experience and on‑site services during convocation.
Lower occupancy drag where feasible through footprint optimization without compromising customer experience.

What we changed :

We completed a significant floor reflow—including relocating 3,600 linear ft. of textbooks—to open sightlines, rebalance adjacencies, and bring high‑velocity zones forward. The plan was modeled against space and cost scenarios to support higher productivity per square foot.

By positioning higher‑margin general merchandise on the main floor and relocating textbooks upstairs, we created a natural customer journey: guests explore lifestyle and brand stories first, then transition to essential course materials. This reflow improves dwell time and conversion while keeping wayfinding intuitive during busy periods.

We elevated the trade book section to better serve our campus and neighborhood readers. The presentation now emphasizes discovery—clearer sightlines, easier browsing, and faster seasonal changeovers—so staff picks, new releases, and author features can rotate in seamlessly and stay top‑of‑mind.

We reduced overall fixture density and replaced select units with mobile, modular fixtures on the second floor. The result is a highly flexible event environment that can convert in minutes—from daily retail to book talks, yoga nights, and private rentals—without sacrificing visual standards or shopability the next morning.

We removed a preexisting, 200-sq.-ft. workstation and relocated those services into the textbook zone, where they’re operationally closer to need. The reclaimed area allowed us to create a multiuse lounge zone: a comfortable day‑to‑day landing spot for students and staff that also serves as overflow space during signings, launches, and in‑store activations.

Collaboration areas were rebuilt as integrated features that lift the entire floor. For example, OVO fixture graphics/installs were refreshed as part of the wider feature strategy (separate from collaboration launches) so that the storytelling meshes with the store’s main journey.

We executed the lululemon showcase, coordinating tile specifications and floor repair counts with their construction team and our in‑house facilities partners. That work dovetailed with the broader finish refresh in front‑of‑house zones.

While Roots x U of T launched on Sept. 22, 2025, it was implemented within the re‑layout—treated as a floorwide elevation rather than a single “island,” so it complements, not competes with, the core mix.

We reset the diploma frame display and paired it with on‑site framing service during convocation, supported by clear wayfinding and a dedicated station. We also introduced frame preorder (with promo) to reduce on‑site friction for grads and families.

How well the project met its goals :

The refreshed plan prioritizes throughput per selling square foot, supported by a modeled footprint optimization scenario (from 28,234 sq. ft. to 24,470 sq. ft.) that delivers occupancy savings without compromising the customer journey. By elevating general merchandise to the main floor, we showcase higher‑margin categories in the most visible, high‑traffic zones.

Relocating textbooks upstairs creates a natural store flow, guiding students and customers through curated lifestyle and branded assortments before reaching essential course materials—maximizing both engagement and conversion along the way.

Collaboration bays (lululemon, OVO, Roots) now reinforce core categories through consistent fixture language and updated graphics/finishes rather than fragmenting the experience—addressing a key pain point prior to the refresh.

Convocation readiness: Remerchandising the diploma frame wall and adding on‑site framing and preorder created a smoother, faster path for grads and families.

Early response from the campus community :

With the frame display reset, on‑site framing station, and preorder available, the convocation shop has become a clearer destination and an easier experience for guests navigating a busy day on campus.

Campus and brand partners have continued to program the space (e.g., Great Hall activations, author and festival support, and faculty events), which reinforces the store’s new role as a lifestyle and cultural hub rather than a purely transactional environment.

Internal planning notes highlight improved display density, adjacency logic, and cash/guest‑service positioning, which has translated to smoother peak‑time operations on the new floor.

SBU Campus Store

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:15:39 GMT

Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY

The transformation of the SBU Campus Store began with the visionary leadership of Diana Kubik, executive director and chief financial officer of the Auxiliary Services Association (ASA) of Stony Brook University. Kubik envisioned a campus store that would rival the look and feel of a high-end department store while remaining true to its purpose of offering affordable, high-quality Stony Brook apparel, merchandise, and inspirational gifts.

Her idea wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating a dynamic campus destination. Through her guidance, the store has become a vibrant gathering place that brings together students, faculty, staff, families, alumni, and visitors, uniting the campus community in a space that reflects Seawolf pride and delivers an unforgettable retail experience.

“We want the store to be an inclusive gathering space that offers a welcoming environment with brighter lighting, refreshed interiors, improved traffic flow, efficient checkout, and an intuitive, guest-friendly layout. Our exceptional team is committed to creating a memorable shopping experience where every member of the Seawolf community feels valued and supported,” stated Kubik.

Phillip (Phil) Herbst, director of facilities for the Auxiliary Services Association, and his team made the vision for the SBU Campus Store a reality. He was the driving force behind the transformation, shaping the project from the ground up, from the demolition to the construction, working closely with the university and all trade workers. Herbst developed the initial footprint that guided the architectural firm and thoughtfully designed the layout to maximize both flow and functionality.

With a sharp eye for detail, Herbst worked with Kubik to handpick the color schemes, materials, and design elements that define the store’s new look. Herbst partnered with a cabinet company to custom-build the fixtures, ensuring every detail aligned with his standards. His hands-on approach, creative direction, and commitment to excellence are woven into every square foot of the revitalized space.

Herbst brings decades of hands-on experience in facilities and construction, having spent 24 years with Fortunoff, a renowned family-owned retailer known for its home furnishings, jewelry, and outdoor furniture. He led the complete reconstruction of Fortunoff’s flagship stores across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, including their prominent location at the Source Mall in Westbury. From laying the first slab of foundation to final walkthroughs, he oversaw every detail of these large-scale projects, each spanning three to four years and totaling up to 400,000 sq. ft.

In 2007, Herbst began working at Stony Brook University for the Faculty Student Association, which has rebranded to the Auxiliary Services Association. When Herbst interviewed for the position, he looked the executive director in the eye and made a bold promise: “If you hire me, I will make magic for this campus.” And he delivered on that promise. Two decades ago, Herbst built Stony Brook University’s first self-operated retail store, the Seawolf MarketPlace at the Student Activities Center.

This inviting, student-centered space combined branded apparel and merchandise with the warmth and comfort of an in-store coffee shop. It was more than just a store; it was a destination that reflected school pride, community, and Herbst’s unwavering commitment to create something extraordinary. Today, he has brought that same passion, creativity, and craftsmanship to the next evolution of campus retail, the design and buildout of the SBU Campus Store, formerly known as Shop Red. Located on the ground level of the Melville Library, this bold new space is modern, elevated, and purposefully designed to deliver an unforgettable retail experience, proving once again that Herbst kept his promise to make magic for this campus.

With every project Herbst takes on, he carries the words of someone who inspired him from the very beginning, his mother. She was the first to recognize his natural talent and drive, once telling him, “You have hands of gold.” Those five words remind Herbst that his work isn’t just about construction, it’s about care, craftsmanship, and honoring the legacy of someone who always believed in him. A promise to live up to her faith in him, to always bring his best, and to never settle for ordinary. Her words fueled his ambition, pushing him to give every project the WOW factor and to always aim higher. Herbst worked his way up from supervisor to manager to director, not by chance, but by consistently bringing vision, dedication, and excellence to the table.

Now, with years of experience behind him and a deep personal mission at his core, he finally has the chance to shine, and every success is a tribute to the woman who believed in him first.

Project goals:

The goals for the SBU Campus Store remodel centered on transforming the space into a modern, elevated retail destination that also serves as a welcoming social hub for the campus community. The vision included prominently showcasing unique SBU-branded apparel and merchandise, developing a section of the store with a wide selection of inspirational gifts, increasing student engagement programs and activities, and improving the overall layout and flow for a more intuitive shopping experience. The redesign aimed to create an open, functional concept that makes it easy to browse, discover, and connect with the spirit of Stony Brook.

Additional goals included integrating technology and innovation, providing a platform for student artists and entrepreneurs, and supporting long-term financial sustainability through increased revenue opportunities and strategic merchandising. Beyond the store’s walls, the reimagined outdoor plaza space needed to incorporate sustainable landscaping and eco-friendly design elements to enhance the campus environment and create an inviting space for the community to gather year-round.

Exceeded project goals:

When you enter the SBU Campus Store the refreshed layout offers a welcoming hub with a bright interior, a soft seating area, an open lounge area near Starbucks, fitting rooms, and a student engagement space for community programs such as paint night, jewelry making, pressed flowers, and more. The store was thoughtfully designed to highlight how products fit into everyday campus life, delivering school pride, convenience, and value to all guests.

The remodeled store embraces a fresh, modern aesthetic with neutral paint tones that create a clean, timeless backdrop for merchandise. The redesigned layout is open and inviting, replacing the previously crowded clothing racks with thoughtfully arranged displays that encourage browsing and help guests discover new items. Plants are strategically placed to bring warmth, energy, and a sense of comfort to the space, offering students a comfortable environment where they can reset, unwind, and feel at home. Inspired by feng shui principles, the arrangement fosters balance and flow, making the store a place to shop and relax.

The former cash wrap area, which once dominated the floor and caused congested lines, has been replaced with mobile point-of-sale technology. This allows team members to meet guests where they are, reducing wait times and enhancing personal interaction.

Outside, illuminated signage now draws attention to the store, signaling its refreshed identity and inviting guests to explore the elevated retail experience inside. Complementing this transformation, the adjacent plaza is undergoing an inspiring redesign through a collaboration with students from Stony Brook University’s Environmental Design Project class and the Auxiliary Services Association (ASA).

Together, they envisioned a welcoming, sustainable outdoor space that not only enhances the store’s modern aesthetic but also fosters community engagement and environmental stewardship.

Using urban planning and landscape architecture principles, the students conducted site analyses, surveyed the campus community, and developed detailed proposals emphasizing sustainability features such as composting stations, rainwater harvesting, native plants, and educational elements. Their designs inspired the ASA’s plans to install leaf bike racks, rainwater bins, native gardens, outdoor furniture, and community-focused amenities such as Little Free Libraries and Blessing Boxes, transforming the plaza into a thriving, functional space that supports both environmental stewardship and campus community engagement.

Beyond the aesthetics of the store is a team of associates who work together seamlessly to bring the vision to life every day. The SBU Campus Store director of retail operations, Karla Gibbs, leads with passion and dedication, ensuring smooth operations and an exceptional guest experience. The buyer carefully curates merchandise that reflects campus spirit and current trends, while the in-house designer creates unique apparel and merchandise that resonates deeply with all Seawolves. Behind the scenes, the engagement department plans and executes dynamic programs and events that foster meaningful connections, and a vibrant sense of community. Together, this collaborative team combines creativity, strategy, and genuine care to make the SBU Campus Store not just a retail space, but a beloved gathering place.

Gibbs brings more than 20 years of retail expertise, a proven record of service excellence, and an entrepreneurial drive that continually advances the store’s success. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she seamlessly connects with a diverse customer base, ensuring every guest feels welcomed and understood. Gibbs is known for her innovative ideas, dynamic leadership, and unwavering commitment to creating a retail experience that reflects the spirit of Stony Brook University. Her passion for engagement with guests and her ability to build lasting relationships across campus make her not only a skilled manager, but a trusted ambassador for the university community.

Since assuming self-operation of the store in July 2024, the Auxiliary Services Association has played a key role in accelerating the growth of Stony Brook University’s licensing program, particularly through the development of innovative, on-trend branded merchandise.

At the forefront of this creative evolution is ASA’s in-house designer, Denise Salzman, assistant director of marketing and communications, who spearheaded the design of exclusive, on-trend tee shirt collections and launched Stony Brook’s first private-label apparel line, elevating the store’s offerings from generic vendor designs to distinctive, sought-after merchandise. Attuned to the voices of the campus community, Salzman carefully gathered and took to heart feedback from focus groups, social media, and guest interactions to ensure her designs truly resonate with all Seawolves.

These designs have helped establish a distinct store identity and quickly become top sellers among students, alumni, and fans. Building on this incredible momentum, Salzman expanded the fall product lineup to feature custom SBU photo mugs, magnets, coasters, varsity jackets, and an eye-catching new tee shirt wall that proudly displays her latest creations.

To create a line of sports apparel that truly connects with the community, Salzman teamed up with colleague Hannah Van Middelem, staff accountant. Drawing on their shared experience as former collegiate athletes, they designed athletic-inspired game day gear that quickly became a fan favorite, selling out at sporting events and resonating deeply with both athletes and fans alike.

The SBU Campus Store proudly supports the talented artists of Stony Brook University by featuring student-designed apparel both in-store and online. This unique program offers more than just a creative outlet; it provides students with real-world experience, portfolio-building opportunities, and valuable exposure across campus and beyond. As an added benefit, student designers earn $5 for every shirt sold, turning their creativity into both recognition and reward.

“By hosting tee shirt design contests each semester, we have empowered students to tell their story about what Stony Brook means to them. This exclusive merchandise creates products that students want, and we are proud to showcase their work through retail signage, displays, and marketing materials,” stated Salzman.

One of the standout features of the reimagined SBU Campus Store is the all-new inspirational gifts section, featuring feel-good items such as stylish stationery, coasters, artistic mugs, and eco-friendly totes. It also showcases handcrafted creations by Stony Brook students discovered through ASA artisan markets, such as lip gloss, custom stickers, crocheted animals, and plush keychains, making it easy to find a unique and meaningful gift.

A new custom ordering program was recently launched to provide exceptional value and service to the Stony Brook community. Designed for campus departments, student clubs, and organizations, it offers high-quality, affordable, and officially licensed Stony Brook and Seawolves apparel. With a wide range of styles, colors, and customization options, each order receives personalized attention and expert guidance from start to finish, ensuring every piece reflects the group’s identity.

The SBU Campus Store extends beyond retail by supporting student success with essential services that streamline convenience and access. The ASA Services Office inside the store assists with student and faculty/staff meal plans, health insurance guidance, locker and microfridge rentals, plus internships and student employment opportunities. This one-stop-shop approach simplifies campus life, helping students access key resources quickly in a welcoming environment.

Guided by Dawn Villacci, director of engagement and guest experience, the SBU Campus Store is committed to making every interaction extraordinary. The SBU Campus Store hosts interactive events and engaging student focus groups to listen closely and tailor services and experiences that meet their needs. Through a variety of programs, workshops, and activities, the team creates a welcoming environment where students feel connected and involved, ensuring the SBU Campus Store is more than just a place to shop; it’s a place to belong. The Auxiliary Services Association gives back to the community every day by dedicating 3% of all sales from the campus store to support student engagement initiatives.

Response from the campus community:

The store reopened on Aug. 4, 2025, to overwhelming enthusiasm from the campus community, instantly becoming a must-see destination. Visitors raved about the transformation, calling it “absolutely spectacular,” “blown away,” and “elevated, clean, and modern.” Students, faculty, and staff praised the thoughtful merchandising, expanded selection of branded apparel, and the extraordinary assortment of special gifts.

The addition of comfortable seating areas and a warm, welcoming atmosphere turned the store into more than a place to shop; it has become a spot people look forward to visiting again and again. From proud shoppers showing off their new finds to alumni declaring it a “glow-up” for the ages, the feedback made it clear that the remodel struck a chord with Seawolves of every generation.

Easing into Affordable Access

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:05:54 GMT

by Dan Angelo

One simple truth about implementing a new course materials program: The move to an affordable access model is a significant change, and since many resist change, it will probably become an issue. Administrators have to be sold on the idea and faculty have been known to throw up concerns.

Building relationships and communicating details about how the programs can benefit students are key ingredients to getting people on board.

“For a transition to the program, or life in general, it’s all about your relationships,” said Aaron Ochoa, director, UC Davis Stores, University of California Davis, during the CAMEX25 session Traditional Retail, Online, Hybrid, or Managed: Discussing Today’s Course Materials Options. “Build them. Figure out who you need to know. Make sure to build those relationships because that’s the most important thing about all of this.

“And develop a thick skin,” he continued. “I took things extremely personal when I heard things from faculty or students or anybody, which is one thing I wish I didn’t do.”

Ochoa was part of a panel discussion that included Rico Ovalles, associate director, academic resources, The Beach Shops, California State University Long Beach; Doug Lang, director, Bay Tree Campus Store, University of California Santa Cruz; and Erin Green, assistant director, Bulldog Bookstore, Navarro College, Wachahaxie, TX. Chad Stith, senior director, account development, VitalSource, served as moderator.

The UC Davis Stores is one of the pioneers of fee-based affordability programs, using a flat-fee program for the last five years. The Beach Shop launched its flat-fee program last fall, while the Bay Tree Campus Store is relatively new to an affordable access program.

“Our mission is student success,” Ovalles said. “We attended the Textbook Affordability Conference (a working conference hosted by NACS that brings together campus stakeholders to explore textbook affordability strategies and offer solutions) when the whole affordable access program was gaining more traction. I had my bosses come to it and they saw it was about saving students money.”

“Lowering costs for students is our constant North Star, along with providing materials quickly,” Lang added. “We were way behind the digital trend, so we just implemented inclusive access in 2023. We went from nothing to about 8,000 (course materials) deliveries this coming fiscal year.”

Green has been working on an access model, known as Immediate Access on the Navarro campuses, since 2017. The idea was turned down then, so she revisited it in 2018, and then again in 2019 when a new president was in charge and more amendable to change. She brought an industry spokesperson from VitalSource to that meeting and finally got the green light for the program to start. Unfortunately, COVID hit and stalled the process until students started returning to campus in the summer of 2020.

“Every class was now online and students started to wonder why some of their classes were not in the access program,” Green explained. “Things spiraled with our program because of our start date. We went from five classes to 40 classes by the next semester. Now we are about 80% in the program.”

Getting buy-in from the administration and department heads is vital to any success, but getting students involved may actually be more important. They become very helpful when they see how easy it is to get their course materials through an affordable access program compared to the hoops they must jump through for classes that do not use it.

“We started with the administration, which was open to it,” Ovalles said. “When we got to our faculty, the faculty passed a resolution against it. From there, we visited our student senate and they were very much for the program. They passed a program in favor of it, and because of that, we were able to continue.”

“It spreads pretty easily when students see how easy it is for one class and not for another,” said Green. “Students were telling their instructors they should be in the program.”

Pilot programs can also be an important tool since its limited size can alleviate concerns of reluctant stakeholders. In addition, a pilot provides the store with vital data to prove just how successful the program can be in cutting costs for students.

“For us, the best way was to be able to get in front of the faculty,” Ochoa said. “I went to each chair or each department and told them I knew they had faculty meetings every month and asked them if I could have 10 minutes of one of those meetings. I want them to see the program, but I also wanted them to see my face. I wanted them to see that I was the person if something went wrong or if a student had an issue.”

A powerful story can also be helpful. The story for Ochoa was about a UC Davis graduate and store employee who was a first-generation college student. He had wanted to study aeronautical engineering. His mother gave him an envelope with all the money she was able to save for his books, but it wasn’t enough to cover even the first engineering book he needed. So he changed his major to political science because he could afford those course materials.

“It’s not a fun story, but it is a true story,” Ochoa said. “Your students are going through this. These are experiences our students are having and you have to make sure that your faculty, who are getting paid six figures and don’t have these problems, understand that because sometimes they lose sight of it.”

Green uses her position in the store to get to help to every department that she can on her campus.

“My one takeaway is you are the most important person (on this issue),” she said. “Merchandise is fun, but no one comes to complain about a crappy hoodie. You are the most important person for the three or four weeks at the beginning of the semester because students will come to you.”

Lang added: “Build your relationships, communicate, continue to build on the communications process, tell your stories, and pilot programs. Our whole VitalSource program began with a simple link on our website that went to VitalSource. We didn’t have to do anything else.”

Dealing with Complicated Staff Isn't Complicated

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:52:03 GMT

by Dan Angelo

The message Ryan Leak delivered to attendees at his CAMEX25 Afternoon Main Stage session was a pretty simple one: People are complicated. But you can work with them.

Leak, author of Chasing Failure and his soon-to-be-released title, How to Work with Complicated People: Strategies for Effective Collaboration with (Nearly) Anyone, regaled attendees with stories of a life that has led him to be a successful motivational speaker and CEO of the Dallas leadership firm, the Ryan Leak Group. He also described six no-cost strategies for working with complicated people, starting with the reminder that we’re all complicated.

“We’re not talking about evil people, we’re talking about complicated people,” he said. “The reality is there are people who are working for you that bring complications to work with them every single day.”

Part of Leak’s story is the research he’s done for his books. He’s found that 48% of working Americans say they work with or for complicated people who make them so stressed they have skipped a day of work. On the other hand, the research found that the average person works with just three to five complicated people on a weekly basis.

“The way some people talk about complicated people, you’d think the number was hundreds,” Leak said, “You’re going to quit over three to five people? The reality is working with complicated people is an absolute super power. Anyone can thrive when they surrounded by supportive like-minded colleagues that match their energy and hue the same communication style and work ethic. But the ability to collaborate with people who challenge you, who frustrate your assumptions? Now you are a super colleague.”

To begin figuring out ways to deal with individuals who seem complicated, Leak reminds it’s a good idea to look in the mirror because you, as a leader, are bringing your own complications to the table.

After you’ve taken that look in the mirror, he suggested considering your options. It’s not like you can fire, change, or just ignore everyone who frustrates you. Besides, the impracticality of firing every annoying employee or ignoring an infuriating boss dismisses the fact that we want to be given a space when it comes to our own frailties.

“For a lot of us, it’s ‘If they hurt me, let’s cancel them,’ but that makes it harder to give them a break,” Leak said. “I’m challenging you to be the leader who moves towards others the way we would want others to move towards us.”

Leak’s third strategy for effective leadership is to grow connections. His studies found that building a connection with complicated individuals requires being decent and being a person with the level of care for others that is difficult to walk away from.

“I don’t want you to have common courtesy, I want you to show uncommon care,” he said. “I tell people to connect and create the kind of place people want to show up for.”

It’s also important to allow for that difficult person to grow on us. A leader has two choices, according to Leak: Either be proactive or reactive. The proactive approach means the leader is the person who sets the culture and is prepared for any sort of behavior.

A proactive leader also uses language to phrase questions in ways that invite engagement rather than to shut down opinions. A well-phrased question allows the leader to give the difficult person the chance to be part of the solution.

The fifth strategy is for the leader to use his or her attitudes to influence others. The greatest tool are a smile and a positive attitude. In addition, simply showing gratitude can shift the energy of most situations.

“There are people who are glass-half-empty people and people who are glass-half-full,” Leak said. “How about you be the leader who is grateful for the glass. Just being a grateful person puts a big smile on my face. I know things aren’t always going to be ideal, and that’s okay. But it also doesn’t mean we can’t have an ideal perspective.”

The final strategy is making adjustments to our own expectations because Leak has found that most frustrations come from the complicated individuals not living up to our expectations. The expectation is that everyone is simple and perfect, and yet they are really complicated and flawed.

Once a leader adjusts their expectations, they need to stop trying to change people who aren’t trying to change anyway.

“The difference between being the best boss they’ve ever had and just another is showing them you care,” Leak said. “I want to encourage you to begin to change your expectations. I want you to expect complicated and I want you to expect different. We are all a little different and yet we can all come into the room and try to figure out different strategies as leaders for our campuses, our students, and for their families.”

NACS Student Watch Report: Course Materials Spending Stable, High Satisfaction with Access Programs

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 20:54:16 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (June 10, 2025)— College students, on average, reported spending about the same as last year on their course materials during the 2024-25 academic year, according to the Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2025 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college students. Total course material spending for required materials totaled $341 per student for the year. Student spending this year is lower than at any point between 2007 and 2021 and only about half the spending in 2007-08 when students paid $701 on average for course materials.

Overall, students took an average of 8.7 courses during the 2024-25 academic year, about the same as last year. They also purchased the same number of materials, 8.2 on average, this year. Dividing students' total spending on required course materials by the number of courses they took results in average course material spending per course of $39. This is among the lowest amounts seen in the past two decades.

Excluding those who obtained all materials through a school provided discount access program, about the same percentage of students as last year purchased or rented materials. Seventy percent of students purchased at least one material and 15% percent rented at least one material for the spring 2025 semester. By comparison, 70% of students purchased at least one material and 21% rented at least one material for the spring 2024 semester. Upper-level students were less likely to purchase materials and more likely to rent.

A majority (57%) of students say they are satisfied with their day-one access program experience, with only 16% feeling dissatisfied, and 28% feeling neutral. Sixty-four percent of participants said the access program was better than other methods of obtaining course materials while 23% said it was about the same. Among non-participants, 59% believed day-one access would be a better option than other ways of obtaining course materials. Top reasons for satisfaction with access programs were convenience and having materials the first day of class.

Similar to last year, 74% of students said they had been assigned at least one free or non-paid-for material during the academic year. The number of students reporting being assigned free materials has slowly been increasing over the years but has remained steady for the past few years. Students this year were more likely to say they were provided free materials directly from their professor or instructor. Free-to-the-student materials included instructor handouts, website articles, class notes, professional journals and articles, web searches, social media, general consumer books (novels, for instance), and free textbooks. (While students did not pay for them directly, some of these sources are supported by student tuition and fees, such as instructor-developed materials and journal subscriptions at the campus library.)

This year, 33% of students preferred print and 37% preferred digital, making digital the top format choice for students for the second year in a row. Preference for print materials has been declining over time. Meanwhile, preference for digital materials has increased steadily since 2016. Older students, namely students older than 30, had stronger preference for print as did first-generation students. Racial and ethnic minorities were more likely than other students to prefer digital materials. The top reasons students prefer digital were that they don’t have to carry a physical book around, access on multiple devices, ability to copy/paste or print, easier to read/navigate than print, and immediate access after purchase.

Around one in four students decided not to acquire at least one course material. Students who skipped materials were more likely to consider dropping out, suggesting these students are struggling academically or with the costs of attendance. However, students who skipped acquiring materials only spent $30 less on average than students who obtained all materials.

Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other key findings from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 12,400 college students from 29 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, include:

Tech spending remained low again this year, with relatively few students purchasing a new computer/laptop.
More than half (51%) of purchased course materials were made at campus stores, 22% from Amazon, and the rest split between publisher websites and other sources.
In spring 2025, more than 23% of students reported downloading a course material, unpaid, without proper authorization.
About a quarter of students say they may not have sufficient resources to cover college expenses including housing, food, transportation, and course materials.
In total, 88% of students said they had used digital materials for classes in the past year, about the same as last year. Of these students, 24% reported they interacted with digital content a great deal, 32% said they did so a lot, and 30% interacted with digital materials a moderate amount.
Most students who purchased materials purchased at least some from their campus store (65% of students who purchase). This year more students reported purchasing from the campus store online than in-person.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

 About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

About The NACS Foundation: In operation for almost four decades, the NACS Foundation is the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals.

Prep Helps Grease Standards Process

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 18:34:52 GMT

by Dan Angelo

It can be a huge undertaking to apply the CAS Campus Store Standards to your entire store, but it’s doable with the right amount of planning and prep. The VolShop, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, just wrapped up its own assessment. At CAMEX25 in Fort Worth, TX, the VolShop’s Brian Wright and Randy Davis shared their insights and experiences in setting up the process.

“The goals that I first came up with was for us to provide self-assurance for the university and the administration, and to enhance transparency within the university,” said Davis, lead technology manager of the VolShop during the education session, Elevate Your Game: Navigating the New CAS Standards for College Stores with Confidence! “I also wanted the standards to show that we at the VolShop are the best option for retail and are always trying to improve.”

Davis found out about the CAS program during a CAMEX24 session in Savannah, GA. He built a presentation with help from his co-participants in the 2023-24 NACS Leadership Institute, then he pitched the idea to Wright, VolShop director.

“I was excited when Randy came to me and said he’d been to the conference and that we should do these standards,” Wright said. “Once we got through all of the material, we felt that this would go all the way up to the chancellor to give a better idea of what we do and that we are meeting best practices. The big light bulb went off, but that was after about six months of us wondering, ‘What is this CAS?’”

Released in February 2024, the CAS program for campus stores identifies 12 areas of operation that help a store create positive affiliation with the school, promotes campus spirit, and enhances student engagement and success.

“It was a long time in the works, but the standards are referred to as ‘musts’ and ‘shalls,’” Davis explained. “A ‘must’ is something a college store should be doing. A ‘shall’ is something that would enhance your visibility and resources that connect to the administration.”

The 12 categories and more than 500 individual standards allows the store to do a deep dive into every aspect of its operation. It’s up to each store to set its own rules as to what compliant means and what it doesn’t.

“It’s kind of confusing because you have the freedom to do what you want,” Wright said. “You get to develop the rules in your structure and how to use these standards, whether to do parts of it, or do the full assessment.”

The VolShop chose a full assessment and set up committees to complete the work. Davis also utilized project management software to keep the project on track. The store compiled all of its data into reports for both internal and external reviews.

“It took us six to eight weeks just for the team to read through the standards and to discuss what those were,” Davis said. “We wanted everyone to provide an assessment or an opinion on their own because it was important to have discussions and differences of opinions that are critical to fully assess your operation. Every area that you do adds credibility and transparency for your administration.”

The internal review process was completed by individuals from different areas on campus, which included a question-and-answer session with them and its CAS committee for feedback, while providing the review committee with full access to the entire VolShop operation to consolidate their findings.

The same process was planned for the external review, although the people selected to do that review are industry experts.

“The university really values an external review, someone outside the organization to go through the evidence,” Wright said. “I’ve seen a lot of benefits from doing this because it gives people a 360-degree view of our organization.”

The standards project is also another way to tell the store’s story with data.

“The CAS standards and assessments allows you to tell your story from a third-party perspective without having to create a story,” Davis said. “You can evaluate the standards and then produce a report, or continuously improve on that report. This is part of your story because it’s the things you are doing to follow the best practices in the industry.”

Teamwork Starts with Play

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:05:44 GMT

by Dan Angelo

Eli Walker came up with the idea for Drunk Yoga during a conversation with a former boss in a bar. It turned into a pretty big deal for the actress and yoga instructor.

She used the concept of Drunk Yoga to create what is now known as The Uplift Center and is using her platform to expand the idea as a motivational speaker and author. She presented the message at the CAMEX25 educational session, The Art of Getting Over Yourself: How To Build Belonging Through Play.

“The art of getting over yourself, what does that mean?” Walker asked. “It means stepping out of your comfort zone to embrace uncertainty, challenge convention and your own beliefs to see a fresh perspective. And, playfully rewriting the rule book.”

She was quick to point out that “drunk yoga” is more suggestive than literal. It’s not about sitting around a bar doing yoga with a glass of wine in your hand, but more about being social and having fun with music, playful interaction, and perhaps a few sips of wine.

“This rule-breaking recipe worked,” Walker said. “People were not coming for just the wine or just the yoga, they were coming for each other. I think that’s what helped Drunk Yoga catch fire.”

What she discovered during the creative process was people wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves. She also realized that play wasn’t just for kids. It also brought people together and made them feel like they belonged.

According to Walker, belonging gives people a deep connection to social groups, places, and individual and collective experiences. It fills people with purpose and helps them feel engaged.

For the college store, that engagement can allow employees to become invested in the success of the business, and not just show up for work. Understanding that helped her come up with the P.L.A.Y. method, which stands for place, language, acknowledgement, and you.

Place refers to the physical environment of gatherings and the way it shapes how group members engage with each other. Space can be interchangeable, but it should be somewhere that helps people feel comfortable. For instance, the atmosphere for a campus store meeting in a sunny outdoor spot is going to be much different than one held in a spare classroom.

Language is used to communicate and set expectations, and the smallest details do matter, according to Walker. As an example, she told the story of how she couldn’t get responses to emails to her yoga instructors until she started asking them to reply by answering nonwork-related questions, such as their first middle school crush or naming their favorite music group. Everyone started responding to those emails.

“It was a really, really easy way to spark play, create joy, think outside the box, and help them feel seen, heard, and valued, and it had nothing to do with work,” Walker explained. “It’s a really easy way to spark communications, and they started looking forward to the emails because they wanted to see what I would ask next.”

For Walker, acknowledgment means breaking down the walls of human connection and fully engage with the group. Using games, even silly ones such as musical chairs, helps to break down those walls.

“Games are powerful tools because it gets us off autopilot and into the present moment,” she said. “The present moment is the only place where belonging can be sparked.”

The final letter of the acronym, “Y” stands for you because you have to get over yourself. That requires acknowledging that reality may not be as you want it to be and being sure to take care of yourself physically and mentally.

“Your college store is more than just a place to shop,” Walker said. “It is the front door to the campus. It’s a place where belonging can happen and you can create it. As a leader, getting over yourself means daring to steer away from convention, breaking down the walls, and using play in your everyday gatherings because when you use these tools to empower your people to engage, you do more than just sell merchandise. Your create a place where people really want to be.”

Games Can Get the Message Across

Thu, 22 May 2025 17:35:56 GMT

by Dan Angelo

To Joel Zeff, games used as icebreakers at team meetings should be about creating passion and having fun, with the emphasis on fun.

Zeff, a speaker, work culture expert, author, and humorist with corporate clients ranging from Walmart to McDonald’s to AT&T, gave attendees at his CAMEX25 Main Stage presentation, The Spirit of TA DA—Watch What Happens When Work Becomes Play, a variety of games that produced plenty of laughter while still being engaging and challenging. It was Zeff’s second consecutive year as a speaker at CAMEX.

“We want to have that passion,” Zeff told the audience in Fort Worth. “We want to be fulfilled. We want to have fun. We want to create that environment where we can all be successful, and part of that is being in the moment. When we’re present, we’re at our best.”

He used his time at CAMEX25 to prep attendees for the Learning Labs scheduled for later in the morning. Zeff got the group warmed up with a game of ZigZagZog, where the audience was asked to follow his lead by saying the next word in a three-word series, or repeat an action. The game required concentration and the group became even more involved after Zeff mentioned the word “competition.”

“All I said was it was a competition and something clicked in your minds,” he said. “There’s no trophy. I’m not giving out a beautiful award, but what happened was you became more productive. We played the game better. We were more in the moment. We were more connected with the group in the room, and we had more fun.”

By choosing games that promote teamwork while allowing the staff to make choices as to how to play allows people to be in the moment and find more success, according to Zeff.

The second game, called Know It All, had three members of the audience answer a random question by using just one word each in succession to complete their sentence.

“They had no idea what words were coming before or coming after, so what allowed them to be successful?” Zeff asked. “They were prepared for change. All three volunteers, when they stood up, in their minds, they were prepared, even though they didn’t know what the game was going to be or what their role was going to be.”

That sense of being prepared for whatever was coming next allowed the trio to approach the game with a new attitude and energy, letting them be more open and flexible to the changes that were going to come as each new word was added to the sentence. They also had to be in the moment to work as a team.

“It was fun because each volunteer took ownership of the game,” Zeff said. “They made it look easy because they were making the choices of being good listeners and being in the moment.”

His next game promoted trust as one person was led around the room with their eyes closed by a second individual, who guided them around the obstacles of tables and chairs. That led to plenty of laughter, but also new ways of looking at the task, such as listening, concentration, flexibility, and the need to participate to be successful.

“The leader is you (as a store manager), the follower is your customer,” Zeff said. “They need you to help them. They can’t do it by themselves, but what makes a great leader? Being detailed, encouraging, and a constant communicator.”

His final game was much like the first, with volunteers asked to add a new thought on a particular topic—in this case, setting up a camp site—or to take the conversation backwards by starting with what was said last. One volunteer was given the task of telling the rest whether the conversation would go forward or backwards.

It was another game that had the attendees howling with laughter as the volunteers tried to keep every piece of the conversation straight.

“The game forces you to be in the moment,” Zeff said. “We have to allow that to happen. Back in the bookstore, we have to make that choice to be more present in the moment for our employees, for our customers.”

It’s that connection or partnership, with ample doses of being open, flexible, and constantly communicating, that allows the team to be successful.

“I gave you responsibility,” he said about the games played that Sunday morning. “I gave you ownership, and what happened? You cared. You wanted to be successful. You got excited about it. We want that passion, but we have to give responsibility, we have to give that ownership. We have to build trust and when that happens, that’s when a great team happens.”

Six Big Ideas for Store Leaders

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 17:38:17 GMT

by Dan Angelo

Juan Bendana is an entertaining guy who kept attendees of his two sessions at CAMEX25 in Fort Worth, TX, in stitches with his stories. He also found time to throw in some good advice about leadership.

During his second educational session, A Culture of Confidence: Helping to Inspire High-Performing Teams, he was able to slip in six “big ideas” aimed at helping NACS members become better leaders.

“We’re not only talking about how to show the most confident version of yourself, but also how to inspire confidence in others,” Bendana began his presentation. “How can we be that person for our friends, for the people who walk into our stores, for the people in our lives to instill confidence in others?”

Bendana is the author of a number of motivational books, including Confident by Choice and 12 Keys: How to Live Fully, Achieve Greatly, and Lead an Epic Life . He also lists American Airlines, American Express, Disney, U.S. Bank, and Zillow among his clients.

His first big idea starts with the stories we tell of ourselves. It’s a story that can inspire others to have confidence in you because it gives others, especially employees, the chance to see the real person who is leading the store.

“People are not looking to you to say certain things or share certain strategies or go into a team meeting with a specific outcome,” Bendana said. “They are looking for the feeling that you create. That’s how we instill confidence. It’s the energy you bring, it’s how you approach the meeting, so we have to understand that who we are is what people need the most.”

That notion transitions to the second big idea, which is to spark energy in others. Bendana believes that while leaders should ignite energy, there are two types of individuals—chargers and drainers.

“We can be someone who brings energy to the moment or who sucks the energy out of the room,” he said. “People meet your energy far before they meet you. That’s our ultimate opportunity when it comes to inspiring confidence in others.”

Igniting that energy is about creating anticipation, according to Bendana. That anticipation will then create excitement, which creates energy and, finally, inspires action.

From there, Bendana said confidence is given by what leaders do, not by what they say. There are always barriers in the way, but it’s a leader who is willing to take the first step forward.

“We have to take the bold step outside of our comfort zone because when we do, we inspire people in our lives to do the same,” he said. “It’s not about the strategies we give, it’s how we show up in the world.”

At the same time, the ability to laugh at oneself is vital. The pressure on individuals to keep it together and act professional sometimes acts as a barrier to real connection.

“I realized that oftentimes we get into a moment where we don’t know what to do and we refuse to just have fun with it,” Bendana said. “We hold ourselves back instead of saying I’m going to have fun. I’m going to get into the game and be the person who shows up even if I fall on my face. Real influence is someone who has the courage to risk it.”

Being able to energize your team, not let barriers stand in the way, and the ability to laugh at yourself allows you to understand that your story is your super power, the fifth big idea from Bendana.

“Sometimes we lack perspective of what really matters,” he said. “Sometimes as we move towards a goal, we pursue things we want to pursue. It’s growth-oriented or goal-driven, but sometimes we neglect to tell the stories of who we are today, and a lot of you have really inspiring stories.”

Bendana’s final big idea to building confidence as a leader is having the ability to see in others what they can’t see in themselves. He added most probably wouldn’t be as hard on themselves if they could only see themselves as others see them.

This idea was actually researched in the 1970s and is called self-efficacy. The research found that the thing which contributes the most to self-confidence is the ability to convince people to believe in themselves.

“Think about the story you are telling,” Bendana said. “How is that story inspiring the people you lead? And, what can I see in someone that they can’t see in themselves? People need encouragement from the people around them to go for the things they want.”

Bendana’s final point in his presentation was not really a big idea, but a way to ignite energy in people by using what is only found in you.

“Acknowledge people, praise people, and don’t forget to praise yourself,” he said. “The energy you bring, no one has that ability. No one has what you have to bring and that’s not motivational. It’s just a fact that we are all uniquely different.”

Innovating Student Stockout Requests

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:09:31 GMT

It’s rare for a campus store to be considered for an Innovation in Community College Award from the League for Innovation in the Community College, an organization that promotes and recognizes many types of innovative practices at its member colleges.

Most often the League’s awards go to faculty members or sometimes to administrators in areas such as admissions or financial aid. But Beth Mason developed a digital means for tracking out-of-stock book requests for the Johnson County Community College Bookstore that got the League’s attention.

“The nice thing about it is that any store needing a better way than paper to track these requests could easily recreate this project and scale for their needs,” said Mason, course materials supervisor for the store in Overland Park, KS.

When she joined the staff as a course materials buyer in August 2023, the store was using a large paper binder to record student requests for textbooks that were out of stock. Requests were filled out manually, with hundreds of sheets used each semester. There was no system for alerting when a new request had been submitted, binder sheets could be misplaced, and occasionally books were accidentally ordered twice.

“With the first thought that it would be great if all the buyers were alerted whenever a new request went into the binder, I worked backwards to make it happen with our current resources,” she said.

Using Microsoft Forms and SharePoint, Mason created a form to enable students to submit textbook requests online through a QR code. Each submission automatically generates an alert to the buying team for prompt response. The data is stored in a SharePoint spreadsheet with real-time updates and visibility by the entire team. The form provides a structured workflow for each request, showing its progress through different statuses: submitted, ordered, fulfilled. A trigger was also built into the program to move a completed order to a different tab, avoiding duplicate orders.

The result has been faster processing (with quicker delivery to students), fewer errors and lost requests, and improved collaboration between buyers and customer service staff, all of whom can access, update, and track orders from the shared system. The data collected on out-of-stock requests has also enabled the bookstore to identify issues and patterns with inventory access and purchasing and reduce stockouts in the future.

“From the buying team who will need to address the request and make sure something is already on order to the warehouse team who will need to know that these books have been requested and shouldn’t go to the sales floor, this process allows us to better support our students’ success at JCCC,” Mason noted. Going paperless was an added benefit.

The new process went into effect with the spring 2024 semester. After a year of testing, with some tweaks, the online form has gotten positive feedback from both students and customer service staff.

As a bonus, there was no cost to developing the form. All of the resources were already available in the store’s existing Microsoft applications and Mason is confident other campus stores could make their own form.

“Only simple triggers and automations have been used in the interest of being easy to replicate and manage at every experience level,” she said.

An Extraordinary Mission for the Store

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:53:04 GMT

by Dan Angelo

Brett Culp’s work journey has led him to discover the importance of story-telling and how that makes for better leaders.

It was that message the documentary filmmaker delivered during his Morning Main Stage presentation, Energizing Your Future, at CAMEX25 in the Fort Worth Convention Center.

“I believe as an industry like yours grows, you all grow with your individual stores, and as each individual store grows and shares, you grow as an industry,” he said. “That’s a beautiful thing to watch.”

Culp has directed and produced the documentaries Legends of the Knight, Look to the Sky, and A Voice that Carries, and uses those films to support local charities through his not-for-profit The Rising Heroes Project.

Legends of the Knight features the true stories of people who have overcome adversity to make a positive impact because of their childhood love of the crime-fighting character Batman. It is a film that has played theatrically in 110 cities worldwide and has raised more than $100,000 for charitable organizations in each city it played.

Look to the Sky encourages viewers to find their superhero within themselves by looking at 10 young people and their journeys through adversity, while A Voice that Carries empowers fathers to be positive influences in their daughters’ lives. To Culp, the visual message that he provides through these films can be directly related to the work the campus stores does every day.

“The story of how your store intersects with the lives of real people empowers them and becomes a vehicle for them to live out their best stories,” he said. “And, when you can quickly explain what you do and how you do it from that perspective, you attract support, partners, excitement, energy, opportunities, and collaboration that you did not see before when you were focused on being a one-person support group for yourself.”

That’s how leadership is developed, according to Culp. He reminded listeners that real leadership involves inviting people on the mission rather than telling them what tasks to do.

“The idea of an invitation is inclusive, which means we need to hear from multiple voices whenever we solve problems,” he said. “It’s about framing your work as a mission. It’s not just a to-do list of things that we’ve got to get done. We’re going to frame the campus store as a mission, and not an average, ordinary mission, but an extraordinary mission. This is a noble quest we’re on.”

A leader is also a mentor, and not a taskmaster. Sometimes bosses tend to think about work as things to get done and their own need for control over those employees who have been tasked to do the work. That isn’t a positive approach because workers don’t want to be bullied.

“We’re moving in a world where people are more sensitive and they don’t want to be controlled,” Culp said. “That doesn’t mean they don’t want leadership, it means they don’t want to be controlled. They want to be coached.”

Coaching makes it possible to not only support workers, but it allows them to find out for themselves what is stopping them from being excellent contributors. The problem is that sometimes coaches tend to focus on the big moments and forget it’s the small ones that can make the biggest difference to the people who not only work in the store, but the customers who shop there.

However, being true to your own story comes first. Then, making sure to tell the stories of the store—what it does, the people who work there, and the positive impact they all have on the campus and the surrounding community—helps you become the powerful leader that unlocks the potential of their employees and creates the space to let their lights shine, according to Culp.

“Keep telling your story, and even when you feel like you are losing ground, keep swinging,” he said. “Even when it feels like everything is lost, keep holding space for what could be and what’s possible, for there are galaxies within you. You are filled with wonder and beauty and magic and light.”

Strategize to Keep Good Staff

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 20:06:22 GMT

Turns are good when it comes to selling merchandise in the campus store but turns in staffing can become a problem.

Some employee turnover is unavoidable and even desirable to bring in fresh ideas and different expertise. Too-frequent turnover, though, hampers productivity, undermines the enthusiasm of remaining staff, and ultimately impacts the store’s bottom line. It may be time for a retention strategy.

Deb Snellen, executive director of professional and organizational development, Lake-Sumter State College, Leesburg, FL, has had decades of experience with human resources in higher education and the college store industry. In her CAMEX100 session in New Orleans in 2023, Scalable Talen Management: Retention Strategies for Any Size Store, she laid out the 4C Model to help stores develop a plan for bolstering employee retention.

“The first thing, know the reason you want to implement talent management practices,” she said. “Have a focus.” For retention, that might involve clarifying what problem you’re trying to solve, such as ensuring student workers return the following fall or keeping more experienced professional employees on board as part of a succession plan.

“Go to the root causes of your main issues,” she also recommended. What looks like a retention problem may actually be a hiring problem upon closer inspection, for example.

If you’re sure you’ve got the right people in the right positions but are losing too many or too quickly, then the store needs to consider improving the 4Cs: culture, capacity, capability, and career. These four touch on different aspects of work life that may affect whether an employee is satisfied with their job or wants to leave.

Culture

The culture in your store can be a strong incentive for employees to stay—or it may push them out the door. Snellen advised identifying the core values that shape your culture, “three to five things that are just really important about how you do your work,” she said. Then take steps to reinforce those values with your staff.

“And that can also help you in hiring people because you can ask people how they exhibit those core values,” she added.

Snellen suggested other ways to bolster the positives in your store culture as part of your retention strategy:

Set up a buddy system, pairing each worker with someone in a different department. A small store could buddy up with another entity on campus.
Peer mentoring is similar to the buddy system but usually involves matching two employees in the same department. They can be at the same experience level with the idea they will learn and grow together in a supportive way, or one may have more experience and is willing to help the other.
An engagement survey lets you find out how employees feel about working in the store and how much they’re really connected to the work.
Use an engagement pyramid model to map the various levels in which employees engage with the store.

Capacity

Capacity has to do with building trust in the hiring process. That might mean setting consistent procedures for recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding and providing mechanisms for employees to voice concerns or problems.

“If I’m having a problem with my manager, I’m not going to tell the manager. I’m just going to leave,” Snellen noted.

She recommended holding interviews with new hires at the 45-day mark to check in on how they’re doing and whether their new workplace is meeting expectations. It doesn’t need to be a lengthy interview (unless a problem is uncovered), just a few questions to assess the employee’s status.

Capability

Most employees want to expand their knowledge and skills and look forward to receiving training and educational opportunities on the job. If they don’t receive any, they look somewhere else.

Snellen suggested creating an individual development plan for each employee. “Ask them, ‘How do you want to grow in the next year?’” she said. Gear training around those goals; many resources are available online.

“Ninety percent of training doesn’t have to cost a lot,” Snellen noted.

She also recommended scheduling employees for occasional lunches with their manager and one-on-one meetings. The 360-degree survey model—in which employees not only rate themselves but also their peers and managers—can also be useful, she said.

Career

If a staff member can’t move up the ladder or into a new area of interest at their current employer, they’ll find an opportunity elsewhere. Snellen suggested talking with employees about their intended career path and how they might achieve their goals at the store.

Talent reviews are another way to help identify ways for employees to grow, Snellen said. These reviews—typically separate from performance reviews and conducted at a different time—assess the abilities and expertise an employee might possess, especially skills outside their current role. Your store might be able to put those skills to good use, retaining a capable employee who might otherwise have sought out greener pastures.

More Mission Accomplished

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:56:55 GMT

Even though many campus stores are housed under auxiliary services, they are still a vital part of the institution. There are many ways for the store to support the institution’s mission and values.

At CAMEX24 in Savannah, GA, audience members shared some of their success stories during the session Aligning with the University’s Mission and Advocating for the Campus Store (see the related article in the Nov. 15 issue of CM):

An Oregon store manager includes a statement in email signatures noting that the cost of course materials represents less than 1% of the total cost of attendance.

Another store provides information about cost savings on course materials to parents during freshman orientation.

A community college store partnered with the institutional research office to examine data on student grade point averages and retention rates for the previous two years to determine the positive impact of moving to an inclusive access program. The store planned to drill down into demographic data as well, such as gender and age.

A store at a small, private institution has worked closely with admissions to ensure prospective students and their parents have opportunities to stop by the store during visiting days. The store is exploring ways to leverage relationships with other administrative offices.

As part of the institution’s efforts to track sustainability progress, an Arizona store calculated how much paper was saved due to the switch to an inclusive access program.

To help introduce prospective students to the store, a Tennessee store provided tour managers with free tee shirts. Now campus tours conclude with a stop at the campus store (which has also boosted sales).

At one institution, students in the School of Business and Marketing are required to undertake an internship in order to graduate. The campus store partnered with the school to create marketing internships. The interns, which are selected by faculty, work on creating marketing campaigns and materials for the store.

A Texas store got involved with a local foundation’s scholarship fundraising events. One attendee was so impressed that he donated $1 million to the program.

One store’s school launched an extensive project to improve retention. The institution made an effort to be attuned to students who may be struggling to meet expenses and therefore at risk of dropping out. The store trained cashiers to be aware when students purchased course materials late in the term and talk with them to determine if the reason was financial so that they could be steered to available assistance.

Their Mission is Your Mission

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 19:08:04 GMT

The campus store is not just a purveyor of spirit gear, course materials, and snacks. It’s an integral part of the institution, even if it operates differently from administrative and academic entities.

But in the crush of running a business, store employees may lose sight of how the store fits into the institution’s mission. Or administrators may tend to view the store as outside the mission.

In the CAMEX24 panel discussion, Aligning with the University’s Mission and Advocating for the Campus Store, three current and retired administrators unpacked how they view the campus store’s role and how stores can improve the visibility of their contributions.

Panelists were Debby Shively, retired associate vice president, business affairs and auxiliary services, The University of Arizona, Tucson; Kimberly Rademacher, director, auxiliary services business operations, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI; and Milagros Concepcion, associate vice president, controller, and assistant treasurer, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. Moderator was Chad Stith, VitalSource.

On defining the role of the campus store in the campus mission:

“We make sure we’re helping our students be successful. We have our pulse on what students need,” said Rademacher. She suggested that allies such as vendors and student ambassadors “can help carry your message.”

“You are the heart and center of campus,” Shively said. “Know your demographics on campus: students, faculty, administration.”

“What we learned is what students wanted and what faculty wanted—they wanted the same thing,” which was for students to be successful at a reasonable price, said Concepcion. “The alignment came naturally once we put the focus on them.”

On the challenges stores encounter in aligning their values with the institution:

Shively believes most campuses do understand the store’s role but stores still need to communicate their contributions.

Building relationships with other administrators is key for Rademacher, who had only been in her position at Ferris for four months when the session took place. She said she began working with the provost and other administrators right away, and also connected with vendors.

“One of the challenges can be engagement,” Concepcion noted. Engagement may be high at the start of the academic year, but then wanes. Stores should focus on “really creating relationships so you can engage all year-round.”

On ways the store contributes to student success beyond course materials and merchandise:

Concepcion sees the store as a “big part of student education” because the store works closely with students and gains more understanding about how they use course materials to succeed.

For Rademacher, it’s important for stores to understand their numbers in order to tell their story. “As leaders on campus, you need to know what the key metrics are” and how they benchmark with peers in the industry.

Stores shouldn’t feel alone, stressed Shively. “Tie in the library and resource center, because you’re working in collaboration with them.”

On how campus store professionals can overcome skepticism from campus stakeholders:

“Invite yourself to faculty meetings,” recommended Shively. “They have no idea we pay our own debt service or our contributions. Have the hard discussions and have your numbers right.”

Rademacher echoed that recommendation, suggesting store managers sit down with key administrators and attend meetings.

On how to decide where to invest time getting involved on campus:

“We try to be involved wherever there are students,” Concepcion said. She drove a golf cart to help out on move-in day and tries to attend all milestone events.

Stores should consider getting involved with admissions and orientation, Rademacher suggested.

Shively’s store would survey hundreds of students to ask what products are missing in-store and online, and what products they’re buying elsewhere right now. Student employees helped develop the surveys and were given leeway (and budget) to implement the best suggestions from the survey.

On conveying your value to the right people:

“Everything you do you need to convey to your boss, every touchpoint,” emphasized Shively. “I try to make the narration not about money but on the impact you make in the community.” She always made sure to be out on the store floor when student tours came by. She also discovered the store was in a position to identify students in need, who were otherwise under the institution’s radar.

Talking to administrators can open up opportunities for delivering more value, too. “How do we want to celebrate our students at graduation?” Rademacher said. “Now we have a bigger role in recruitment.”

On finding the right balance between generating revenue and staying true to university values:

Rademacher said she tries to understand the “why” behind institutional values to guide her.

“We focused on branded products instead of course materials,” Concepcion said. “We don’t focus on revenue generation for course materials.”

She added, “Welcome the change. Find ways to be advocates for students and be open to change.”

Conquering Change Takes a Team

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 23:05:48 GMT

Michael Bonner is used to having people looking over his shoulder at work. He teaches middle-schoolers at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, a school known for its innovative practices.

“Every week 500 to 700 teachers come watch us teach,” he told the audience during his Main Stage presentation at CAMEX24 in Savannah. The observers are open to gaining new ideas and insights into teaching and learning which they can take back to their own schools.

How open are you and your store to fresh ideas? Is your team bogging down efforts to innovate?

Every so often a “black swan” event occurs, a massive change that disrupts everything, such as the stock market crash that led to the Great Depression in the 1930s or the housing mortgage collapse a couple decades ago. COVID-19 was another such event, forcing campus stores and their institutions to move more quickly to digital course materials.

But instead of seeing the pandemic’s impact as a total disaster, “it was an opportunity for all of us to work together and see what we can do differently,” Bonner noted.

He pointed out that companies such as Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, Spotify, WhatsApp, Venmo, Kickstarter, Instagram, and Zoom didn’t exist before 2007. None of the companies invented a brand-new product or service, they simply took advantage of new technologies to improve on existing forms of transportation, accommodations, radio, communications, banking, investing, and meetings.

However, it may be much more difficult to recognize the opportunities in change if your store’s work culture undermines employees. Bonner suggested stores “intentionally collect, accept, and implement feedback” to foster a more change-friendly workplace. “Ask simple questions” on a survey that employees can take anonymously, he said, and feed the data into an artificial intelligence app such as MonkeyLearn to generate a keyword cloud. The more often a word has been mentioned or selected by a survey-taker, the larger the word will appear in the cloud.

“That will show you what you need to work on,” he said.

Bonner also identified five types of employee personalities:

Believers are internally motivated, mission-driven, and willing to confront negative talk and attitude. They make great team players.

Tweeners are loosely motivated by company mission and exhibit some enthusiasm, but also tend to be messy and gossipy.

Survivors have become overwhelmed, possess no aspirations, and don’t show any sign of professional practices.

Fundamentalists display a negative attitude toward everything, believe reform is a waste of time, and think that internal problems are due to outside forces.

“Which personality is dominating your workforce right now?” Bonner asked.

“With Fundamentalists, you have to create strong boundaries to catch them,” he said. Give them an opportunity to observe and model more positive behaviors, and provide firm feedback. “What are you allowing, stopping, and reinforcing?”

Survivors need a system to help them regain control of their work, while Tweeners’ energy needs to be redirected into more productive channels. To keep Believers motivated, build a diverse community and focus on results.

In searching out ideas for coping with change, Bonner suggested using the SCAMPER model. Take an idea and S ubstitute something, C ombine things, A dapt or M odify it, P ut it to another use, E liminate an element, or R everse it inside out or upside down. Looking at the idea from these different perspectives can help lead you to the right solution.

Massive Data Theft Underscores Threats to Students from Downloading Illegal eBooks

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:19:32 GMT

Students Beware: Scams to Avoid
NACS Urges Students To Guard Their Finances, Identities, and Privacy

OBERLIN, OH (August 15, 2024) – A clone of a popular website students frequently use to download pirated eBooks recently lead to the biggest data theft ever according to Cybernews . An estimated 10 million users who accessed the clone site inadvertently exposed their personal information, including usernames, email addresses, and encrypted passwords. This incident, underscores the needs to remind students of the dangerous risks associated with downloading copyrighted works for free from unknow sources.

Some students have resorted to illegally downloading “free” textbooks and course materials – a
practice that can set them up for academic, legal, and data privacy risks. According to the latest Student Watch survey, 20% of students admitted to digital textbook piracy. The study also found students who opt-out of school affordable access programs were twice as likely to say they engage in this behavior.

Illegally downloading textbooks puts students at risk for serious disciplinary action pursuant to the federal Higher Education Act's Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Copyrighted Material provisions and institution student code of conduct policies. Not only is textbook piracy a federal crime, but it can also result in students relying on outdated, inaccurate, or illegible materials, which can negatively impact academic performance.

College students are now specifically being targeted by cybercriminals the Detroit Free Press is reporting. According to CNET , a leading anti-virus company found that malware attacks disguised as downloadable textbooks is an increasingly prevalent tactic to breach student privacy and capture sensitive data. More than 100,000 pieces of malware disguised as free textbooks and related course materials included viruses capable of harming students, infiltrating college networks, and exposing sensitive data.

"Students need to be careful about where they obtain their course materials and look at anything being offered as ‘free’ with a level of skepticism. They must also be wary when providing credit and debit card information and other sensitive data online, and take steps to protect themselves against a variety of digital scams," said Richard Hershman, vice president of government relations for the National Association of College Stores (NACS). “We urge students to guard their identities, their privacy and their finances by taking common-sense steps.”

NACS recommends students be aware of the following:

Online Textbook Cons. Don’t fall for prices that sound too good to be true. Before buying, validate the site and seller, check reviews including third-party consumer sites such as the Better Business Bureau and others, and look for a physical address and phone number. Also, be aware that some online sites sell stolen or fake textbooks. If purchased, buyers could be charged with receiving stolen goods or unable to sell the books at the end of the term.
Illegal or Stolen Online Access Codes. Digital course materials require access codes to sign on. Unfortunately, an increasing number of scammers have set up online sites that sell fake, stolen, and expired access codes. Students purchasing from such sites may find the codes don’t work. Meanwhile, within hours or days, the scammers shut down the site and begin using the student's credit card.
Viruses on Illegal Digital Files. Don’t download illegal pirated files. They usually arrive with nasty computer viruses and violate student code of conduct policies. Most illegal downloading is done through peer-to-peer software. But, since the real source of the files isn’t known, it is impossible to know if they are infected.
Credit Card Scams Targeting Students. According to the FBI , in recent years Good Samaritan students have unknowingly participated in credit card scams. Scammers claiming to have lost their student ID cards enlist students to vouch for them at the counter with their valid IDs. The perpetrators then make their purchases – in many cases, high-end computers and devices – with a bogus credit card. College stores have implemented prevention methods to thwart these crimes. The FBI advises students to not agree to facilitate a purchase for someone who does not have a valid student ID and to immediately report any fraudulent activity.
Digital Security. Students should protect their digital information and identities. Do not lend passwords or access codes and do not use school usernames and passwords on commercial sites. When using public Wi-Fi, do not transmit personal or financial information. Also, be aware of fake Wi-Fi sites that steal personal information. For additional tips and guidance visit Florida State University's "Top 10 Cybersecurity Tips for Students ."

F i nally, always report fraudulent activity as soon as it occurs. Use reliable trusted sources for purchases and use resources such as the Better Business Bureau and their ScamTracker Risk Report to make smart decisions regarding retail transactions.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing community. Our members are primarily campus stores owned by colleges, universities, and other nonprofit K-20 institutions and co-ops across the United States. We conduct extensive research into course material use and affordability, partner with student organizations and other stakeholders to advance course material affordability efforts, establish best practices, and promote industry standards. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio.

Go Flat for Your Insta Posts

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 19:19:28 GMT

A new academic year is almost here and with it comes the start of fresh social media campaigns for campus stores. Regular posts on social media, especially Instagram, keeps the store in students’ minds.

It’s okay if posts depict products and services at the store, as long as the message is not a hard sell. Let students know what’s new at the store, offer them solutions to daily tasks, and have some fun with posts.

Surveys indicate that students really like to view store posts that show other students wearing, using, or unboxing products. That’s a good way to get the word out about new merchandise or upcoming sales events. But it may take more time to prep and shoot photos with people—and cost more, too, if you have to compensate the models with cash, gift cards, or swag.

Another way to photograph products is the flat lay: Simply lay a group of items in an attractive way on a flat surface, possibly with a few props, and photograph the grouping from above. The selected items should be related and suggest a theme or story. The surface is typically all-white to allow the items to stand out, but some color can be worked into the image as well, especially if placed at an angle to draw the eye.

Flat lay photography has been around for a while, but it’s resurging in popularity, according to Dash Hudson, a social media management firm. Last spring the company analyzed Instagram posts for more than 200 consumer brands and found that flat-lay visuals increased in frequency by 43%.

More importantly, Dash Hudson’s analysis revealed the flat-lay images garnered an engagement rate of 0.6%. That may sound tiny, but it was double the engagement rate for all other types of product images in the same time period. People look longer at flat-lay displays to peruse all the items; the theme or story the image tells also helps to forge a connection.

Within the flat lay trend, Glossy magazine noted a subtrend: the bag flat lay. Some sort of bag—purse, tote, backpack, duffel, and so on—is laid flat and the products are arranged on top of it, again suggesting a theme or story. For campus stores, that might be a clear stadium bag with items a fan might need, or an imprinted beach bag with stuff for spring break. The bag can also be positioned off to the side instead of underneath the products.

A variant of the bag flat lay is to substitute the bag for a wide container of some type, such as a tray, box, drawer, or open suitcase.

If you need to brush up on your photography skills before the new academic year begins, NACS University offers a two-hour, self-paced webinar on E-Commerce Product Photo Insights . In the webinar, digital photography instructor Shannon Cottrell shares practical tips on staging products, lighting, camera angles, using props and backdrops, editing software, and other recommendations. All current NACS University resources are free to NACS members. A member login is needed to access each offering.

Also, go here for a YouTube tutorial on shooting a flat lay for Instagram, running four-and-a-half minutes. The instructor uses a professional camera but most of the tutorial discusses how to set up your product arrangement.

NACS Announces New Officers and Trustees

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 14:24:29 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (June 21 , 2024)— The National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing the campus store industry, has installed officers and new trustees on the NACS Board of Trustees.

Gilbert Garcia, the manager of the Southwestern Campus Store at Southwestern Community College District in Chula Vista, CA, was installed as the 2024–25 president-elect and secretary. Garcia has managed the Southwestern Campus Store for the past two years. During that time, he spearheaded an initiative to introduce pickup parcel lockers at four locations across southern San Diego to streamline students’ access to essential materials and improve service.

He was previously employed at the Bay Tree Bookstore at the University of California, Santa Cruz, for seven years. He started as a student employee, then worked his way up to general merchandise and technology buyer, and ultimately to operations manager.

Garcia has served as a NACS trustee since 2021 and has also been tapped to serve on the California Association of College Stores Board of Directors.

In addition, Debbie Cottrell, manager of the UMHB Campus Store at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX, remains the 2024-25 president, and Andy Dunn, MBA, director of campus retail and licensing at Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ, will continue on the board as immediate past president.

The terms for these officers will conclude on June 30, 2025.

Three new trustees-at-large elected by NACS members were also installed for three-year terms: Ben Eisenstein, associate director of marketing communications and special projects for Aztec Shops and the SDSU Bookstore at San Diego State University in San Diego, CA; LuAnne Kelly, manager of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Bookstore in St. John’s, NL, Canada; and Terri Mitchell, director of the Bulldog Bookstore at Navarro College in Corsicana, TX. Additionally, one new trustee-at-large, appointed by the NACS Board, was also installed for a one-year term: Carol Dreste, director of the UC Santa Barbara Campus Store in Santa Barbara, CA.

####

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Swipe These Ideas from Your Colleagues

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 17:54:55 GMT

“I don’t watch the show,” admitted Stacy Elofir, director, Towson University Store, Towson, MD, referring to the long-running TV hit, Keeping Up with the Kardashians . “But who in the room doesn’t know the Kardashians?” she asked during her CAMEX24 roundtable session, Keeping Up with the Retail-dashians.

In addition to sharing the celebrity drama of their everyday lives, the Kardashian family is famous for making lots of money from a variety of business enterprises. However, none of them have invented anything—they all borrowed good ideas from other sellers (such as comfy underwear, trendy perfume and makeup, high-end liquor, and so on) and tweaked the concept to produce sales success of their own.

And that’s how it goes for campus stores as well: taking an idea that’s been successful at another school and adapting it.

Elofir’s session encouraged attendees to share ideas that have worked for them or to highlight sources of inspiration for merchandising and marketing. Here’s a list of ideas from the session—you might find something to put into action this fall.

Figure out what makes your store/institution/community special and work that angle.

“If you don’t know your uniqueness, that might be one of the issues,” commented an attendee. One store takes advantage of a moonshine festival held on its campus annually for the past 30 years. Another reaches out to tourists dropped off by cruise ships at the nearby port.

Plan discounts with a sales-multiplier effect in mind.

You don’t have to discount everything in the store to get a sales boost. Select certain merchandise for the discount or issue a limited coupon; customers who come in for the discount will buy the full-price merchandise, too. One campus store hands out a $10 coupon at new-student orientation; those who redeem the coupon nearly always spend much more than the face amount.

Another store held 12 Days of Sales during the holiday season, with a daily special (the biggest was 80% off clearance items). Not only did the multi-day sale attract repeat customers, the sales spurt for the discounted items carried over to merch that wasn’t discounted. “We actually did more sales with the illusion of savings,” said an attendee.

Seek out partners to expand your offerings, even temporarily.

You might perceive there’s a market on campus for a certain type of product, but you don’t want to invest in inventory or spend time sourcing. Instead, look for a partner to do the work and you take a fee or commission. An attendee’s store partnered with a local store that sold metaphysical wares (such as crystals, candles, incense, spiritual items) to hold a popup sale, earning 10% for the store.

One store brings in a poster company to run a popular sale every Valentine’s Day, on a commission basis. “You don’t have to do any work and it looks like you’re doing this crazy event,” the attendee said.

Extend your store’s “hours” with online-only promotions.

Even though the stores are closed the day after Thanksgiving, a couple of them still host online sales on Black Friday. “We come back and there’s 600 orders,” a manager said. “We also do Small Business Saturday.”

One store started an online-only promotion—get a free backsack with $50 or more orders—and later expanded it to in-store purchases.

Reward your customers for shopping with you.

One store gives a point for each dollar spent, and customers can redeem their points whenever they want. “I’ve had some students save all year and use points for their graduation stuff,” an attendee said. Some students spend their points on snacks. “Most don’t use their points but it’s the perception,” the attendee added.

Have fun with your student customers and with your student employees.

A university store was the official sponsor of a two-day event similar to Comic-Con, with registered attendees (many in costume) coming to hear speakers discuss comics and related art forms and participate in activities.

Another store told student employees they could switch the ambient music if their sales reached a certain threshold. That motivated them to remember to greet customers and offer add-ons. One store does a digital holiday card every year and sends it out by email; a graphic artist creates cartoon versions of employees to depict on the card.

Check your store’s online ranking.

Be sure to do a Google search for your store’s name and see where it lands on the first page of results. If it’s not at the top—Elofir found an online competitor was there instead—then review your website and social media to determine which keywords should be added to boost your ranking.

They Need Your Support

Thu, 23 May 2024 16:56:55 GMT

What do improvisational comedy sketches have in common with ensuring you have an effective team of employees at your campus store?

It’s all in how you show support, according to Main Stage speaker Joel Zeff at CAMEX24 in Savannah, GA.

Zeff, who has worked in improv comedy, brought three groups of audience volunteers on stage to illustrate. With a few prompts, he got them to improvise skits on the spot about a road trip to Santa Barbara, firefighters cleaning up, and a rocket blastoff involving belly dancing and a dolphin. For each sketch, the audience went crazy—lots of laughter, clapping, and hurrahs.

“Why were they successful?” Zeff asked. “I gave them something (the prompts) and you gave them something … You gave them energy. The more clapping and laughing, the more positive support.” The engagement from the audience boosted the confidence of the volunteers on stage and encouraged them to give their best effort to the sketch, even though none were professional comics, he said.

The same goes for your employees.

“Every person on your team, that’s what they want. That’s what you want,” Zeff noted. At the end of each workday, he suggested, think about all the individuals with whom you had contact. Did you provide each one with some level of positive support—even just a thank-you—or were you too busy?

There are many ways to support your staff and other stakeholders: finding out what fulfills them and offering opportunities or rewards that matter to them; being a good listener to their ideas and concerns; acknowledging a job well done (maybe let the boss know, too); lending a hand where needed.

“How do I help people around me be successful? Ask that question and act on it,” Zeff said.

But what if you feel you’re not getting sufficient support?

“Find a way to be successful,” Zeff suggested. “When something is happening that wasn’t expected or doesn’t work, we have a choice. As long as we stay in the game. It’s going to work.”

That means embracing change and disruption. “You might have to do something different, something you didn’t do five years ago,” he said.

You don’t have to tackle every challenge at the same time, however. “Pick one thing that really hits home” and focus your efforts on that,” Zeff said. When you have achieved success in that area, build on that success with another goal, and maintain the momentum. In that manner you can “keep that positive support alive” for yourself.

Inspo for Your GM Shelves

Thu, 02 May 2024 18:29:03 GMT

It’s graduation season now, but before you know it fall rush will be here. What new products will your campus store offer to delight your customers, fill their needs, and make their busy lives easier?

Get some ideas from the CAMEX24 session, Let’s Connect on Your Top Trade Show Discoveries. Shelly Schrimpf, assistant director of campus retail and licensing, Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, scoured the trade show booths in Savannah to find interesting products and apparel worth considering for your shelves.

This was the third year Schrimpf has shared her favorite show discoveries in a CAMEX session. (Take a look back at what she spotted at CAMEX100 in New Orleans last year.)

While not all of the product picks may be perfect for your particular campus, some may be just the thing to complement your existing assortments. Read more about what Schrimpf found at the trade show this year:

Mila waterproof phone case— “You can take it in the ocean, river, pool. Our school has eight pools,” Schrimpf said. “You can still talk on it and text on it.” The case comes with a lanyard and armband for hands-free transport. She thought the case might work well for the many GCU students and staff who enjoy camping.

Sticker Cabana humorous stickers— “I could have been there for hours reading the stickers,” Schrimpf said. She cautions buyers to check out every sticker before ordering because “some are a little risqué” which may not work for your school. A spinner is also available and may be free with larger orders.

Vantage’s letterman jacket— This garment is actually a crew sweatshirt with fleece, styled like an old-school letter jacket. “It’s supersoft, some of the softest fleece out there,” Schrimpf said. At CAMEX it was available only in three color combos (black/white, navy/white, gray/white), “but they’re looking to add school colors,” she said. Sizes go up to 5X.

Friendly Crystals crystals and black lava rocks— Many people believe crystals can impart beneficial properties. Schrimpf said each crystal comes with a writeup explaining its particular qualities. The lava rocks hold essential oils.

High Point Design slippers— These nonimprinted slippers come in fun designs, including Care Bears. They’re inexpensive “but felt like good quality,” she said.

Valor tech accessories— “Tech is hardest for me because there’s so much out there,” Schrimpf admitted. These accessories, such as headphones and cords, caught her eye due to “really good pricing and I like the way it’s displayed.”

Town Pride novelties— “They have the cutest stuff,” Schrimpf noted, including pillows, keychains, and magnets bearing designs that don’t require licensing. In particular, she liked the pillows shaped like a state or an American flag, which could also be big hits with visiting family who want a practical souvenir but not necessarily an imprinted item.

Banded hair accessories— In addition to being “really well-priced,” Schrimpf said the company is woman-owned and committed to recyclable and sustainable materials. A portion of proceeds go to organizations providing meals for children in underdeveloped countries.

Randans dangling earrings— These acrylic accessories are available in many school colors. Schrimpf thought younger students would like to wear them on game days.

Foozy’s socks— These colorful socks come in fun designs, some with sayings (and a few are a little racy). The socks are cut differently for men and women, so they need to be displayed on separate fixtures, which are free if you order a full rack, otherwise cardboard dumps are available. Be aware the socks have become very popular; you might want to check your nearby retailers first to see if they already carry some. “For me, it’s a convenience thing,” Schrimpf said, noting her campus is four miles from any other store.

MoonPie snacks and novelties— In addition to the marshmallow-filled treats in a variety of flavors in customizable packages, “it’s got MoonPie everything—tees, hats, shirts, mugs,” Schrimpf said. “I think it’s fun things like that that will keep students coming back to your store.”

ReFried recyclables— This company is known for creating unique garments, bags, and blankets from leftover softgoods inventory. “I found out there’s something else they can do,” Schrimpf explained. Her university recently adopted a new logo, and while the store tried to sell off all items with the old logo, some stock still remained. “They could cut out the old logo and screenprint the new logo on the old stuff,” she said, avoiding the need to write off the unsold stock. They also had extra material if needed to finish garments.

Tru Fru treats— These chocolate-coated genuine fruit snacks come in two packet sizes for grab and go. They’re shelf-stable but Schrimpf reported “they’re so good cold.”

Champion imprinted Hawaiian shirts— “It’s hard to find inexpensive pricing, low minimums, and availability year-round,” Schrimpf said. These shirts are made of soft polyester and the print is fully sublimated in any design.

Freestyle disposable cameras— “Students can take photos on their phone but they can’t print them out,” Schrimpf noted. They’ve rediscovered disposable cameras as an inexpensive way to get prints.

Douglas Stewart— The distributor now carries mousepads and phone covers in Julia Gash designs.

leafjoy and Neil Enterprises plants— leafjoy offers live plants in a transparent jar with water (no soil), while Neil has imitation succulent plants in imprinted pots. “Kids like plants. It helps them feel better, they can put them in their room,” noted Schrimpf.

Welly travel mug— Its newest travel coffee mug is designed with a special handle that sticks out so that the mug can be placed securely in a vehicle’s cupholder. They can be imprinted or left blank. A percentage of profits are donated to building wells in developing nations to provide clean drinking water.

SLS Art markers— The company now sells Carioca markers from Italy made of recyclable and sustainable materials and safe ink, including metallic colors.

Artisans appliques— The company, which recently bought out College House, now has leather twill appliques at the same price as the satin versions.

Rapp’s Packaging reusable bags— These tote-style paper bags can be reused and even washed several times.

MCM plush and bag— Plush characters can be outfitted in imprinted shirts and all products have new packaging. For event attendees, they also have a new clear bag in a string style “for students who don’t want a mom purse,” Schrimpf said.

Iscream nonimprinted plush— They depict all sorts of candy and treat brands such as Sour Patch, Swedish fish, and Oreo, as well as other fun themes. Each has a pocket which contains mini versions of the plush character; the mac ’n cheese style holds little elbow macaroni.

Credit Card Companies and Big Banks Winners Under Education Department Proposal

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 18:09:39 GMT

Credit card companies and big banks poised to profit from higher student swipe fees

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OH (April 26, 2024) – Credit card companies and big banks would receive a windfall at the expense of college students under a U.S. Department of Education proposal that would require books and supplies to be paid for separately rather than included in tuition and fees, the National Association of College Stores said today.

"The number of student credit and debit card transactions would increase significantly under this proposal," NACS Vice President of Government Relations Richard Hershman said. "That combined with the higher prices and adding sales taxes equals more profits for Visa and MasterCard and the big banks on the backs of students. The proposal has positioned banks and credit card companies as winners with increased fees driving up costs for students and a huge share of financial aid lining the pockets of big banks rather than going to education."

Visa and Mastercard charge merchants, including non-profits, a "swipe" fee to process the transaction every time a debit or credit card is used to make a purchase. According to the Merchants Payments Coalition, swipe fees drove up the cost of school and college shopping by more than $3 billion this current school year. Swipe fees, which hit a record $172 billion nationwide last year and are too much for merchants to absorb, represent college stores' highest operating cost after labor.

Hundreds of colleges and universities across the country incorporate the cost of certain books and supplies in tuition and fees, allowing institutions to achieve significantly lower costs for students through bulk purchasing. Doing so ensures all students have equal access to required materials at the start of the term, while allowing students to opt out of the programs through the course change add drop period, typically about two weeks into the term. Similar to K-12 schools, many institutions have been operating this way since the 1800s. The Education Department is proposing to end these programs and the benefits they provide students, with the only exception being for incarcerated students.

Affordable access programs have been proven successful in mitigating the expenses associated with course materials, supplies, and equipment, while also reducing sales taxes and credit/debit card swipe fees charged on limited financial aid dollars. That has significantly reduced the number of transactions and swipe fee costs passed on to students. For example, one public university saw close to a 40% reduction in credit card swipe fees because of its affordable access program.

Learn more about the cost savings programs at: keeptextbooksaffordable.org

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing community. Our members are primarily campus stores owned by colleges, universities, and other nonprofit K-20 institutions across the United States. We conduct extensive research into course material use and affordability, partner with student organizations and other stakeholders to advance course material affordability efforts, establish best practices, and promote industry standards.

Top 10 Best Practices for Website Accessibility Design and Development

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:16:41 GMT

The following website accessibility recommendations were provided by Project6 Designs, Berkeley, CA.

Have you ever turned on the speech reader on your Mac and closed your eyes while navigating a website? It's a powerful test to learn how visually impaired people might experience your content.

As technology advances, so too does our understanding of how people interact with websites. With the evolving landscape of digital content, it's essential for us as designers to stay up to date with the latest accessibility standards and best practices. By taking the time to incorporate these guidelines into our work, we can ensure that all users have a more enjoyable online experience.

We strongly encourage clients in education, government, and nonprofit organizations to follow these top 10 best practices to ensure that their websites are accessible to all users, regardless of their ability.

Most of our clients are required to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA guidelines. Many of these guidelines are considered best practices in website design and development; a few, however, are easy to overlook.

When designing a website, it's important to think about how people with disabilities will use the site. At Project6, we use several tools to test the websites we design and build. A favorite tool of ours is Adobe XD. If you're using Figma, this is a great list of Figma accessibility plugins. Within XD, you can use Stark to check contrast on the fly.

During development, we reference Siteimprove, a top-tier tool used by our clients at Stanford, UCSF, and UC Berkeley. Siteimprove is an excellent resource with a strong support section.

We also recommend adding an accessibility statement to all websites we design and build. This statement often includes a link to the official WCAG 2.2 standard, as well as contact information for users who may not be able to access some portion of the website.

Last but not least, remember to test your designs early and often with real people. There is no substitute for direct feedback from those who will be using the website. It's important to keep your users in mind during all stages of the design process. More than a nice-to-have, incorporating accessibility guidelines can make a significant difference in user experience.

There are many aspects of website design and development regarding accessibility that you should keep in mind, but the following are some commonly overlooked issues that we see on a daily basis.

Color Contrast

We strive to ensure that all text meets a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 (except for Large Text, Incidental Text, or Logotypes) so that it is legible for any user. This means that lighter colors should be used on darker backgrounds and vice versa—dark colors on light backgrounds. It often takes the practiced eye of a skilled design director to navigate the limitations of a client's color palette and color requirements of accessible text.

Keyboard Navigation

The keyboard navigation should be easily accessible for all users—in other words, the "tab" key can be used to navigate through links and page elements so that users who cannot use a mouse or other pointing device can access content on the website in an intuitive way. A website developer must code the navigation elements to behave in an accessible way.

Heading Structure

Heading structure is an important part of website accessibility because it helps users with disabilities navigate pages. Proper headings indicate the hierarchy of content, but also provide a way for screen readers to quickly understand the page's structure. It's important to include proper heading tags in all webpages and ensure that they are properly nested.

Alt Text

Alt text is an essential part of website accessibility, as it describes the content of images to visually impaired users. All images on a website should have alt text, which should clearly describe the image in question without being too verbose or repetitious. It's also important to exclude alt text for decorative images so that screen readers don't read them out loud. Too often, content managers neglect to add this text. We suggest making it a required field or including it in content management training.

Accessible Video and Forms

Videos should have captions available for anyone who cannot hear the audio. If video is used to give directions, consider adding a written transcript as well.

Making sure that forms are easy to use for everyone includes ensuring that all fields are labeled correctly and that any error messages can be understood by all users.

ARIA Landmarks

Accessibility semantics defined by the Accessible Rich Internet Application (ARIA) specification creates accessible web experiences. ARIA landmarks are a useful way to identify specific regions of the page, such as navigation menus and banner sections. Screen readers can quickly identify these landmark areas and help users move through your website more efficiently.

Text Resizing

Users with visual impairments may need to increase or decrease the size of page content. This should be done using relative sizing units like rems and ems instead of pixels to ensure that text remains properly sized regardless of screen resolution. It's also important that the page doesn't break.

Skipping Navigation Links

Skipping navigation links allows screen reader users to bypass long lists of navigational links at the top of a web page. This also can help users who are not using a screen reader, as they can quickly jump to the content of the page without having to scroll past the navigation links. It's important to include skip links on all pages, even if there aren't many navigational elements present.

Semantic HTML

Semantic HTML is an essential aspect of web accessibility. By using tags that indicate the type and purpose of content, rather than just its appearance, semantic HTML aids in the interpretation of the website's structure by assistive technology. Using the correct semantic elements when marking up content can greatly improve the accessibility of your website.

Tabbing through Content

In addition to keyboard access, users should also be able to tab through the content on a page. This will let them quickly find what they're looking for without having to scroll down the entire page.

By following the above guidelines, you can help ensure that your website is accessible and usable by all users. With a few simple changes, you can make sure that your site is easy to use and navigate for everyone who visits it. Accessible websites not only improve usability, but also help to foster a welcoming and inclusive online environment.

Significantly Reduce or Zero Out Course Material Costs with the American Opportunity Tax Credit

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:36:47 GMT

College stores support nationwide #taxbreaks4students campaign to encourage students and families to see if they qualify for educational tax breaks and save receipts from eligible course material purchases.

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OH (March 18, 2024) – As part of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) ongoing support for the #TaxBreaks4Students campaign, NACS reminds students and families to find out if they qualify for educational tax breaks such as the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC).

While books and supplies costs are at a 23 year low , for students who still have out-of-pocket costs for required course materials and tuition and fees, the AOTC can significantly reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs of course materials.

College stores across the country are working to raise awareness of the value of the tax credits for students and families and the importance of saving receipts for qualified course material expenditures to appropriately claim tax credits and retain such records for the IRS.

“Millions of students and their families who are struggling to pay for college may not realize that they’re eligible to take advantage of education tax benefits whether they receive financial aid or not,” said Richard Hershman, NACS’ vice president of government relations. “The AOTC provides up to $2,500 a year of the out-of-pocket cost of tuition and qualified education expenses including books, supplies, and equipment needed for a course of study, paid during the taxable year for the first four years of college. Forty percent of the credit is refundable, with the maximum refundable amount of $1,000 allowing taxpayers with zero tax liability to receive a refund.”

The credit can significantly offset or eliminate what was spent on required course materials, supplies, and equipment for the average student in their first four years of college. These are benefits students and their families should be aware of, Hershman said.

Key features of the AOTC include:

Up to $2,500 per student a year for tuition, fees and required course materials.
Don’t make enough to owe taxes? You STILL may qualify for up to $1,000.
For students who are at least half-time in a degree or certificate program, or a program leading to recognized education credential.
Can be used for four years of higher education as long as the school is eligible to participate in a federal student aid program administered by the U.S. Education Department.
Available to individuals with less than $90,000 or joint return filers with less than $180,000 in income.
Are you an undergraduate? Job training student? Apprentice? See if you qualify https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-eligible-to-claim-an-education-credit

Students not qualifying for the AOTC may qualify instead for up to $2,500 per year for out-of-pocket tuition and fees, per return, through the Lifetime Learning Credit. The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit only allows for out-of-pocket tuition and fee expenses and books and supplies only when they are included in tuition and fees as a condition of enrollment. The campaign urges students to check out IRS resources to see whether they qualify for these important benefits.

Students and their families can find out if they qualify for these benefits by visiting http://go.usa.gov/Jvej . Or, check out information from NACS’ www.textbookaid.org website or from the following tweets from the IRS:

– See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej

#American_Opportunity_Tax_Credit #IRS

#IRSTaxTip – See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #Lifetime_Learning_Credit #IRS

#Education Tax Credits Help Pay Higher Education Costs http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #AOTC

Do you qualify for an #education credit? Check out IRS #Interactive_Tax_Assistant On-line Tool at https://www.irs.gov/help/ita #IRS

#Lifetime Learning Credit can help with #education costs to improve job skills. Get the facts at http://go.usa.gov/Jvej

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

NACS Faculty Watch Report: Faculty Express Strong Interest in Affordable Access Programs at a Time of Deep Concern With Student Preparedness

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 14:42:45 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (February 14, 2024)— The latest Faculty Watch™ Report from the National Association of College Stores (NACS) confirms faculty interest in affordable access programs remains high as more institutions take action to lower textbook and course materials costs for students.

Affordable access programs, commonly known as Inclusive Access (IA) when offered on a course-by-course basis or Equitable Access (EA) when offered for all courses campus-wide, ensure students have access to all their required course materials on or before the first day of class at below retail prices with the choice to opt out of the programs. When surveying faculty who had not previously participated in an affordable access program, more than 70% of respondents expressed interest in IA programs and 75% of respondents indicated interest in EA programs.

The survey also assessed the biggest personal and professional challenges facing faculty members and found student preparedness remains a leading concern, which may explain the growing interest in affordable access programs. Forty percent of respondents ranked student preparedness among their top five biggest concerns, superseded only by concerns about student wellbeing (45%) and work responsibilities such as teaching load and research demands (41%).

"Faculty members' concern about affordability has grown over the past three years,” said Lacey Wallace, OnCampus’ Research Analyst. “It's not surprising that faculty express high interest in affordable access programs. These programs help lower costs and ensure that students have access to all their materials before classes start."

Further, 63% of faculty view textbook affordability as a top priority for their institution, up from 57% in 2021 – a sentiment also expressed by students in the 2023 Student Watch ™ Report, which found nearly two-thirds (60%) of students expressed satisfaction with inclusive access programs, compared to only 16% dissatisfied. Over three-quarters (77%) of students who were pleased with inclusive access programs highlighted having access to their required materials by the first day of class as a leading perk of the program.

Faculty adoption of eTextbooks jumped to 68% in 2023, up from 37% in 2016. Faculty preference for print books with digital components declined slightly by 3% and preference for eTexts remained steady.

Other key findings from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 1,017 college faculty from 20 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, include:

The top two areas where faculty wanted assistance from the college store were help with understanding affordability of course materials options (41% of faculty), and help learning about alternative course material models like inclusive access and open educational resources (OER) (also 41% of faculty).
Print remains the most widely used course material format by faculty. In 2023, 72% of faculty used print materials.
Intent to use courseware or adaptive learning platforms in the coming year remained steady at just under 32%.
Despite a 92% awareness of OER and more resources available, faculty use of OER remained steady at 39%, up one percent since 2020.
72% of faculty say they consider sustainability at least a little when choosing materials.
About 39% of faculty did not require materials for at least one of their courses. This is an increase from 30% last year, but consistent with 40% in 2020.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Buyers Said, Vendors Said

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 19:41:33 GMT

It’s possible for campus store buyers and their vendors to have a mutually productive partnership—the key lies in open communication.

That’s the message from the panelists who took part in the CAMEX100 session Seeing Both Sides: Improving Buyer and Vendor Relationships. Shelly Schrimpf, assistant director, campus retail and licensing, Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, and Jennifer Borges, buyer, Bronco Shop, Boise State University, Boise, ID, represented the buyer’s perspective while Kelly Russell, sales director for Central and Southeast regions, Boxercraft, and Matt London, director of sales, Neil Enterprises, shared the vendor’s viewpoint. Andy Dunn, director of campus retail and licensing at Lope Shops, was moderator.

“What makes a vendor stand out for you?” Dunn asked the buyers.

“A lot of the relationship with a vendor is with the rep, for sure,” Borges said. “It’s feeling like you have a partner.” For instance, during the pandemic, her reps paid attention to the store’s situation with students gone and helped find solutions such as holding merchandise or providing a discount.

“If I can count on reps for good follow-up, if they have a good relationship with their boss, I trust them and I’ll be more inclined to buy,” she said.

“A rep is super-important,” Schrimpf concurred. She said reps have been especially helpful with creating imprinted decoration. The people handling customer service calls in the corporate office are also crucial to the relationship. “If they’re not on top of it, or are rude, or don’t know what they’re doing, that’s frustrating to me. So now who’s getting that earful from me? That’s the rep.”

When this session took place almost a year ago, the aftermath of the pandemic shutdown was still causing some pain for both campus stores and vendors. Supply chain issues, prompted by everyone reopening and restocking at the same time, had diminished for the most part but Schrimpf and Borges reported being surprised by big price hikes from some companies, especially in apparel.

Both said they need their reps to be willing to engage in some give-and-take discussion on where pricing should be, because student customers won’t accept a sudden leap. “If I take full margin, I’d price my customer out,” Schrimpf noted, adding, “We have a ton of first-time college students at our campus” who can’t pay higher prices.

“Pricing definitely affected us this year, and changed how we bought,” Borges said. Her best-quality (and higher-priced) items had been selling well shortly after the pandemic—$84 sweatpants, for example, sold out in two days—but “this past year we’ve started to see some price resistance.” To accommodate that, she bought fewer items in the “best” category and focused more on “good” and “better” items.

An audience member brought up the recent spike in shipping charges, saying, “It feels like we’re being taken advantage of.”

“There’s a fairly easy solution,” responded London. “Insist vendors ship on your account. Create an account if you don’t have one.” He pointed out that vendors simply pass along shipping costs. “We charge what we’re charged,” he said.

Russell agreed. “Always ship on your account,” she said. “We don’t make money on our shipping.”

Dunn asked the buyers whether vendor websites are helpful to them.

Schrimpf said she orders tech items online but otherwise prefers a print catalog and contact with a rep. “I don’t like scrolling,” she admitted. “I want to be able to call someone.” She acknowledged that buyers newer to campus stores might be fine with changes in company collateral. One of the print catalogs she received this year featured QR codes, but a younger colleague had no problem with them.

Borges said she sometimes works from home and doesn’t want to haul print catalogs back and forth. So websites are convenient for items such as novelties, gifts, and supplies, or for reorders of apparel. But for original clothing orders, she wants to see samples to check construction and fit.

“If a buyer is struggling with vendor relationships, what advice do you have?” Dunn asked the vendor panelists.

“Absolutely we want to hear about it,” Russell said. “It’s important you trust your salesperson.” She said that changes are possible. “Always communicate. Contact us and let us know there’s a problem,” she said.

“I agree with you,” London said. “The thing about this industry, everyone’s so nice.” He recommended that stores “speak up” if they’re not getting the response they want and contact the corporate office directly.

Smooth the Path to a New System

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 19:46:10 GMT

In their combined 40-plus years in the college store industry, Kim Madden and Steven Westenbroek have experienced eight different systems. Despite some bumps along the way, they both survived their most recent installations and lived to tell the tale in the CAMEX100 education session, Keys to a Successful System Migration.

Madden, director of college store operations, Frederick Community College, Frederick, MD, and Westenbroek, director College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, NE, shared their successes and regrets with session facilitator Lara Konick, who first outlined these basic steps to system transition:

Review: internal needs, external needs, timeline, funding.
Select: process, functional assessment, cost
Implement: plan, execute, go live.

Madden was under time pressure to get a new system up and running due to the store’s rapidly declining equipment and impending end of the current contract. “Unfortunately, we didn’t look ahead,” she recalled. Out of eight registers, only “one and a half were running,” she said, and they had to swap out parts on the obsolete machines.

“I recommend looking ahead as soon as you can. Where are you in the contract if you have one?” she said. “Give yourself more time at the front.”

Westenbroek was in the opposite situation. “It took us about a year. We took time to do it right rather than rushing,” he said. He was able to give the IT department six months’ notice of the project, which helped ensure the project could get on their schedule without getting bumped by other needs.

The Campus Store’s advisory committee actually got the ball rolling. “The push came from the alumni department,” Westenbroek said. “They wanted to do more tracking of purchases of students,” something his old system couldn’t handle effectively. Complicating the project a bit, Westenbroek also decided to switch digital course materials providers at the same time.

While he stressed that IT was a partner throughout the system selection process, “the biggest part of the process in choosing a system was that I didn’t have to rely on IT all the time,” Westenbroek said. “I did pretty much everything myself and I’m no IT genius.”

Madden also worked with campus IT throughout the process, as well as the bursar’s office, which was concerned about third-party billing. “We were looking at integration for the first time,” she said, noting that many of the available system features were very attractive but would require a change in procedures.

The IT department at Frederick was stretched thin and just one or two people there were available to work on the system project. “I got buy-in initially from IT,” Madden said. But well into the process she discovered the school had made some customizations to the system, something that might have halted the process earlier if she had known. “Our equipment was failing. We had no choice but to go forward with something,” she said.

“Sometimes IT will support rather than take over,” Konick noted. “For a lot of college stores, there’s a real disconnect between campus IT, especially if you run your own shop. It’s an opportunity to build relationships with groups on campus where they don’t exist.” She shared a list of external needs that stores should consider:

Store functionality: input from store staff, feedback from customers.
Campus integration: financial aid, department charges, employee charges, SIS course and customer data.
Product categories: outsourced course materials or in-house, multiple retail locations.
System architecture: single or multi-store, integrated e-commerce, cloud-based or on-premises.

Madden realized she needed to crack the whip occasionally on the cross-departmental group working on the system project, because people who had committed to certain tasks weren’t completing them on time, despite the weekly check-in meetings.

“I assumed everybody was going to do their job. Don’t do that; they need a nudge,” she said. “I found out along the way I really needed to be in everybody’s business and be that project manager that would really stay on top.”

Ordinarily, Madden would have had to set up a request for proposals (RFP) for a system purchase, but in this case was able to source directly because the selected system provider was already installing a smart locker system for the store.

Westenbroek also could shop for a system directly. “We did not thankfully have to go through an RFP process. It seems like a nightmare process,” he said.

Konick suggested it’s possible to go through an RFP process with a sole-source mentality to ensure the store ends up with the right system. “I advise you have a very early conversation” to determine the type of process, she said. “Often vendors will provide wording for you to put in an RFP, what to specify, what you need to give the biggest selection of options.”

When it’s time to size up how well a system under consideration will fulfill the identified needs, Konick said a demonstration should take into account these factors: store functionality, campus integration, external partners, payment options, and data migration. Stores should check references by calling stores that have used the same system or even visiting them to see the system in action.

Westenbroek said he researched systems while at CAMEX and by talking and visiting other managers in the industry. “Having that network was the best thing. It made the process much better,” he said.

“I agree with networking,” Madden said. She also recommended including the IT and finance people in system demonstrations, “though not necessarily at the same time,” she said. “For us, the demos were strictly for store staff and I regret that.”

In developing a budget, Konick advised keeping one-time charges for hardware replacement, implementation, and initial training in mind along with recurring expenses for maintenance, subscription, payment options, and more training. Madden ended up only spending about two-thirds of the budgeted amount. Westenbroek struggled to keep costs within budget when other departments started requesting extra capabilities for the system.

Migrating data from the old system to the new one is a critical point. Madden was able to transfer data to her system, although the staff also took time to rename some product classifications. “I’m glad we did it,” she said.

Westenbroek also decided to migrate data directly into the new system “but what we found was a lot of information that came from the old system was messed up,” he said. Months later they were still trying to fix problems that popped up. “When you’re on an old system, you get used to it. But then you go to the cloud and realize this is a new world,” he said. If he had it to do all over, they would do a fresh input to ensure clean data.

Konick listed several recommendations for data migration: take your time, update naming conventions, rethink product classification, remove old or discontinued items, and review pricing models. In training staff, don’t overwhelm them with too much information at one time. Record training sessions if possible so that employees can review them as needed.

Other things to take into consideration in acquiring a new system:

In scheduling a go-live date, be sure to be aware of other IT projects on campus as well as timelines for external partners.
Think about how the capabilities of the new system may affect employee tasks and responsibilities. You may need to update job descriptions.
The new system may call for changes in the physical layout of the store due to the number or size of checkout stations or the functionality now available.
In addition to IT and finance, you may want to bring student services into the project.

Building Campus Partnerships

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 23:32:46 GMT

No doubt your store works with other departments from time to time as campus colleagues. But are you truly looking out for each other as partners?

In their CAMEX100 education session Transforming Department Relationships into Collegewide Partnerships, Mona Liza Colon and Frankie Ortiz described how they thought they had a friendly working relationship with other entities at Valencia College in Florida, where Colon is director of auxiliary services and campus store operations and Ortiz manages the store on the Lake Nona Campus.

When the pandemic hit, however, all seven campuses and four bookstores had to flip to online operations. The bookstores couldn’t use their physical sites. Instead, they had to set up a full-scale e-commerce systems in a large kitchen to get course materials and supplies out to students.

“We were working off stove tops and sinks,” Ortiz said. “Our website was not the best.”

It soon became clear store employees—the ones who were still working—couldn’t do it all alone. They needed help.

The security team had already assisted the move into the kitchen space. Now, Ortiz said, they reached out to other departments “and told them what our challenges were.” Soon they created a work pool drawn from the provost’s office, deans, human resources, and others.

“And not for just a week or two,” Colon emphasized. Many continued to put in some time with store operations for two years or more. “They started for a few days and wanted to come back, even after their own department started working again.”

But as most campus stores discovered during the pandemic, running an e-commerce fulfillment center for textbooks takes much more labor than traditional self-service or even counter service. They were picking and packing orders for shipment from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, including holidays. About 40-45 people were needed to keep things moving.

One day the vice presidents and assistant vice presidents were having a meeting and suspended it in order to lend a hand. “They came down and helped us out. They were able to see what our challenges are, and they continued to come down,” Ortiz said.

Having campus colleagues working for the store helped them understand operations better, especially problem areas.

A curbside pickup location was set up in the parking lot, which alleviated some of the shipping preparation.

But eventually the long hours were difficult to maintain, “so we started talking about long-term,” Ortiz said. The college was starting to open up again but still needed to ensure students, staff, and faculty could keep safe distances from each other.

The solution was to install smart lockers where students could pick up orders (and eventually other items, such as graduation materials).

“The word we got from students was ‘We love ordering online,’” Colon said, so the store installed kiosks when it reopened to accommodate in-store orders.

Once again, the store reached out to other departments, to gain input and suggestions on the lockers. A committee was formed—mostly faculty, with just two store representatives.

“The locker process was long, more than a year,” Colon noted. When the committee wasn’t meeting, she made sure they were still in the loop on progress, “even if the update was there is no update.”

The committee work paid off when a total of 448 lockers were installed in seven locations on four campuses. The marketing department was given free rein to decorate the banks of lockers and select a name from a list of finalists (The Vault was ultimately chosen). Curbside service ceased once the lockers became available.

A little later Valencia decided to seek proposals for a third party to handle course materials online while the existing stores would focus on general merchandise and launching new services such as passport applications, notary services, and Apple Tech.

Once again, Colon and Ortiz made sure to collaborate with campus colleagues. A consultant was brought on board and had a meeting with faculty to explain what would happen and give them a chance to ask questions. A project manager was recruited from the IT department to ensure the technical side of things would go smoothly.

“We had a meeting with each department separately to get their opinion,” Colon said. “We finished in November and implemented in January. Quietest rush ever. We used to get buried by rush.”

Just as other departments got a firsthand look at the bookstore’s trials and tribulations during committee meetings and project work, so the bookstore discovered much more about the challenges elsewhere around campus.

“There were a lot of people at the table. All decisions were made together as a team,” Ortiz noted. “The biggest thing we learned was that we learned from each other.”

Ortiz’ and Colon’s best practices for building partnerships with campus departments:

Use the word “partner” regularly and openly (rather than committee member, college employee, etc.)
Collaborate with other departments on all decisions. This avoids trouble spots, keeps everyone informed, and heads off problems.
Continue the relationship after the project or crisis is over. (Colon recommends keeping brief notes about individuals in order to remember their hobbies, likes/dislikes, children’s names, background, and other information that might spark conversation in the future.)
Learn from each other.

Making Succession Planning a Success - repost

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 17:20:26 GMT

“How many of you have someone in your store you’d like to train into another position?” asked Deb Snellen at the start of her CAMEX100 session Succession Planning: Start Planning Now for Your Store’s Future. About half the audience raised a hand.

Determining who on your current staff could potentially step up into another position is a critical component of succession planning, however, the tricky part often lies in preparing those employees to assume a bigger role. Some stores may be reluctant to expend time and money on developing employees for an ambiguous promotion that may never happen, acknowledged Snellen, executive director of professional and organizational development and instructor at Lake-Sumter State College in Florida.

“Investing in people can be expensive,” she noted. But the benefits are clear, she added, including avoiding disruption because someone is ready to take over a vacancy immediately, emergency coverage if needed (especially for a smaller store), and, in particular, retaining the best employees “because people can see they have a growth plan.”

Creating a succession plan for essential store positions is one of the new NACS standards approved by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education last month. Succession planning can mean different things, Snellen said, but the Association for Talent Development (formerly ASTD) defines it this way: A long-term strategic initiative that ensures the right staff are in the right job at the right time.

A succession plan involves one possible scenario for the future. It may never be put into action for a variety of reasons: budget, dictates from above, staff departing, reorganization. But not having a plan leaves the store vulnerable if one or more key positions are vacated.

“One thing to keep in mind, how are you going to communicate this?” Snellen said. Training an employee in preparation for a step up is not a promise they’ll actually get that job. So how do you manage that employee’s expectations?

“My suggestion is you tell people there’s no guarantees. ‘I’m going to help you become the most qualified person for when the time comes, but things may happen,’” she said.

“Some organizations have a policy that any available position has to be posted—no such thing as slotting someone in,” she pointed out. Reminding employees of that policy should be part of the communication.

Snellen said she supports posting all vacancies, even with a succession plan in place. “I think there’s value to that. You know you’ve got the best person,” she explained.

She laid out a four-step succession planning process:

Identify key positions in the store.

List all of the positions and code them according to two factors: the impact on the store if the current employee were to leave and the likelihood of that person quitting. (Position Impact High/Medium/Low and Vacancy Risk High/Medium/Low)

The key positions will be those with both high impact and high vacancy risk.

Identify competencies of positions.

Competencies involve skills, not tasks, such as critical thinking, vision, ability to learn, flexibility, compassion, communication, multi-tasking, and so on. List out the competencies for each job and rate the importance. The top five or six competencies are what you should look for—and help develop—in a possible successor.

Identify current talent.

Size up employees to determine who might have the right stuff to be considered for an eventual promotion. Snellen suggested a couple ways to do that. The Association for Talent Development uses a rating scale to gauge three factors: the employee’s potential, their readiness to move up, and their current performance. You can use either a five-point or 10-point scale.

The other method, which Snellen said is “somewhat controversial,” is a nine-box analysis. Using a three-by-three grid, assess each employee’s potential versus performance on a high/medium/low basis. Employees who are high potential with medium to high performance or medium potential with high performance are the ones to develop. (Some feel this method is too limiting and fails to provide a full picture of the employee’s capabilities.)

Identify development strategies.

After identifying key positions, competencies, and the employees that might fulfill them with the proper preparation, the final step is to create a plan for cultivating those staff members. Snellen said that might involve individual development plans, cross training and professional development, small promotions, scalable talent management strategies, and “you, me, and we” training.

“Don’t think professional development has to be sending them to a conference,” Snellen said. There are many ways to bolster someone’s skills and experience. “You, me, and we” allows for a variety of methods.

“Seventy percent of what we know about doing our work we learn from doing our work and connecting to other people. Twenty percent is from deliberately asking other people. Ten percent you only get from formal learning,” she said.

“We” learning (70%) could include taking part in cross-departmental collaborations or brainstorming sessions, mentoring, job shadowing, projects committees, roundtable discussions, interest groups, problem-solving.

“Me” learning (20%) could involve continuing education and webinars, LinkedIn learning, reading print and online materials, listening to podcasts, volunteering, tackling a project, seeking advice from colleagues or a mentor, self-assessments.

“You” learning (10%) encompasses more structured learning in workshops, seminars, conferences, courses, certificate programs, book talks, association meetings, consortium training, position-specific training.

***

If you want to learn more about succession planning, NACS University will debut a new self-paced course, Succession Planning: Managing Business Continuity,” in January 2024. The course will be available free to NACS members.

Defending Campus Stores

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 01:29:31 GMT

From time to time, someone on your campus may ask you, “Why does the school even have its own store anyway? Why can’t the institution just rely on other stores in the community to provide what students need?”

Campus stores have been getting those questions since the beginning. Back on July 11, 1960, two store managers went on the air to answer. Eleanor Alcala, Detroit Institute of Technology College Bookstore, and Harley Haskins, Wayne State University Bookstores in Detroit, were interviewed on Wayne State’s “Comment” radio program by John Cambus, a director of development for Detroit Tech.

They not only explained the rationale behind the existence of campus stores, the two went on to dispel some myths about store operations, discuss some of the unique challenges in collegiate retailing (such as dealing with administrators and faculty), describe how students view the store, and the difficulties of staying in the black. Some of their comments may sound familiar today while others show how stores in the ’60s faced different situations.

A transcript of the radio interview appeared in the Mid-Winter 1961 issue of The College Store Journal, along with an editorial note that more college store managers should try radio interviews to promote store.

July 11, 1960, transcript

Calling for COMMENT

Moderator Dr. John Cambus posed the question

Why Do Universities And Colleges Have Their Own Bookstores?

Providing the COMMENT

Panelists Miss Eleanor Alcala of the Detroit Institute of Technology College Bookstore and Harley Haskins of the Wayne State University Bookstores gave the answers.

Alcala: It seems to be a natural development, I think, from the demand and the supply of college textbooks for college courses.

Haskins: Added to that, the institutions wanted to insure themselves of an adequate supply of a low-profit textbook.

Cambus: With this then, ladies and gentlemen, the Detroit Institute of Technology, through the cooperation of Wayne State University Radio, welcomes you to another transcribed program which we call “Comment,” where we discuss the various aspects of the humanities, such as literature, visual arts, music and the like. Today … College Bookstores.

We do this by getting comments from our panel—Miss Eleanor Alcala, the manager of Detroit Institute of Technology Bookstore, and Mr. Harley Haskins, who manages Wayne State University Bookstores. I am Cambus, your moderator.

Eleanor, I think I will toss the ball right back to you and ask you to expand on your opening statement as to how this was a natural outgrowth.

Alcala: Yes, originally there were no College Bookstores. The professors required a textbook of their students so that they could do their lessons well. The publishers were too far away. The students certainly couldn’t buy books from the publisher, and so the professor would send in an order for his classes to the publisher and sell the books to his students. From this came the Bookroom. A room was set aside in the school where this transaction took place and, of course, as you needed more professional management, this became a business. And so today we have the professional College Bookstore.

Cambus: As a teacher, I can see some problems here … that the fellow was becoming more of a businessman or an intermediary between the book publisher and the class without having too much time for teaching.

Alcala: Yes, that is true. There is a lot of accounting involved in this … collecting money from the student, writing checks and making payments to the publisher. And this does take something away from the academic prestige of the professor, I think.

Cambus: Mr. Haskins, you mentioned the problem of profit. What about this in terms of college books?

Haskins: Well, the textbook is a very low-profit item and it requires a considerable number of other types of merchandise with a larger margin markup in order to operate the store. In the hands of the private merchants, at that time, they were more anxious to handle the more profitable items and in smaller quantities, the riskier textbooks.

Cambus: Now, I am not asking for a budget and balance sheet from each of you here, but are you both self-sustaining, self-supporting?

Alcala and Haskins: Yes, we are.

Cambus: Now, in terms of titles, for instance, how many would you have? Harley, offhand, with how many titles would you be involved?

Haskins: For the full semester, we will run 2,000 or better. In February, we will run around 1,675 on up.

Cambus: I think you mentioned to me, Eleanor, that ours is in the neighborhood of a couple hundred. Well, this means you are doing a tremendous amount of ordering here. How do you keep the numbers straight? Ever run out?

Haskins: Unfortunately, we do.

Alcala: This is the one problem that every College Bookstore in the country has.

Cambus: For your pet peeve, would you say this might be it?

Haskins: Yes, I would.

Cambus: … in terms of problems you run into with the faculty, for instance?

Haskins: Yes.

Cambus: So you really cut him right to the core because you weren’t thinking about him.

Haskins: We are running a retail business and you, as professor, know our campuses have been very fluid in the number of students the past fifteen years. This business is seasonal … the books are sold in the first three or four weeks of classes. Books are subject to being dropped by instructors, or there can be a change of edition. This means a loss. The book is not a stabilized item, nor is the student body stabilized. Here is a private merchant handling such an unspoilable item as sugar in a fixed neighborhood … and you can stop in his store and find he has run out of sugar.

Cambus: Then, what about this business of returning? You talk about losses … do the publishers have an arrangement to take back unused items?

Alcala: Yes, but these policies vary. Originally, I think the most common policy was about twenty percent per title, wasn’t it, Harley? Now the trend is one year. And this is through the efforts of the National Association of College Stores—we have a Relations With Publishers Committee which has convinced the publishers that they should give us more liberal policies. It is possible that you no longer need a book in the spring semester. Under the self-service setup, if you put that book on display, there might be someone who will come in to browse around and want that book.

Cambus: When you mention “one year,” this is opposed to thirty, sixty or ninety days return periods. And I think you were mentioning, Mr. Haskins, that is has changed from a per-title basis to a per-publisher basis.

Haskins: Per dollar volume, in the period for which that book was ordered.

Cambus: I see. I meant in terms of returns. There is no problem that the publisher will take all the titles back?

Haskins: No, sir, I am sorry, that is not so. In most cases you can have a larger return than your dollar volume, which happens even to the larger stores. With the accumulation of 2,000 titles across the board, it could happen.

Cambus: When it comes to trying to arrive at some number, you get an order from the dean or representative of the department, and he may or may not be aware of the problems you have. I think you were mentioning, Eleanor, that you have, first of all, the business of competition. The student will not buy all of his books from you … and the used books on the basis of the number of years this course has been taught. I don’t know what the ratio of this last one is, but there are some students who just don’t buy books for one reason or another—they double up or borrow from the library. What about this business of competition?

Alcala: Well, I think it is good because it stimulates the institutional manager to offer the best possible service.

Cambus: Well, you are almost on a nonprofit basis here. What else do you have to sell but service? I mean that in terms of the larger volume done with the little profit or no profit items. I think you mentioned that yours are service stores.

Alcala: Yes, definitely.

Haskins: In answer to that … I could be an instructor, but I’m a retailer at heart. That is why I am in my present business. I have the necessary college training for the other and, naturally, I am going to work for the greater dollar volume … and I am going to be very alert to any competition around me.

Cambus: Now, in terms of universities and colleges having Bookstores, I guess that here in the state of Michigan almost all of them own their stores or operate them. An exception would be the University of Michigan?

Haskins: There were two, Doctor, but one of them will open its store in September.

Cambus: Now, in terms of Wayne, here … you have Marwil, Cambridge and several other stores and, of course, we have the whole downtown section, such as Doubleday and Hudson’s, and the like. You are not overly concerned about this competition then?

Haskins: I’m not.

Alcala: No.

Cambus: Do you think this stimulates business, or does this put the prod onto you, as you were saying earlier, to do a better job?

Alcala: I’ll tell you that I think one of the hazards institutional managers fall under is that of becoming static.

Cambus: What do you mean … you have them there, they have to come to you?

Alcala: They have to come to you, so you don’t make the effort to have your store attractive, to perhaps put up promotions and such. It’s all this activity that stimulates the students to come to you and buy.

Cambus: One of the problems I know you have, that I hope you can overcome very shortly, is the business of space. And I understand that you are going to reorganize this thing into a self-service unit.

Alcala: Yes, I feel that nothing could be worse than what it is. Actually, figures are one and a half to two square feet per person enrolled. We have 3,000 students, 200 square feet, and as I’ve said, nothing could be worse. I am convinced of some improvement through self-service and that we should convert. I’m looking forward to it.

Cambus: Well, Harley, you have converted to self-service and have opened another store in the past couple years.

Haskins: Five years. I ran into self-service some time ago when it was first developed in Pasadena, and I spent a great deal of time studying it and worrying about the pilfering. It wasn’t until some six years ago that I convinced myself. We set up our branch store with self-service and used the old main store, which does the bulk of the business, as a control so that we could compare the two. After five years, I put the other one on self-service. Now we know by our dollar volume per day that we are dosing a day and a half of handling customers the first day we open. Let us use comparative figures. Our sales for the first day in the main store alone were some $29,000. Now, under self-service and with added cash register service, we are doing $42,000 … so we are doing about a day and a half of work on the first day of classes.

Alcala: Yes, it is true that under self-service, rather than your rush period extending into weeks, it usually is over by the first week … in smaller colleges maybe two or three days. So, the time factor is one thing.

Cambus: All the way along here you are looking for efficiency?

Haskins: We discover our shortages quicker, too.

Cambus: What about this business of pilfering? I’m sure you do not mean this when you say shortages. How do you control it?

Alcala: It really can’t be controlled unless perhaps you use mirrors.

Haskins: We use monitors moving in and out among the customers. We also have individuals spotted here and there where they can get a fairly decent view of the entire thing. The losses are not too great in the fall because they do not wear heavy clothing. It is in the wintertime, when heavy clothes are worn, that our losses are greater. … I will say also that those people who were picked up were not our students … they were outsiders.

Cambus: And then your small high-priced items are encased, aren’t they? They do have to be served?

Haskins: Yes.

Cambus: Well, let’s talk just a bit about some of the things you do to make a bit more profit, in terms of outlines, paperbacks, or supplies. I understand that you can even go into the business of selling jackets or sweatshirts. What about this?

Alcala: Let’s categorize this. First of all, textbooks are our main reason for existence. The greatest volume is in texts, there is no profit, although the publisher allows some discount.

Cambus: The students think you make a profit, don’t they?

Alcala: We’re robbers! Why I think the Bookstore manager is hated!

Haskins: However, the increase in textbooks—I’ve checked on this—is only approximately 25 per cent. And that is not as much as a package of cigarettes has gone up.

Alcala: Yes, I think it is too bad that prices are rising on textbooks, but then they are rising on everything else. So, we have textbooks—no profit. Secondly, supplies, and I suppose we could couple them with equipment, drafting and any kind required. The profit is a little higher and may be double that for textbooks. We do make a profit on supplies, and any profit shown on the balance sheets usually is from this source. The same amount of profit comes from jackets, sweatshirts and the like. These are things I think every College Bookstore should handle because the students may complain about the school but I rather doubt that he really would be ashamed of it.

Cambus: What do you mean “complain about the school”?

Alcala: Well, some students will say—“I’m going here because I have to”—or—“I really would rather be over there.” But there are students who like to wear lettered sportswear and the logical place to get it is the College Store.

Cambus: At some of the schools where I have been or with which I have been affiliated, there seems to be a split—the student union or center information desk handles these things and not the Bookstore. Now, Harley, what is your attitude about handling them? Should you handle these things?

Haskins: Definitely, Doctor. If we are to put these textbooks out—on which there is only a twenty per cent margin—it is costing us about ten cents per book to bring it in through freight or parcel post, without our clerk service, without our insurance and everything else connected with it … the fixed charges. This return item and the obsolescent loss are problems, for remember, it is costing us nine or ten cents to send that book back to the publisher.

Alcala: We already have paid freight to bring that book in, it hasn’t been used, and we’re paying freight to send that book back.

Haskins: We definitely have to have something else to carry us.

Alcala: One more point I think should be brought out … after the rush period is over there is nothing more but t plan for the next rush period. What is better than to bolster sales with these items between rush periods?

Haskins: That’s a good point. I wish I would have thought of it myself. That’s true, definitely true.

Alcala: Yes, it’s true. You want activity in the Bookstore all the time.

Cambus: Well then, if you have room, I dare say you would stock not only these items but also additional books instead of going to other Bookstores.

Haskins: Many institutions across the United States get this information from our National Association of College Stores, which is a trade organization representing now more than a thousand stores. It is claimed, as a matter of fact, that all stores doing $100,000 or more annually do belong to our Association. So we have a terrific cross-section. Many of the colleges and universities are recognizing their stores as real merchandising institutions—not just simply stockroom supply centers for textbooks. And we are finding sundry drugs being handled by the Bookstores along with cigarettes, candy and all other things. The students are making it their home.

Cambus: So if you are setting up supermarket self-service, you possibly get in supermarket items, too—in some instances.

Alcala: Yes, depending on the needs of the students.

Haskins: As a matter of fact, my business manager attended a meeting at the University of Pittsburgh and said you could even buy a car at the Bookstore there!

Cambus: This might be a touchy point here, but when I went to school under the G.I. Bill, the government permitted us to buy a healthy quantity of supplies. Was this a hey-day for Bookstores?

Alcala: Definitely, yes. I think so.

Haskins: It was for us in the beginning, but I became rather concerned about it. I began hearing rumors of what some of the other schools were doing, especially one of the state schools. They had a kick-back on fountain pens, or something of that nature. It was common knowledge—as a matter of fact, it was in the newspaper. There, training officers were limiting their people to fifty cents a credit hour, so my business manager and I drove over there and talked to their veterans’ representatives … and we came back and did the same thing. It cut our hey-day down. However, the veteran always got his books at a discount.

Cambus: I remember that even during the time I was there—I guess that cut was in effect—from one semester to the next there was a particular limit put on the terms of the items. What I was thinking of is that some Bookstores might have exercised their privilege a little too liberally here. For instance, engineering supplies could run into a nice amount of money. Or where you could buy a typewriter, if the professor requested that these things be typed and you didn’t have a typewriter, so what is the next item of supply—a typewriter?

Haskins: Well, I can speak here. At Wayne, our man in engineering, for instance, was very conscientious—so much so that I sometimes didn’t agree with him. But he simply stated that a drafting set had to be sold at a particular price and that was it. I knew that other stores could get the full list price for it.

Alcala: I’m not saying too much here for I was not a Bookstore manager at that time.

Cambus: What about the business of paperbacks? Is this helping you any? Or is this hurting you any? The reference is to paperback editions either as textbook items required by the professor, or additional items on which you might profit.

Alcala: Well first of all, one paperback is not going to replace one textbook. In my experience, I have found that it takes three or four titles in paperbacks to equal the contents of one textbook. For example—Introduction To Literature—you need a paperback on drama, poetry, essay and short story each. Paperbacks are wider margin items and could easily correlate with the courses good required outside reading which many professors hope their students will do.

Cambus: Well, you are not happier with this in terms of space … here you have a four to one ratio.

Alcala: It falls into the same category as the other pickup items that you could revert to between rush periods. I have put in a proposal for self-service mainly because I feel that after the rush period the space which has been occupied by textbooks is dead. I can’t use it until the next rush. I hope to put in paperbacks, upon the recommendations of the professors, and items that the students will want to buy.

Haskins: Those are paperbacks not required for courses, but I think the Doctor was referring to paperbacks in competition with the textbooks.

Alcala: Well, I pointed out that a good quality paperback sells for $1.50, $1.75, or $2 … so three or four paperbacks are going to equal the same amount as the textbook.

Haskins: We have the 50-cent and 35-cent paperbacks, too. One of my departments stopped using a certain textbook. Two lines of that text—that is, two rows of it—were using only certain required space on my shelves. When it was discontinued, eleven paperback titles were ordered to replace it.

Alcala: The 35-cent ones?

Haskins: The top one was $1.25. We also had 50-, 75-, and 35-cent ones. But I’m talking about space, too.

Cambus: I remember when I changed to one of the philosophy courses as I was finishing my work at Wayne. We went from one book to a string of eight or nine paperbacks that we had to end up buying.

Haskins: Frequently, it is rather amusing. One of our professors who had been on campus many years and was a very conscientious lady, said—“Now, isn’t this wonderful … I can have all this reading done at such a nominal cost.” She had been using a textbook and a reading book, and when you took the paperbacks she was requesting her students to buy and added the prices, they amounted to much more than the cost of the other two books.

Alcala: I was going to say that Bookstore managers are not totally mercenary. I think that most conscientious managers are aware that the important reason a student is in college is to obtain an education. And I think, aside from the space problem, the manager will go along and encourage the professors in connection with whatever is best for the students. We don’t think of ourselves in spite of the space problems, and I believe most Bookstore managers feel the same way. We are part of the educational institution … if it weren’t for the students we wouldn’t exist. I believe the only drawback is space, teamed with the fact that paperbacks are a little more perishable.

Cambus: Let’s talk about students here. What kind of person is he? Would he choose your Bookstore rather than go to the competitor first? Do you have any control over him in terms of this?

Alcala: I think most students feel a loyalty to the school and prefer to go to the College Bookstore.

Cambus: Does he trust you?

Haskins: He trusts us informationwise. It is not because he has gotten any raw deal from an outside merchant—I don’t want to put it that way. I can speak of a man at State who has carried a contract with his college for many years. Prior to him, another man could have bought the business. He has been established on the campus for all these years. Now, the college is going to open its own Bookstore. In speaking to this man, who I know very well and who is worrying about this, I simply said—“Well, now you’re been established.” And he said—“You know through your own experience that 85 per cent of those students, regardless of hardship or distance, will deal with the College Bookstore and not with me.

Alcala: Yes, I agree. The student is part of the educational institution. The Bookstore also is part of the educational institution and I do feel that there are some emotional ties there, although slight. The student wants to know it is his Bookstore. It is there for him, and the manager lets him know it’s for him.

Cambus : What about the student as a buyer? You were mentioning Hanley, before we went on the air, the attitude of the student in terms of being a purchaser.

Haskins: He is a very discerning buyer. He follows trends. He know what is advertised in Esquire and other magazines. We use an A-B-C-D method of pricing secondhand books. The “A” is supposed to be an indication of the best condition, and there is a range of probably from forty to fifty cents between the classes. However, we do not sort them on our shelves. It is rather amusing to see these young people take fifty government books and pile them up in their various price ranges, and then go through the lowest price range to pick out the best book.

Alcala: Yes, I think the student educates the manager. He wants good quality for as little as possible, and this teaches us to purchase likewise. At least I have found it that way in terms of manufacturers. You look for good quality because your students expect you to give them good quality at the lowest price.

Cambus: This is chosen for you, isn’t it? You don’t have any control over this—the professor requests it.

Haskins: We mean in supply terms.

Alcala: Supplies and equipment—textbooks are something else.

Haskins: As an institutional manager, that is my feeling. I know people who do in our business, but I’m sure you don’t, Eleanor, and I know I don’t. I have no room in my place for gadgets or traps which will take the student’s money because it looks good at the moment. This is an impulse item and later it ends up in the student’s dresser. We have no room for it, we do not buy it, we do not display it.

Cambus: You mentioned magazines earlier in terms of the student being aware of these. I have noticed that Bookstores, as a rule, do not sell magazines but do have cards by which they can avail themselves of the magazines at discount rates. Is this a problem of handling the magazine or what? Why don’t you have a rack for Esquire, Post, and the like?

Haskins: Eleanor sells subscriptions, I believe, but we don’t sell them because our ticket office does and uses the money to help buoy up their budget.

Cambus: I see, but you wouldn’t consider handling the magazines right on the shelf?

Alcala: Well, because of space problems, I wouldn’t. I think it also is because we—both Harley and I—are in the city, close to the downtown area where there are newsstands on almost every corner, and figure why bother. With the subscription cards, a student sends his card to us and we clear it for processing through the National Association of College Stores. There is no investment on our part. The publisher bills the student and he gets the magazine in his mail regularly. This is more convenient.

Haskins: And the student gets the student rate.

Cambus: I was thinking of professional journals and highly specialized magazines which are not readily available to the public. Now you can join the service organization, whether it is psychology, philosophy, or whatever it might be, to get this thing. Would it be profitable at all for the Bookstore to handle these?

Haskins: I have three different lists of those from various suppliers. They are in the center drawer of my desk and they’ve been there now for about seven months. I certainly would like to put them in, but I just can’t find the spot.

Alcala: Well, I wasn’t thinking in those terms. If there is a demand for something like this, the scholarly journals, I think that from the standpoint of service they should be made available. I think that most Bookstore managers would be happy to handle them for primarily we are providing a service to the student. I don’t think I would hesitate because I want to keep the professors happy. And I want to keep the students happy, too, for without them we wouldn’t exist. But we don’t have the demand for something like that.

Haskins: My university, as the Doctor knows, is going into a very rapid movement in all departments toward doctoral work. And there is where you would get those requests.

Alcala: You have a responsibility to the graduate student as well as the undergraduate.

Cambus: I noticed another thing that you have done recently, Harley, in terms of art reproductions. You’ve gone to putting in some of these inexpensive reproductions, haven’t you?

Haskins: Yes, we have. My supply buyer and my branch manager who has all the art material talked me into this idea. Art doesn’t mean a thing to me, as a matter of fact. I admired one print, couldn’t figure out what it was, and finally discovered it was a fried egg on a plate and had been mounted sideways.

Alcala: These prints are big things across the country on campuses. How are you doing with them, Harley?

Haskins: We do very well. I wouldn’t say that we set the world on fire, but it’s that offseason business which gives us the extra dollar.

Alcala: I imagine the campuses that have resident students would do an even bigger business. But I think it’s fine to be able to offer a student a good reprint.

Cambus: Yes, this is what I have noticed in several Bookstores across the country. They have gone into these. It is not a gadget item but sort of an esthetic item.

Haskins: We sell about 150 prints during the school year in the main store and probably about sixty down at the branch store.

Alcala: I think other colleges do better than that.

Cambus: Well, I think with this we had better bring this session of Comment to a close.

Creating Your Own Custom Shop

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 21:12:36 GMT

Does your campus store have extra space now that textbooks have shifted to online sales and/or digital delivery? Do student groups want their own logo products but can’t meet vendor minimums? Are you having problems with the supply chain? Are administrators pressing for more revenue and a higher profit margin? Do you want to get into custom merchandise?

“If you answered yes to any of these questions, custom production is for you,” said Amanda Brown, director, Ashland University Campus Store, Ashland, OH. In her CAMEX100 education session Transitioning GM with Custom Merchandise Production, she described the many different types of items the store is able to customize with original graphic design, apparel printing, embroidering and embroidery digitization, laser engraving, sublimation, UV printing, custom vinyl striking, custom buttons, and more.

Brown was upfront about the workload involved in custom production, the investment in machinery, and the learning curve to operate them. But the upside has been a big boost in revenue flow, impressive margins, less cash tied up in inventory, fewer markdowns, and the ability to help student organizations—all without putting a dent in sales of vendor-produced general merchandise.

“Every member of your team has to be on board. It’s a team effort,” noted Brown. Stores engaging in custom production will also need to create a workflow and processes for design, production, sales, and record-keeping, and of course, communication is key.

Her biggest piece of advice? Hire a graphic designer. “That’s the best investment,” she said. A skilled designer can come up with novel ideas, help customers formulate their own ideas, and make everything look professional.

For a store just beginning in custom products, Brown also recommended not jumping into all formats at once. Each type of custom application requires a different piece of equipment. Spread those purchases out, which not only minimizes the financial outlay, but also gives staff time to become proficient in using the machine and learning all of its capabilities.

“Embroidering and laser printing, those are good places to start, to ease into,” she said.

Embroidery is how the Campus Store got started, when it moved into a new space in 1996. “We did a little bit of tee shirt production,” Brown recalled. It blossomed from there, and now the store doesn’t hesitate to try something new and fresh. If a product idea isn’t a hit with customers, the store isn’t out much.

It’s a different story with a vendor-produced design. “To get some cost of goods from a vendor, I have to order 288 shirts,” Brown explained. With just 3,000 undergraduates on campus, “it takes two and a half years to sell 288. Also, we can’t swap out the design until we sell out the shirt. With custom, we can change as frequently as we want.”

Instead, the store can buy blank shirts—or whatever type of apparel or gift item is desired—from a vendor and customize it on their own in small batches or even one at a time on demand. “We were able to drop inventory levels in half. We don’t have tons of back stock waiting,” Brown noted. “What’s waiting are blanks.”

That enables the store to control the number of sizes on hand—and replenishment of blanks is faster—which in turn means the store doesn’t miss a sale because a style is out of a particular size. There’s no guessing how long a popular style will remain popular; how often has your store reordered a fast seller only to see the reorder languish on the shelf? In May 2021, Ashland introduced a comfort crewnecked shirt in soft butter yellow with custom purple logo, not certain how students would respond to the look. In the following 22 months, the store replenished the yellow shirts 24 times.

“The best part, none of these hit my sales table,” Brown said.

The Campus Store is able to work with student groups who want to sell merchandise as fundraisers, setting up an online store for each group and fulfilling orders as they come in. The groups receive 20% of sales, paid monthly. The store makes money and the groups make money. The store also manages swag websites for Air Force squadrons, who compete in their own games.

As of last March, “we probably have 15 separate fundraisers going, all successful,” Brown said. “I don’t have to set minimums. I can do one or 500, it doesn’t matter."

Producing custom products hasn’t chilled the store’s business with vendors. “It actually makes your vendor meetings more focused,” Brown said. “You’re not looking for basics, you’re looking for cool, unique products you can’t make.”

Here are some of the custom services offered by the Campus Store:

Embroidery

Much of the embroidery work is done for the groups who are conducting fundraisers. The store can either charge per stitch or by the amount of time involved, and there’s no fee to digitize the design.

Laser engraving

“Who does your nametags, plaques, wall plates, trophies?” Brown asked the audience. “That’s something we’ve taken over.”

The store can also engrave items such as mugs, cake pans, and glassware. “We do recipe boards,” she added. A handwritten family recipe can be scanned in and engraved on a cutting board as a gift.

Apparel printing

With a custom shop, the store can offer a wide variety of styles for individual customers. “We have a wall of bins that are all numbered and we have a lookbook,” Brown explained. When a customer comes in, “they can walk back to the graphic design area and see the lookbook and decide. It takes seven seconds to heat-press on.”

Not every design is related to the university. Garden gnomes are popular, for some reason, so the store created a gnome design that can be placed on any garment on a made-to-order basis. The store also prints a special shirt for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and donates the proceeds.

“We found we could heatpress on gift bags. Now I can make my own,” she said.

UV printing

This machine enables full-color printing on a variety of items. Yard signs for students’ homes (Home of an Eagle Football Player, for example) have been an unexpected success, often purchased by parents. “We’ve seen significant sales of this,” Brown said. “We didn’t know. We thought it was just a high school thing, but people are excited for their university athlete.”

Stickers and magnets

“Die-cut stickers are huge,” Brown said. “Students have them on laptops.” As with the garden gnomes, the store capitalized on local imagery to create special stickers with Amish buggies (the university is located within the Ohio Amish community) and Bigfoot (who has been spotted in the area from time to time).

The store uses its three-in. button maker to produce magnets, too. Magnets and stickers are on display as an impulse purchase at the cash wrap and are also popular for campus fundraisers.

Many of the custom items offered by the Campus Store are promoted on the store’s website .

The store continually experiments with new ideas for its custom merchandise. “There’s stuff we’ve tried that crashed and burned,” Brown noted, “but there have also been happy accidents.”

GM Ideas from CAMEX100

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 21:40:55 GMT

With the fall term well underway, most campus stores are now looking to refresh their general merchandise assortment with new products.

You might glean some ideas from Shelly Schrimpf, assistant director of campus retail and licensing, Lope Shop, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ. She prowled the CAMEX100 trade show floor in New Orleans for products she thought would especially resonate with her student customers and shared her finds in a Speedy Sprint session at CAMEX.

Schrimpf is slated to host a similar session at CAMEX24 in Savannah. In response to requests from last year’s attendees, NACS is looking for a way for Schrimpf to get a sneak peek at merchandise while the show is being set up, so that the session can be held before the show opens.

Take a look at her top picks from CAMEX100.

Toysmith toys—Fun things such as a fidget widget shaped like a Rubik’s Cube and a tossable dragon are good to help students “feel safe or to relax because they’re stressed,” Schrimpf noted. “My fave thing is a stretchy pink pig called Pulled Pork. It’s like a Stretch Armstrong.”

Meta[L] Morphose mini keychains—They come in a variety of shapes, such as a tiny coffee cup. “Cute things that help people relax or just disconnect from the world for a few,” she commented.

Kikkerland kits—“I thought this stuff was cute to just put up by the registers or in a section,” Schrimpf said. The Gentleman’s Beard Kit, for example, has a comb, trimming scissors, and beard oil. Other kits feature nail care, tech tools, sewing, emergency power, first aid, eyeglass repair, and earbud cleaning.

Society 43 sunglasses—The company makes limited-edition batches of sunglasses with the school name or logo. Each pair is numbered and comes with a card of authenticity. Schrimpf planned to order some to celebrate GCU’s anniversary.

Glam Fanz beaded bracelets—“Very boho chic,” Schrimpf said of the jewelry, which come in school colors.

Everything Comfy softgoods—Logos can be placed on the blankets, towels, bedspreads, and slippers (with outdoor-friendly hard bottoms). “They also have baby shoes,” Schrimpf said. “Everybody needs a good baby slipper. They sell well.”

The Duck Company tee shirts—The company creates offbeat originals from your school’s logo and name, incorporating such things as aliens and cats. “They’ll take your mascot and make The Dude [from the cult classic, The Big Lebowski ] out of it,” she said.

Pens, Etc. colorful school supplies—“They got on the pastel kick,” Schrimpf noted, with pastel-hued items ranging from binders to Sharpies. Journaling kits also come in “fun colors,” she added. She also liked the upright pen and pencil cases with animal heads (an audience member noted that she promotes these items as holders for makeup brushes). “Sometimes it’s really hard to bring in cool and exciting supplies to the arena because a pen’s a pen and a highlighter’s a highlighter,” she said.

Santoki school supplies—“The pens that stack together were amazing,” she said. The Lego keychains and lanyards also caught her eye, especially the one with a nurse figure whose feet light up when squeezed. “I thought that was supercool and actually functional for nursing,” Schrimpf added.

Punchkins stuffies—Each one features an everyday item sporting a face and feet, with a clever saying, such as a cupcake with “Life is better with sprinkles” or Schrimpf’s favorite, an avocado stating “I’m the good fat.” A few off-color ones were also available. “Kids need a little fun sometimes,” she said.

Freestyle cameras—“I had no idea cameras and film were a thing. What?!” Schrimpf declared. “I got used to using my phone and the young people tell me, ‘No, we use cameras now.’ I can’t keep up.” Freestyle cameras are similar to the old Kodak models, using traditional rolls of film. “Which need developing,” Schrimpf pointed out. “Everybody open a side hustle on your campus.”

Organize Me pods—Organizational pods can fold flat when not in use. A storage foot stool has a lid that can flip over to become a chess or checkers board. The interior has compartments or can be converted to a computer stand. “It’s like an 80-in-one thing. I thought it’s really good for college rooms. That’s a space saver,” she said.

Town Pride softgoods—A variety of items are available in school colors, including tee shirts and supersoft blankets. Fabric tote bags feature fun words and phrases. They also create pillows in the shape of a state, with a face and feet (which can be customized with the school name).

Vibe Tumblers—The portable beverage tumblers can light up on the bottom.

Four Stores Share Their EA Expeditions

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 00:43:29 GMT

One community college store has dipped its toes into inclusive access and is looking ahead to equitable access. A university bookstore has built a robust IA program and is now considering how to convert to EA. Another university store is finally launching its EA program this fall, while a fourth store already has several terms of EA under its belt.

All four campus stores described their journeys with inclusive and equitable access and what they learned along the way in the CAMEX100 educational session, Equitable Access: Tales from the Road, moderated by Jared Pearlman, chief strategy officer, VitalSource.

Although they are at different points in their journeys, all four had very similar advice for other stores contemplating whether and how to get started.

The Joliet Junior College Bookstore, Joliet, IL, is “organically working toward” inclusive access for more courses, but anticipates shifting to EA at some point, said Helen Nakos, manager of the store and auxiliary support services. “With IA, we think about the pillars of affordability and access, but as we look toward EA, we really look at student success and retention,” she said.

The University of Dayton Bookstore, Dayton, OH, is “past the beginning stages” of IA, with 1,100 courses already part of the program, according to Julie Banks, director. Transitioning to IA was easier in one respect: the store had already adopted a digital strategy during the pandemic and stood at close to 70% digital for the spring term.

“We sunset our rental program at that time (pandemic) and I don’t regret it for a moment,” Banks said. However, complicating a move to EA is that 90% of the student body already receives a $500 scholarship for course materials from the university.

The CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder, is launching its EA program this fall, after working on it for four or five years, according to Jessica Carlsen, director. The store had had a successful IA program for some time, with about half of its courses in the program as of CAMEX100. “After COVID, we never went back to opening up the textbook floor. We’ve always had counter service since COVID,” she said.

The Cornell Store, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, now has about a year’s experience with EA, debuting the program in fall 2022 after a “pretty robust” IA program for a number of years, said Michael Ramsey, manager of retail technology buying and consumer technology programs. The change came about, in part, by students’ desire for more predictability in course materials costs.

The school also didn’t want students picking classes based on cost. “The administration really wanted all courses to have a similar level of engagement,” he added.

The panelists pointed to data-crunching and especially building campus relationships as critical to the success of their IA programs and evolution into EA.

The CU Book Store partnered with the institution’s office of data analytics, supplying information on which courses were involved, what materials used, and other data each semester. The office would look at how IA courses correlated with retention and graduation rates. The purpose was to show, “in talking with campus leadership, that this is having a positive effect on student success,” Carlsen said.

The data was also shared (in a confidential format) with a master’s program class to provide hands-on experience in developing modeling.

Survey data—from faculty at Cornell and from students at Joliet—helped those stores tweak IA programs and make improvements. “Really what we noticed,” Nakos said, “was we were going from top down to where IA really was ground up.”

“Know your data and be comfortable in sharing,” suggested Banks. “Look back to 2017” for comparisons.

Working with campus departments, though, was key.

“We talked to literally everybody on campus, every single department,” Ramsey said. At first he had a list of just five or six that he thought were crucial for outreach, but that list soon swelled to 100.

“Early on, we got the library on board. They have been so willing to assist,” he added. “We got the provost’s office on board so he could deflect some of the faculty who might be against. Folks we never thought would be willing to take risks with this, getting buy-in from every single department on campus … we wanted to really sell it as a university program.”

Carlsen followed a similar path. “I went into my office and shut the door, and made a list of all the departments I thought I’d need to talk to, then prioritized the list,” she said. She has 12 versions of the presentation, each geared to the type of needs for the department she’s meeting with.

“Now we’re up to campus leadership, 20 more meetings,” she said. “Socializing on campus is all I do now.”

The library was also an important ally. Two years ago, Carlsen joined a couple of the library’s subcommittees, which enabled her to learn more about their operations “and showed the dean I was really interested in their business model.” She started sharing the store’s booklist with the library to check for adopted titles that were already in the collection. Where possible, they also linked directly to the library. “We listened to their needs and concerns and partnering with them was natural for us,” she said.

During the pandemic, the Cornel library encountered difficulties in serving students with print and began reaching out to publishers for digital solutions, Ramsey said. However, it turned out to be too costly for the library. So when the store approached them with the digital IA and EA programs, they were excited to support them.

In determining the EA fee, Carlsen enlisted an actuarial firm, the store’s digital partners, and an internal term to work on the financial modeling and compared what they came up with. Cornel also “did our due diligence,” Ramsey said, “and when we brought that number to campus, they were like ‘That’s it?’” His store is now exploring a potential upgrade, where students pay a little more to gain extras, such as a device or supplies.

Relationship-building can take some time. At first CU campus leaders said no to any program. The digital-first aspect was especially worrisome to faculty.

“I took digital out of the presentation,” Carlsen said, “and I just tell them I’ll get materials that are best for students and best for you to teach with.” If a professor is adamant about print, she’ll order print but otherwise all titles are digital.

“We’re firm but flexible,” Ramsey said. When a faculty member requests print, the store will stock both print and digital. “We’ll see how students like it and have another conversation after about transitioning to digital,” he said. Departmental peer pressure also comes into play; departments prefer that materials be the same across sections.

Banks has found that some adopted titles don’t have a digital version, which means the store still has to deal with some print books and coursepacks. “As we move toward EA, we’re telling faculty we’re going to provide all your course materials, the technology we’re using is still the same,” she said.

There are some other changes that campus stores need to deal with when it comes to IA and EA. Email, for one.

“My email since the pandemic has skyrocketed,” Nakos said. Faculty, staff, students, and students’ families all have questions about IA and what they’re supposed to do. For fall rush, she created a digital log-in bar with a café table and tall stools where students could get help logging into their accounts for the first time. She also asked vendor partners to be on hand to assist at rush.

Banks, too, said she was spending a lot more time answering email questions, so she set up a blog on the store’s website with Frequently Asked Questions and critical information. She could easily link to the blog in responses.

The CU Book Store used to employ 100 temporary student workers during rush, with 40 registers. Now Carlsen has half as many temps and doesn’t need as many registers. The extra checkouts are now used to show students—with help from the temps—how to log into the learning management system and find their course materials.

“We’re doing more customer service than anything,” she said.

Rush will also be different in many ways.

“Completely different,” Ramsey said. “You have to redesign everything about rush.” He also admits to handling a ton of email queries, and needs to budget time for that. But after implementing EA, “it changed the psychological makeup of rush,” he said. “Those were the first rushes of my life not filled with anxiety.” Students were excited about picking up their books and parents weren’t stressed about shopping for course materials.

General merchandise now fills the space formerly occupied by textbooks at The Cornell Store. Most of the extra space at the CU Book Store has been repurposed into a web order pickup zone.

Overall rush traffic tends to be down, however, and stores will need to find ways to get students in the door. “We’re going to focus more on marketing for other items we carry and enhance the welcome experience for everyone,” Ramsey said.

Watch for the September/October issue of The College Store magazine for more about IA and EA launches at seven other college stores.

Student, Serve Thyself

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:31:41 GMT

When NACS was a young association, it was standard practice for college stores to stow their textbook shelves behind a barrier and require students to come to the counter one at a time for clerk service. In the 1950s, however, the radical concept of self-service arose.

Let students shop for their books without any help? This will never work, claimed many stores—among them, the Students’ Supply Association store at Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.

The BYU store resisted switching to self-service. That is, until the administration agreed to build a brand-new store. But the new store came with a caveat: the staff had to use the most up-to-date retail practices in their new digs, including self-service for course materials.

To do or not to do self-service was a hot topic in The College Store magazine at the time. Many articles in the 1950s issues were devoted to the subject. In the April 1953 issue, H. Neil McKnight described how the BYU store decided to try out self-service before its new store was built, half-expecting utter calamity. They were astonished at its success.

Here is a reprint of McKnight's article, which was originally published in The College Store magazine’s Convention Issue in April 1953:

We Tried Self Service

by H. Neil McKnight, Students’ Supply Association, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT

My first look at a self service college textbook department was in April, 1949, when I visited the store at Pasadena Junior College. I remember being very anxious to see how they could possibly operate a college textbook department on a self service basis, and then, after seeing it, write it off as something that wouldn’t work in our store.

The next time I became interested in it was last April [1952] when we were told to start planning a new store. We were to build an entirely new building, with construction to start just as soon as we could plan it. My instructions were that the new store was to employ the very latest and best methods of retailing.

We had heard that there were several self service type operations in the East that were quite successful, and I noted that the Miami Convention [now CAMEX] program listed a discussion on the subject by Ray Ritchie. I didn’t at that time have any idea that it would work for us, or that we would even want to try it, but I thought it was my duty to look into it before completing the plans for our new store. I therefore rushed a letter off to Russell Reynolds [NACS general manager], asking him what stores he thought I should visit. At the same time, I sought permission to attend the Miami Convention and visit stores on the way. Permission was granted for the trip, and Russell responded with a wonderful itinerary for me—right at his busiest time of the year. So I set out for the Convention with my mind already made up that self service just wouldn’t work for us, and I had a lot of very good reasons for thinking so.

The trip took me to three self service stores, University of Minnesota, Carnegie Tech, North Carolina State, and several stores of the conventional type. I found that all three stores were fixtured differently. They were each catering to a different kind of student trade, and there were quite a few differences in their operating methods. However, each of them seemed to be operating very smoothly, without experiencing the trouble I had anticipated, and they all felt it was the only way to sell books. Their enthusiasm for self service made me take it seriously. I looked at it this way. Here were three good bookstore men who had tried selling books both ways, and they were all completely sold on self service, so it must have some merit. I decided, therefore, that we must try it to find out for ourselves.

Upon returning from Miami, the material I had gathered was presented to my textbook people and to our Board of Directors. We mulled over this and discussed it until midsummer. In the meantime, they were digging the hole for our building and we had had to commit ourselves on floorspace and a rough floor plan showing offices, selling areas, etc. Finally we decided on a plan of action. We expected between 6,000 to 6,500 students for our autumn term—an increase of roughly 20% over the previous year. Our old text department had been laid out for about half that many. We needed to expand it for autumn regardless of what system we used. The administration had decided to combine our lunch counter with other campus food operations instead of putting it in our new store. We therefore decided to move the lunch counter now and use that additional space for textbooks, and set it up in such a way that it could be operated either with clerks or as self service. Registration was set for a Friday and Saturday, with school starting the following Monday. We decided to use self service Friday and Saturday, shift to a clerk type of operation on Monday if necessary, and back to self service as soon as the confusion had subsided. We felt that we must try self service before we committed ourselves to it in the new store.

The remodeling was accomplished at a cost of about $350. It was done as inexpensively as possible because of our impending move. We wanted to use this system even on Monday, if possible, because we knew that that would be the real test. We therefore put a lot of thought and effort into it and did everything possible to make it work. We printed our shelf labels rather than typing them so that they could be read much more easily. We put a map of the text department on the front of our book list, showing just where each department was located. We used huge signs to label the departments. We put four helpers in the section with signs on them which read: “Ask me for help.” We wanted to anticipate all of our troubles. We thought that the students would stop to visit in the text department instead of getting their books and moving out, so we put in a temporary sound system with a microphone and record player, and cut a record that could be played over and over, telling them abruptly but humorously to get their books and get out so that someone else could get in. This shows what extremes we went to, and still we lost a lot of sleep over it, and didn’t dare to definitely commit ourselves to it for our big day. We had never been able to handle our whole student body efficiently the first day of school using a tried and tested system. Now we were expecting 1,000 more than usual. We just couldn’t convince ourselves that we should turn 6,000 students loose in there—especially with 2,500 of them Freshmen.

The first day of registration was slow and didn’t really give us a test, so that night we ran off a few thousand handbills on our Ditto machine, and told them in effect to “Buy their books now and avoid the rush.” We passed these out all day Saturday at registration, but again we were disappointed. It seemed that very few people were in the store all day, but when we checked out the cash registers, we were amazed to find that we had our largest day since the previous autumn opening! We operate on the quarter system, and our receipts had been larger than our opening day of the previous winter or spring terms, and had been more than half as large as our first day of school a year ago. We were amazed and elated. Now we knew it would work. Needless to say, we continued with self service on opening day, and have done so ever since.

We were very busy on opening day, and had about all we could handle. Several weak spots showed up in our system, but we were able to take care of most of those at once, and our students got their books much faster and with less trouble than usual. We controlled the entrance so that we could cut off the inflow if necessary, but by two o’clock things were going so smoothly that we didn’t find that necessary. After that our doorman was trying to hurry them in instead of holding them out. We found the microphone and loud speaker system to be invaluable. We didn’t really need the record we had cut, although we played it a few times just for laughs, but we found it very important to be able to talk to the customers and give them instructions over the sound system. For example, we found that our cashiers were being slowed down by students who waited to write out their checks after we had added up their book bills on the register. All day we announced that they should write their checks before they reach the cashier, and have their activity cards ready for identification. This eliminated a very serious bottleneck. We may not need this sound system later, but for the first few times, I think it is indispensable.

Things went along more smoothly than we anticipated, and by mid-afternoon all of our troubles seemed to be over. We used five cashiers and a check out line for G.I.’s and all of them were very busy. I should say, however, that we were equipped with rather slow cash registers and used inexperienced cashiers. I believe three good cashiers on the best equipment could have handled it as well. Unfortunately, I can’t give you the figures on our operation, but I can compare them with last year for you, using percentages. In each of the tables below, the first two columns list each day’s sales as a percentage of the sales on the first day of classes in 1951. The third column lists each day’s sales as a percentage of the sales on the first day of classes in 1952.

AUTUMN QUARTER

1951 1952 1952

1st Day of Reg. 11% 20% 16%

2nd Day of Reg. 19 63 49

1st Day of Classes 100 130 100

2nd Day of Classes 40 30 23

3rd Day of Classes 14 11 8

WINTER QUARTER

1st Day of Classes 100% 250% 100%

2nd Day of Classes 96 97 39

3rd Day of Classes 67 47 19

Last year we used 35 people in the text department on our big day. This year we used 11, including the cashiers. I have summed it up for a lot of people this way. This year on opening day we handled 1,000 (or 20%) more students with one-third of the help and did one-third more volume. In the winter quarter we had pre-registration and started classes immediately after the Christmas holidays, so we had no opportunity to serve part of our students before the first day of classes. We therefore did two and one-half times the volume of the corresponding day the previous year. Again we handled this big increase in volume with about one half the help, and with much less difficulty. I think the above table shows quite clearly that we handled them with greater speed and efficiency, because toward the end of the first week our business had dropped under that for last year. In other words, last year they came in late in the week for their books because they couldn’t get in earlier.

I can’t leave this subject without making two other points. First, the students love it; and second, it doesn’t take more space. I spent most of my time down around the checkout stands that first day and asked a lot of students how they liked it. Many more came up and told me without being asked, and I heard others talking about it among themselves. I didn’t hear one remark unfavorable to self service! They really liked it. It took them less time and wasn’t nearly as hard for them as standing in line and waiting for service. This is the way they like to shop. Many of them said how much better it was than last year, and several told me how much better it was than the way they did it at some other university. But the best of all was a remark I overhead. We have a new president at our school, and of course he didn’t k now how we sold books last year or this year, but this student said to his friend; “Say, this is the way to buy books, that President Wilkinson is really on the ball!” Of course our employees liked it best of all. That first day the customers did most of the running around, and we just checked them out after they finished.

With regard to space, we handled 20% more students with about the same space we used the year before. It is true that we increased the size of our textbook department, but the new department was no larger than the old department plus the space outside the counter that the customers stood in on opening day, making it unusable for anything else. The diagrams show how we arrived at this conclusion:

Last year we had 580 square feet inside our textbook counter, and sold freshman English books from our trade book department, using another 240 square feet. There was also 600 square feet of space outside our textbook counter that customers occupied while waiting for service. This year we used 1,425 square feet, including space at the entrance and our checkout stands. This year we had no waiting, and sold hundreds of dollars worth of trade books, stationery and T-shirts that we sold out the first week. (We thought we had a six months’ supply on hand!) In short, we used 1,425 square feet this year and 1,420 square feet last year for our textbook department, but we served 20% more students and did 33 1/3% more volume this year.

I think that those of you who are thinking of trying textbook self service could go to any modern grocery store and see an ideal setup for selling textbooks. I believe that we should fixture rather inexpensively, because textbooks, like groceries, are a low markup item. I think also that low shelves or tier tables in the center with higher units around the walls would be proper textbook fixturing. With this arrangement, when a student enters the text department, he can see the whole area at a glance and can see where the history books are, where the English books are, etc., and go right to them. We are using this type of arrangement in our new store and will know more about its effectiveness soon.

Here are a few other details that perhaps should be mentioned:

In labeling our book shelves we find it very important to let students know whether books are required or recommended.
We find that we sell more reference books with self service than before. For example, we ran out of the Handbook of Chemistry & Physics the first day of the autumn term, and we had planned our stock to take care of autumn and winter terms.
At the suggestion of Florence Beers, of the University of Utah bookstore, we now put a card on the shelf when we run out of a title, telling the students how many books were re-ordered, when they were ordered, when they are expected, and urging them to place a special order so that a copy will be reserved for them.
We had students leave their books outside the text department during the first ten days, but since then we have allowed them to carry their books in with them. After rush period, we set it up with the entrance and exit side by side, so one person can control the whole operation and do filing or other work at the same time. The books students bring with them at the first of the term are a problem. We are thinking of trying the paper bag system next term.

Now that we have tried self service for two terms, we will never go back to the other system. There is no question but that we can sell more books in less time with the same space by using self service than in any other way. At the same time, our rush day problems have certainly decreased. This is the first time in fifteen years in the store that we have been congratulated by students on our good service on opening day. Dozens of students actually did this in the autumn term.

How Does Your Co-Worker Think?

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 22:19:22 GMT

A manager was becoming upset over the work habits of his employee. Every time he assigned her a task, it would be an hour or so before she started on it.

“It drives me crazy,” the manager told the human resources officer. He wanted to fire the employee.

But after a brief conversation with the employee, the HR officer discovered what was behind her behavior: She simply needed some time to process each new task and think about how to carry it out successfully.

The manager was the sort of person who jumped right into things; the employee was someone who required a bit of reflection first, but in the end got everything done. Two different ways of thinking about work.

Deb Snellen shared that story during her CAMEX100 presentation, The Five Power Principles of Personal Assessments: Making the Most of “Personality Tests” for Your Staff. Currently the executive director of professional and organizational development and instructor at Lake-Sumter State College, Snellen previously spent 12 years as a college store employee in Missouri and later worked for MBS Textbook Exchange. She also wrote a column on employee relations for The College Store magazine for many years.

Using a personality test might have saved the manager in the story some angst. The test would have given him insights into how all of his employees approached assignments and thought about their work, and helped him to provide the right guidance to each person.

Snellen said her college administers the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) test, also known as the “whole-brain” test, to employees with a number of goals in mind: retention of staff, writing job descriptions, understanding job candidates, manager/employee communication, customer service, strategic planning, building teams, conflict resolution, coaching, diversity awareness, individual development plans, project assignments, how information is presented at meetings, and leadership development.

“We don’t use it for hiring,” she added, although the test can be useful to learn more about an applicant.

The HBDI test features 140 multiple-choice questions. Responses are designed to fall into one of four areas: rational (analytical, logical, interested in how things work); safekeeping (reliable, plans ahead, follows procedures); feeling (emotional, expressive, supportive of others); and experimental (imaginative, takes risks, impetuous).

“Most people have something going on in all four quadrants,” Snellen said, but the majority of points are typically clustered in one or two areas.

The idea is that a workplace needs people from each of the quadrants to form “the whole brain” when it comes to project work. Studies show, Snellen said, that a project team from the same quadrant will finish faster because they all think alike, but a team with three to four quadrants will produce better results because they look at the task in different ways.

Where do the Five Power Principles (as mentioned in the session title) come in? That five-step process can aid an organization in determining its goals and how the personality test can help achieve them:

P = Figure out your P word, such as increase profits or improve procedures.

O = Define the desired outcomes.

W = Weave it into all your organization does.

E = Establish a consistent message.

R = Recommend ways to incorporate it.

While Snellen likes the HBDI process, she said there are a number of personality tests (also known as personal assessments) that can work just as well. Your institution may already be licensing one of them.

Her advice on conducting a personality test:

“Do be careful you don’t stereotype people,” she said. The purpose is not to pigeonhole anyone, but to better understand their thought patterns.
Once the test has been given, “don’t put the results on a shelf.” Utilize that information in as many ways as possible.
Be aware that when people are stressed, they may flip temporarily to the opposite quadrant. An analytical person may become emotional, while a risk-taker may insist on rules.
“Pick one test and stick with it,” Snellen said. Bringing in more than one test can be confusing to employees.

Keep Your Eyes on the Future

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 16:55:07 GMT

Many campus stores and their institutions were gob smacked when the COVID pandemic hit in early spring 2020. Schools closed abruptly, some in the middle of spring break while students were away.

Problems immediately arose. What about returns of rental books? How would stores supply students with materials for the rest of the academic year? Graduation? Spring sports? Fall rush?

Imagine if your store had already pondered the possibility of an event like the pandemic shutting down the campus, forcing a move to online education and commerce. Your store might have been able to consider plans of action and put resources in place in advance, just in case.

There are plenty of events and situations in the future that could affect your store and institution, both positively and negatively. “It’s fun to think about the future of higher education,” noted CAMEX23 presenter Jennifer Sader in the session, Look into Your Crystal Ball: What Will the Future Hold?

More than fun, though, Sader said looking ahead can help prepare your store and employees to better manage disasters and downtrends and to make the most of opportunities. Future planning can be easily incorporated into regular staff meetings and strategic planning. Start by monitoring for signs of trends and thinking about what might happen.

Sader suggested three ways to go about this:

Look at imaginative resources. Creative arts, pop culture, science fiction, film and TV, videos, and other media often depict life in the future or possible situations—and sometimes real life follows the imaginary.

Identify and track trends. Keep an eye on news and developments in areas that could most impact the store; Sader recommended higher education, technology, retailing, and society in general.

Discuss what-if scenarios. Think of all sorts of situations in the short and long run, and how your store could prepare for them.

As an exercise, the session’s audience members were asked to come up with future trends that could have a big impact on college stores. Here are their answers:

In 10 years, store industry professionals greatly reduced due to automation.

Creative use of remote education.

Service (small stores), mostly not course materials (digital and merchandise).

Subscriptions.

Digital will continue to dominate, technology purchase—bigger, phones everyone.

Moving merchandise to events, one to three years. If no online presence, it’s an immediate need.

Cashless options in store. Less traffic in store. More online sales, websites more important than ever. More programs like drop-ship with less and less inventory in the brick-and-mortar stores. Just like we see in medicine now, higher ed more tailored to what students want. More hybrid education. Want things like what they want their way, I think the future will be more this way.

No more cashiers, all self-checkout. College/university shrink due to enrollment cliff. State systems of higher ed continue to move to shared services.

Higher ed: More individual ed. Minimal items in store or on campus.

All online retail.

Society: Minority population grows to majority.

New tech will help more disabled people to attend college or work.

Supporting students more.

Higher ed obsolete. All classes online 24/7. Virtual reality dressing rooms and shopping.

Higher ed less enrollment, more diversity in nontraditional course offerings, more virtual offerings. Tech: More artificial intelligence tech used instead of people due to population decline.

Less time in school, accelerated degree, shorter to bachelor’s. More hy-flex, shorter time on campus.

Metaverse immersion by the basement people.

Smaller stores/schools will start to be very different from big schools.

Tech crash, people having to learn basic skills to grow food, travel, and communicate.

Mass exodus of faculty.

In five years, mass retirements and movement by faculty away from higher ed.

Implant book info into brains.

Ability to sustain increased costs.

Technology too costly for most.

Higher costs. End of liberal arts and humanities.

Higher ed covered by states at no cost to student. Businesses also contribute. Different majors: trades, technology.

Employees that can build things and manual labor are paid well.

USA will streamline college tuition for state schools for increased inclusion in each state.

More diversity in student body.

Technology: More hotspots everywhere.

Accelerated eight-week classes. Students complete degree faster.

10 major schools teach online (dominate market).

Consolidation of large schools. Value of degree. Free college.

Specialty school (one vet school per region).

All mobile devices vs. computers, laptops.

MBAs matter less due to everyone doing one.

Fewer white-collar jobs require degrees.

Customized degrees and highly unique/varied course materials.

Less higher ed attendance, more trade schools for craftmanship skills.

Online learning.

Majority of classes online.

Artificial intelligence.

A.I. instructors.

All classes online/hybrid.

More online college courses/master’s, etc. Different majors. Less in-person college, more distant learning. Exclusive online-based learning. Society: Less human (in-person) interaction.

We become less focused on academic results—trophy for everyone.

Media embedded in glasses or contacts, eliminates need for computer/phone.

Higher ed: Lower education standards to fill seats.

Kids that were used to not having to relate now afraid to relate in person.

Society so dependent on technology, not able to solve problems on own, no free thinking.

Inability to think critically/solve problems.

Failure to trust education.

Declining enrollment.

Less enrollment unless more fast career.

Education goes VR.

Will my college close?

Middle-sized schools disappear.

Virtual reality is accessible to everyone.

All online students.

No face-to-face class.

I will not speak to group: the new norm.

Legislation disrupter.

Lockers for all quick orders and ease of pickup—food and goods.

Retail environment switches to all kiosks, self-serve, automated.

Shared jobs (20 hours each).

Less people on campus.

Digital content, inclusive.

Equitable access becomes a standard in the industry.

Equitable access widespread usage ASAP.

More all-inclusive equitable access.

Less course materials per course. All higher ed schools move to equitable access.

What’s next for inclusive access/equitable access?

Continue to move toward cashless transactions.

Subscription-based course material buying.

Return of the video store.

Shift to custom—less trends in fashion.

Cashless, crypto transactions.

No employees.

AI takes over the world.

All digital material.

No more texts in stores.

Changing product mix without course materials.

No course materials.

Digital only for books.

No print textbooks, all digital.

In 10 years: “Textbooks” no longer exist in tradition form. Content is provided a la carte and delivered digitally. Print is almost complete gone.

Fewer brick-and-mortar stores.

Expectations for online shopping/pickup/delivery.

Retail: More online spaces.

I won’t be here in five years.

Communicator embedded in body.

Technology: Order items online and some type of system transported immediately.

Less human interaction in retail.

Cars driving by self.

Retail: All kiosks, cashless, smaller footprints.

Retail: Small boutique. Big box automated.

No textbooks.

Book is dead. More/complete digital course materials.

Print books obsolete in 10 years or less.

Virtual storefront.

Virtual try-on for at-home shopping.

Pay like an Amazon store.

Cashless operation. Cashier-free operations.

Print book is dead.

Self-checkout.

Cashless campus. Mobile credentialing.

Audio courses. Self-checkout. No-contact checkout. Food service and retail mixing. Grub and Co.

Cashless society.

More contactless payments.

Self-checkouts in all stores. Pay by phone scan as put in cart.

Touchless transactions, ex. RFID.

Embedded ID chips? Payment, marketing.

Bookstore engages in education: interns, courses.

Society wants to pare down its “stuff” (buy fewer things) and spend more on experiences (or take a more fun job that pays less).

Daylight Savings year-round.

Vending machines for everything.

No brick-and-mortar stores.

Bookstores—college—no longer needed. Retail is all online.

No employees. Retail more widespread.

All robotics employees.

Hologram salespeople.

Less foot traffic.

Amazon dominates.

Less people on campus. Paperless studies. Amazon bookstore (total dominates).

Removal of physical stores.

Smaller store.

Airdrop textbooks. Less text waste. Less plastic. Semester away.

Vending machines for retail.

More service. Belonging/inclusive attracts students.

Nonprofit, campus operated stores.

Inflation trend continues. Higher prices. Wages have less impact.

Four-day work week.

Kinder society.

No Social Security for my generation.

Shift away from “mass” consumerism.

Society: More science on healthy eating.

Mental health stress.

People work from home and more family groups stay together providing support to all generations and society.

Less tech, more substance = mental health.

Robots doing work.

Naps at work/napping stations, boost brain function.

People living to 110 years plus, retirement age up.

More purpose in life.

And of course, a few participants had some pretty wild ideas about the future:

We have humans on Mars.

Flying cars the norm.

Zombie apocalypse.

Jesus comes back.

Space college.

Ghostbusters college.

Yellowstone (TV show) is cancelled. People leave Montana. Llamas become service animals.

Talk on Textbooks Hasn't Changed Much

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 23:49:39 GMT

One primary impetus for forming the College Bookstore Association (CBA) was to improve relations between college stores and academic publishers.

CBA promptly named a volunteer committee to work on the issue. Fifty publishers were invited to meet with CBA representatives at the 1925 conference in Chicago to discuss various sticking points between the two. Only seven chose to accept, but the discussion was frank and fairly lively, according to detailed transcripts preserved in NACS records.

Publishers and store managers both opened up about their problems with textbook sales. Complaints abounded. It was clear some publishers didn’t understand certain hurdles stores faced—such as last-minute adoption changes by faculty. For their part, some stores didn’t seem to realize the impact of their high returns on publishers. The pricing structure on textbooks was frustrating to both, further complicated by several state legislatures that had capped the retail markup on textbooks at 25%.

The records show that a lot of things haven’t changed much about the textbook business since 1925. The meeting transcript was reprinted in a 1959 issue of The College Store magazine as part of a series commemorating NACS’ 35th anniversary. Here are some excerpts from that transcript (and take note that college stores were known as “dealers” back in the day):

First Meeting with Publishers

The first formal meeting with the CBA and college text publishers took place at the 1925 Chicago Convention. The meeting was attended by C.W. Taber of Lippincott; Mr. Shirer, Henry Holt & Co.; Mr. McAllister, World Book Co.; Mr. Hummell, D.C. Heath; George Brett Jr. of Macmillan Book Co.; Mr. Church, Appleton-Century; and Mr. Richardson of Ginn. Frederick Melcher of Publishers Weekly was the chairman of the session.

Mr. Taber of Lippincott spoke as follows:

“We fully realize the expense of doing business on the part of the local dealer. You realize a short profit on some of the things you sell, no doubt, but at the same time there are three phases of this proposition that I hope to touch on in my remarks: (1) the school; (2) the dealer; and (3) the publisher. And the college bookstore is perhaps in a little different position than the average dealer who is not catering to the higher educational institutions. We give to the public schools a discount of 25% net, F.O.B. Chicago [“free on board,” meaning the buyer owned the books as soon as they left the Chicago warehouse], and extend that practice to college bookstores with these reservations: we do not sell books on consignment and books are not subject to return. If books are returned without an agreement, it is at the dealer’s risk. We feel that sending out and returning costs us about 10%. There are two problems to be considered: the instructor or professor assumes no responsibility when ordering a new class book, and in his enthusiasm may order far too many books, which is the source of all your worry. A publisher sends out salesmen to work up sales. The sale is created and the bookstore does not have to make any effort. The book is sold before it is placed on your shelf, and your job is to turn them over to the student, and for that service you receive 25% discount F.O.B. Chicago or Philadelphia. The privilege of return has been very badly abused, but this last year it has been improved 50 or 60%.”

Mr. Hartong, of Columbia [University Bookstore], spoke of the fact that all manufacturers did as much to promote the sale of their goods as publishers, and yet give 33 1/3% discount or even higher. He also said that the overhead at Columbia University was between 20 and 25%, and that 75% of their books were text books. That is the situation generally. The bookstore at Cornell is departmentalized so that Mr. Sanford could state definitely that their overhead in the book department ran from 22 to 23%.

Mr. Sanford in speaking of returning books, talked as follows: “The only time we ever ask for the privilege of return (it may be once or twice a year) is in the case where a man gives the list in June of books that will be used the next fall, and then in September, when the books are all on the shelf, asks for another book selected in its place. We do not feel that we can absorb the entire amount in this case. In the ordinary course of buying we would wait until September 1 to order, but we figure that we are helping the publisher and ourselves if we order early, the shipment coming about August 1. The publisher is rid of them and knows the demand, and can print up a smaller allowance for the rush orders in September. But from our point of view, the worst feature is the two discount systems on one book, that is, a book with a 33 1/3% discount one year, and the next year the publisher puts it in the textbook class, say, 20%.”

Mr. Ferris, of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, suggested that the publishers find a way to handle the books that are left in the hands of the bookstore through the over-ordering of an instructor, and thus avoid having them marketed by unscrupulous people. A man will go about the country buying up these left-over new books and then will sell them at less than the publisher’s price. He thought that, from a publisher’s standpoint, these books should be kept out of such hands, so that business could be controlled by a regular and legitimate source. …

Mr. Travis (Chandler’s Book Store, Northwestern University Evanston), spoke of the trouble about new editions especially when you are unaware of them. They come out suddenly, not giving the bookstore time to protect themselves on the old one, and some publishers don’t take care of the old editions. …

The question was then raised by the Chairman as to whether the publishers found the college bookstore negligent in keeping down this overstock.

Mr. Shirer of Henry Holt & Co.:

“There is not any question at all but what the ordering is wrong somewhere. Certainly you people are not to blame. You are not going to order twice as many books as you need, but if there is any way we can help on that, we wish you would tell us. … I can see the possibility of hardship that I never thought of before. … As to the return, I will tell you in what way we are helping. I counted five orders that came to my desk … we have arbitrarily cut the orders of the dealers from 25 to 50%. This is the way Holt is going to help you, so be ready for it. These are in the cases where we accepted returns up to 50% last fall. Talk about your 20%. [Holt sent a letter to stores with a solution.] We will take back our books, but not the other fellows. We will have to sell you our books and let them stay sold. …

“We will say, ‘Order your books in college algebra, now or any time, but for heaven’s sake, get them in early.’ When you ordered five hundred college algebras for your institution what do we tell you? In the first place, you are doing that business on our money. Pardon me if I suggest that angle of the situation, for we have them in stock ready to be shipped on fall dating, which means you do not have to pay for them until October 15th. … We have cleaned up on college algebras. Say you want to keep a few for stragglers. There are always some who come along after the others secure a textbook. Charge them the list price, with the postage added. Still you are out nothing. That is our arrangement on it. …

… “[W]e make exceptions to every rule we make. We do it usually to your advantage and interest. For example, I can remember Jake Reis representing … the State University of Iowa. He wrote in with tears fairly dripping from his letter. He got stuck and thought he could not get the books back unless he bought the transportation, and then ordered them again in three months. The professor had put off his class. I wrote him at once and said, ‘Keep them—we will not enforce the rule.’ … There was another case. A dealer had violated practically every rule we had made, and then he kicked like everything because we imposed the penalty, finally, because here at the last moment we were asked to take back 50% of the books, when, in that particular title, we had exhausted our supply in the fall and were obliged to lose business on that book. … It does not take long in a given subject like college economics when we know within a few numbers how many are required. Now suppose ten or a dozen dealers order twenty-five or fifty books more than they need, each. … There is our profit all shot.

Mr. McAllister, World Book Co., then spoke as follows:

“On one occasion there came the order for a quantity of books in a particular subject from a certain dealer in a college bookstore. During the same week a similar order came from each of two other dealers. And, of course, we had no way of knowing but that these dealers at the same place had already met and decided as to how they would distribute the business of the particular college. As it was, each of these dealers was undertaking to supply the whole needs for that particular book. Perhaps you have more conditions of that kind than you realize. Perhaps if the dealers could get together it would help some. We took this case up with the particular teacher and here is what he had done. He went around to each of the dealers and told them of the books he expected to need. He did not tell them he was going to each of the other dealers, and the result was that he got three times as many books as he needed.” …

Mr. Hummell, D.C. Heath: “Mention has been made several times concerning discounts. Perhaps you are not quite so fully aware as the publisher that the good legislators have standardized invoices and discounts so far as the books used in public schools are concerned, and many of which are also sold in colleges.” …

Mr. Hartong: … “We, at Columbia, send out our so-called requests in advance two months before the term opens to each member of the faculty. These requisitions come in, and we have a mimeographed letter prepared in which we tell the publisher that we have just been notified that Professor so and so is recommending one hundred copies of a certain book economics and that we are giving this information so that the publisher can get some idea of our needs and the definite number we will want will follow later. This helps the publisher to adjust his stock. They usually get this letter six weeks before the term opens. When we are ready to send in the order four weeks before the opening, we cut every order at least 25% and in some cases 50%, all based on former experience and a card index which we keep of each book demanded from the various sources.” …

Mr. Sanford (Cornell): … “We have a card index file wherein we keep on file for one year a record of all the books ordered, and if Professor Jones orders one hundred books and we still have twenty-five, we won’t order the other twenty-five. It may hurt his feelings, but we go right to our card file, and show him that last year we ordered one hundred, and only sold twenty-five or it may be seventy-five. There is one thing, and we do not bite on it very often—that is the exclusive order. A man tells us he is giving us an exclusive order for his class, and we may do it one year, but next year he is out of it so far as our store is concerned.

“There is one thing that hardly touches that point as much, but nevertheless might be brought up. Too frequently the dealer is not advised of new editions. He can cover and save the situation frequently, but he invests in them and the publisher knows it six months ahead of time.”

Mr. Liljeros (University of Pennsylvania): … “I think what we are primarily interested in is the discount rate, because, as we say, most of us have an overhead of from 20 to 25%. … If we buy $3,000 worth of books when it is all over it may be that we have lost 2% on this $3,000 worth of books.”

Miss Fay (State College of Albany): … “I occupy that unique position of being a member of the faculty as well as manager of the bookstore. … Being a member of the faculty, I agree heartily with most of you that members of the faculty have no business sense and knowing that we get out a letter and address it ‘My dear so and so,’ and note across the heading ‘THIS IS IMPORTANT.’ Those letters were handed to each of our sixty-five members.” …

Mr. Pearce (Cornell): “There is one other point: the question of trade books and different discounts.” [He went on at length about his efforts to stock literary works, that had been adopted for class use, in his trade department but couldn’t get trade discounts unless he placed a “stock order” for trade titles twice a year.]

The Chairman then read part of a letter from the Associated Students Store, Berkeley, California, to Harcourt, Brace & Company complaining of the discrimination against the college bookstore when books are billed to them at say, 20% discount, while the same books are billed to the other bookstores in town for 37%. …

A letter … bearing on the foregoing complaint, from Mr. A.H. Gehrs, salesman manager of Harcourt, Brace & Co., was then read:

“We sent a form letter, similar to the one we sent you recently, to all college bookstores, offering them regular trade discounts with the provision that we receive two stock orders a year. Please note that we did not specify any special amount in dollars or titles on these stock orders. A number of the college bookstore managers saw the fairness of our proposition and accepted it accordingly. The greater number, however, chucked it in the wastebasket and for the past twelve months have been complaining that we have not allowed them any better than a 20% discount. … You will understand that we cannot offer a pick-up order discount or a stock discount unless we feel that we have representation. …”

Mr. Brett, of the Macmillan Company, then [said] that the big question among books is that when they are first published, they are primarily published as textbooks and are sold by the college travelers and promoted in our field of this business. But it is felt that there is room for general trade sale, so we give the trade travelers an opportunity for thirty, sixty or ninety days, depending upon the time of the year, territory, etc. in which to get in stock orders for the trade, so much so that they may take care of the small demand. In other words, the initial order can be billed at regular trade rates, with repeat orders up the time limit. …

[Store managers share more stories about instances where they received only the text discount on book orders.]

Mr. Liljeros: … “Another point that comes to my mind is the fact that although the college store turns over a number of books quickly at the beginning of the year (and this, incidentally, seems to be in the mind of a lot of the publishers), we cannot get away from the fact that our overhead is running throughout the year. We are not getting the turnover that the trade bookstores are.”

Mr. Church, representing D. Appleton & Company: … “The fact is, the way the publisher thinks in introducing the college bookstore is (we say this with apology) simply the distributor. Let me answer that question that Mr. Liljeros asked. When the publisher issues a textbook it is at a closer margin than trade books, considering his expense of securing adoption to warrant a profit, and in setting his price he recognizes the fact that it is a text and that the students should get the benefit of as low a price as possible. Does that answer it?”

Mr. Liljeros: “Not particularly, because with us, we may, some of us, want to go throughout the year and finish up without making any money, but most of us like to show a good balance sheet. To take for instance where we have a textbook that is used only once during the year, and as I said, we still have to keep the man in the book department all the year, and still have to keep a force on because we have to have them there for our rush seasons. If we do not make a sufficient margin of profit, we certainly are going to suffer and lose money. I would like to hear some more discussion as to raising the list price.”

Mr. Brett: … “The publisher has no initiative in the matter. You will have to get the state legislature to repeal the law as to the issuance of the lists. … Here is a certain book that seems to be a college book, we will say, and it is possible that those state laws do not apply to college books, and we say that we can allow the 33 1/3% and call it a college book, and then along comes an order from some high school asking for it, and if it is listed in the state of Illinois, immediately we are compelled to reduce the list price and file it with the state department of Illinois at 25% discount. We have no choice in the matter.” …

Mr. Hummell: … “I recommend … that you do familiarize yourselves with these state listing laws; they certainly have been a thorn in our flesh. … You suggested raising the price. We had our fill of that sort of thing during the war. No two states list in the same year, but the listing had to stand for five years, so if you undertook to list in Michigan, there is the Ohio law which went into effect, and about which, by the way, we had a little tilt. That is with the state of Michigan, a little lawsuit and now they have backed down. But just the same, these laws are overlapping; you bring your iron to rest in Illinois, and you have your Wisconsin laws and when you have settled with Wisconsin you have your Ohio laws, and so it goes. We have to stick to these laws five years.” …

Mr. Richardson of Ginn & Company: … “One point … that I would like to impress upon you more specifically is that in every lot of return books, why not send a note of explanation along with them, stating your reasons for returning them. After all there is a human being at the other end who receives them.” …

Mr. Hartog: “I am not so much interested in returns as I am in a better discount. We could get along fairly well and perhaps this 25% minimum discount could be tried out a year, and we could leave the return privilege an open question and if the dealer finds himself overstocked he can write to the publisher, and say, ‘We have so many books left over, can you take them back?’ The publisher may then say that some other university is using the same book and perhaps the dealer could get in touch with the other university and dispose of the stock in this way.” …

Mr. Stone, of the University of Arkansas: … “The way to get at it is to lay your books, pay the transportation charges to our store. This may not help the larger stores very much, but it will help the little fellow out in the sticks like ourselves.” …

Miss Dennis, of the Washington University, St. Louis: “We are in a position to pay cash immediately upon receipt of the books. Three years ago we made an attempt to get the special compensation for paying cash and in almost every case we were turned down. We asked for 2% when we order books in June and pay for them the first of July instead of waiting until September or October. We were turned down by the publishers.” …

The conference then adjourned so that members might participate in the program and entertainment features of the American Booksellers Association.

NACS Student Watch Report: Course Materials Spending Dropped, Increase in Digital Preference

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 20:04:53 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (June 12, 2023) — College students, on average, reported spending less on their course materials during the 2022-23 academic year, according to the Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2023 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college students. Total course material spending for required materials fell to $285 per student for the year, the lowest amount since NACS began tracking student spending in 1998 and less than half the spending in 2007-08 when students paid $701 on average for course materials.

Overall, students took an average of 8.7 courses during the 2022-23 academic year, slightly less than last year. However, they purchased more materials, 9.7 on average compared to 8.6 in 2021-22. Dividing students' total spending on required course materials by the number of courses they took results in average course material spending per course of $33. This is a decrease from $38 in 2021-22.

There was a decrease this year in the percentage of students purchasing materials and in the percentage of students renting. Sixty-nine (69%) percent of students purchased at least one material and 25% percent rented at least one material for the spring 2023 semester. By comparison, 79% of students purchased a course material in spring 2022 and 35% rented a material. Upper-level students were less likely to purchase materials and more likely to rent.

Seventy-two percent of students said they had been assigned at least one free or non-paid-for material during the academic year. Last year, 73% said the same. The number of students reporting being assigned free materials has slowly been increasing over the years but has remained steady this year. Most (63%) of these materials were provided to students through the campus learning management system, but other sources were instructor handouts, website articles, class notes, professional journals and articles, web searches, social media, general consumer books (novels, for instance), and free textbooks. (While students did not pay for them directly, some of these sources are supported by student tuition and fees, such as instructor-developed materials and journal subscriptions at the campus library.)

Last year, preference for print declined slightly to only 44% of students preferring some type of print material. Though this was only a small decline, it was the first decline seen since 2019. That decline continued this year, with print preference down to 37%. This year, preference for digital materials continued to increase. Thirty-four percent of students preferred some type of digital materials. Older students, namely students older than 30, had stronger preference for print. Racial and ethnic minorities were more likely than other students to prefer digital materials, as were students from larger institutions.

Around one in four students decided not to acquire at least one course material. Students who skipped materials were more likely to consider dropping out, suggesting these students are struggling academically or with the costs of attendance. However, students who skipped acquiring materials only spent $12 less on average per year than students who obtained all materials.

Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other key findings from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 14,500 college students from 36 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, include:

Course materials spending represented less than one-quarter (24%) of total spending across course materials, technology, and supplies needed for courses, compared to 28% from the previous year.
Most students who purchased materials purchased at least some from their campus store (84% of students who purchase). This year the gap between online and offline college store purchases decreased, with 41% of students purchasing from the campus store’s physical location and 43% purchasing from the college store online.
Over half (56%) of purchased course materials were made at the campus stores, 18% from Amazon, and the rest split between publisher websites and other sources.
This year, more students said they used online homework assignments, 80% compared to 71% last year.
Participation in campus negotiated discount programs, such as inclusive access and flat fee models, continued to grow. Student satisfaction with these institutional programs also increased.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

About The NACS Foundation: In operation for almost four decades, the NACS Foundation is the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals.

528 E. Lorain St., Oberlin, OH 44074-1294

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Be Ready for That RFP

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 22:23:57 GMT

At any given time, possibly out of the blue, a higher ed institution might decide to entertain proposals for management of its self-operated campus store.

If you’re the manager of that store, the decision probably comes as a shock. It did for the panelists and facilitator of the CAMEX100 session Managing the Risk of Outsourcing. They offered tips and advice for other store managers who might find themselves in the same situation. With preparation, you can make sure your administration considers an RFP with open eyes.

In issuing a request for proposals, administrators might be looking to snag a larger financial return, improve service for students and faculty, reduce risk, upgrade store facilities, simplify oversight of the store—or all of the above and more. A new vice president, dean, or president may have come from an institution that leases its store and they’re already comfortable with the model (and often don’t know much about retail operations, even if they have a background in finance). Lease companies also routinely market their services to administrators.

“There are lots of things you can do. It’s about being proactive,” noted session facilitator Jeff Nelson, NACS vice president of industry collaboration and development. “When you learn they’re doing an RFP is not the time to start doing things.”

In fact, by the time you hear about the RFP, your institution may have already made up its mind to accept one of the proposals.

Here are some of the recommendations panelists shared in the session:

Build solid relationships and partnerships with other campus departments.

“What helped me was allies,” noted Nelson, who previously managed a university store in Ohio. When the administration decided to lease the store, other departments spoke out against the decision and the administration changed its mind. A similar scenario played out for the Brown Bookstore at Brown University, Providence, RI, years before TJ Cochran took over the reins as director. “Our team had such outstanding relationships across campus,” he said, and he takes care to maintain those relationships.

Don’t count on a “Save the Bookstore” campaign, however.

Gavin Jensen, now deputy director of Wildcat Stores, Weber State University, Ogden, UT, used to manage a community college store. In an unexpected restructuring, the store was placed under the purview of a different vice president, who promptly sought to lease the store. “Things can turn around just so quickly,” he said. Jensen attempted to rally support from other areas, but it wasn’t enough to dissuade the VP. He now realizes he should have prepared a presentation for his new boss to explain what was going on at the store and to establish his expertise as an experienced manager

Promote your store’s contributions to the campus.

Many campus stores are doing a great job “but the problem was really they didn’t blow their own horn often enough,” Cochran said, adding, “Sometimes you’re actually giving a lot back to campus and the administration doesn’t know it.”

“Let people know the good things you’re doing,” echoed Amy Hannahs, assistant director, business services, Denison University Bookstore, Granville, OH. At a previous store she managed, she was taken aback when a new administration opted to contract the store out. But she was prepared when the topic of leasing arose at Denison and was able to show the store’s successes. “I meet with the boss once a week,” she said, and uses the opportunity to share updates about the store.

Know your numbers and have strategies in place.

Store managers should stay on top of the financial data and strategic plans about their operations, and be ready to talk about them confidently and accurately. “I started to be asked questions,” Jensen recalled. His former school suddenly was interested in his labor percentage and how he planned to budget for remodeling, among other things—all items that the lease companies were raising with the administration.

Be able to compare your store’s numbers and capabilities.

Of course, the lease marketing team will tout their companies’ services to the administration; that’s their job. You will need to explain how your store stacks up in comparison. Cochran, who worked for a lease company for 22 years before Brown, noted that the leasors have their own systems, which can’t integrate with institutional systems such as enrollment or financial aid. “The more integrated you are into campus systems, the more difficult it is for the campus to undo all that,” he said. Hannahs pointed out that most buying is centralized in lease companies, rather than each store individually selecting merchandise.

Invest in your space, your employees, and your website.

Don’t put off improvements, thinking you have time later. Your store needs to be in tip-top shape all the time. The lease companies are “very good at figuring out the vulnerabilities a store has,” Cochran said, and will show the administration how they would fix things. “Be prepared to say ‘We can do that and do it better and meet the mission of the campus,’” Hannahs said.

Watch the video.

In the session, the panelists discussed much more about their previous experiences with contract management. Watch a video recording of the session on CAMEX On-Demand in NACS University until Aug. 31 (free to CAMEX100 attendees; access to all sessions is $249 for member stores that did not attend CAMEX).

NACS Foundation Elects New Officers and Directors

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 14:29:18 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (June 2, 2023)— The NACS Foundation, the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry, recently elected a new president-elect and three new members of the Board of Directors.

Steven Westenbroek , director, College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, NE, was elected as the new president-elect.

Current President-Elect Beth Christian , sales operations manager, bookstore channel, Verba by VitalSource, Bloomsburg, PA, will move up to president.

They will both take office on July 1, with one-year terms concluding June 30, 2024.

Three new directors were also elected for three-year terms:

Dave Gliva , manager, Waubonsee Community College Bookstore, Sugar Grove, IL.

Lisa Gray , director, Salisbury University Bookstore, Salisbury, MD.

Genta Guitron , chief wellness officer, Montana State University Bookstore Inc. at Bozeman.

Continuing on the NACS Foundation Board of Directors will be Immediate Past President TJ Cochran , director, Brown University Bookstore, Campus Shop, and Technology Center, Providence, RI, with additional responsibility for the university’s licensing and registered trademarks, and five directors: Polly Grapes , director, State Fair Community College Bookstore, Sedalia, MO; Kevin Hannegan , director of channel partnerships, Pearson, Hoboken, NJ; LuAnne Kelly , manager, Campus Bookstore, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada; Helen Nakos , manager, bookstore & auxiliary support services, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL; Rip Scott , vice president of business development, MV Sport/The Game, Bay Shore, NY; and Cassie A. Wherry , manager, Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA.

About The NACS Foundation: Operating for 40 years, the NACS Foundation has disbursed more than $4 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Free Help for the Store?

Thu, 18 May 2023 18:00:03 GMT

Potentially, generative artificial intelligence solutions could do quite a lot for your campus store: write marketing copy, personalize customer service, monitor inventory, and much more. That’s according to ChatGPT, probably the best-known AI solution right now.

Generative AI sort of works like a souped-up search engine. You can key in a question, and it will produce an answer immediately. But unlike Google and its kind, generative AI can also handle requests to create entire pieces of content, including marketing collateral, articles, research papers, graphics, scripts, product descriptions, email responses, or just about anything. The algorithm is still learning, and some output may contain factual or contextual errors.

ChatGPT and similar solutions offer free basic accounts, with upgraded versions available for a fee. Signing up for an account with OpenAI (ChatGPT’s parent company) and using the interface to make queries (known as “chats”) are both easy. A ZDNet article provides a step-by-step guide for newbies.

Lots of students already have accounts, creating concerns among faculty and administration that some may be using ChatGPT to do their homework, write papers, and perform research. Higher ed also worries academic publishers may turn to generative AI to develop textbooks and courseware instead of contracting with faculty authors.

How can campus stores tap into ChatGPT? Campus Marketplace asked it to write an article explaining how ChatGPT could affect bookstores, spirit stores, and convenience stores on college and university campuses and how those stores could utilize ChatGPT. In a few seconds, the article was done.

Here's what ChatGPT had to say :

Title: ChatGPT's Impact on Campus Stores: Transforming Bookstores, Spirit Shops, and Convenience Stores

Introduction:

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized various aspects of our lives, and its impact on campus stores is no exception. With the advent of ChatGPT, a powerful language model developed by OpenAI, bookstores, spirit shops, and convenience stores on college and university campuses have the potential to undergo significant transformations. In this article, we will explore how ChatGPT can affect these stores and discuss how they might utilize this AI technology to enhance their services and meet the evolving needs of students.

1. Enhanced Customer Service:

One of the primary ways ChatGPT can benefit campus stores is by improving customer service. ChatGPT's natural language processing capabilities allow it to understand and respond to user queries and provide personalized assistance. Students can interact with ChatGPT through various channels such as webchat, mobile apps, or interactive kiosks within the stores.

In bookstores, ChatGPT can assist students in finding books, suggesting relevant titles based on their interests, and providing information about availability and pricing. Spirit shops can utilize ChatGPT to offer recommendations for apparel and merchandise based on a student's preferences, previous purchases, or the teams they support. Similarly, convenience stores can leverage ChatGPT to answer questions about product availability, dietary restrictions, or suggest alternative options.

2. Virtual Personal Shoppers:

ChatGPT can act as a virtual personal shopper, guiding students through their purchasing journey. By understanding students' preferences, budget constraints, and specific requirements, ChatGPT can recommend suitable products from the store's inventory.

In bookstores, ChatGPT can suggest books based on a student's course syllabus, reading history, or genre preferences. It can also provide insights into best-selling books or highlight hidden gems that align with a student's interests.

For spirit shops, ChatGPT can recommend merchandise based on a student's favorite teams, upcoming games, or recent sports events. It can suggest clothing sizes, offer styling tips, and even help students create personalized merchandise by incorporating their names or custom designs.

3. Streamlined Inventory Management:

Another area where ChatGPT can be instrumental is inventory management. By analyzing historical data, purchasing patterns, and user feedback, ChatGPT can provide valuable insights to optimize stock levels and predict demand.

Bookstores can utilize ChatGPT to analyze students' course schedules and recommend textbooks accordingly, ensuring they have the necessary books in stock before the semester starts. Spirit shops can leverage ChatGPT to identify popular merchandise items and adjust inventory levels accordingly, minimizing stockouts and reducing excess inventory. Convenience stores can benefit from ChatGPT's ability to identify trends in purchasing behavior and make informed decisions about stocking popular snacks, beverages, and other essentials.

4. Personalized Promotions and Marketing:

ChatGPT's understanding of individual preferences can enable campus stores to deliver targeted and personalized promotions to students. By analyzing purchasing history and user interactions, ChatGPT can suggest discounts, promotions, or loyalty rewards tailored to each student's interests and needs.

Bookstores can offer exclusive discounts on books related to a student's field of study or provide personalized recommendations for upcoming author signings or book-related events. Spirit shops can send notifications about merchandise discounts for a student's favorite teams or inform them about limited-edition items relevant to their interests. Convenience stores can leverage ChatGPT to send personalized promotions based on students' dietary preferences, such as discounts on vegan or gluten-free products.

Conclusion:

As AI technology continues to evolve, ChatGPT offers immense potential for enhancing the operations of campus stores. By leveraging its natural language processing capabilities, virtual personal shopping, inventory management, and personalized promotions, bookstores, spirit shops, and convenience stores can deliver a more personalized and efficient shopping experience to students. By embracing this technology, campus stores can adapt to the changing needs of students and remain at the forefront of innovation in the retail industry.

Store’s Displays Should Reflect Community

Thu, 11 May 2023 18:35:12 GMT

That new merchandising display looks great, as do others around the store. But, do all of your campus customers see themselves in those displays when they browse your store?

Your store may not feel all that welcoming to people in many groups. The particular assortment of products or the ways they are merchandised can give the impression that the campus store isn’t for them. Take a second look at your displays and all around the store, advised CAMEX100 presenters Janelle Williams Melendrez and Jeff Bucholtz, co-founders of (R)Evolve Consulting, in the session, Organizing Stores to Build Belonging: Visual Merchandising 2.0.

“You could be missing sales for a whole lot of people if you’d only just do ‘blank,’” noted Bucholtz. Filling in that blank doesn’t require extensive effort or cost, however. Small changes can add up to a big difference.

In addition to selling more items, visual merchandising in the campus store is intended to help promote student success and tell the institution’s story. “What kind of stories are you going to tell, and why not align themes to belonging?” Bucholtz said.

For example, many stores use photographic images of students (real or models) as display elements on the floor or in social media. Do those images collectively represent all the groups that make up your campus community? Not every image needs to depict every group, but somewhere around the store each group should be able to spot something that speaks to their identity.

Williams Melendrez and Bucholtz suggested evaluating displays to see who might feel excluded: people of color (encompassing African American, Black, Native American and First Nation, Latin/a/o/x, Asian American, Desi, Pacific Islander, and others); non-Christian religious groups; LGBTQ+ groups; lower socio-economic groups; people who wear sizes outside the most common ones; and disabled people.

“Think about diversity and representation and social media,” Williams Melendrez suggested. “What message is that sending?”

Adding cultural references to displays can include such things as incorporating the pride rainbow or mentions of Ramadan or Yom Kippur. If your convenience section carries haircare products or makeup, include items for textured hair and darker skin tones. Review the height and width of shelves, racks, and other fixtures to ensure someone in a wheelchair can reach items. Be sure to offer affordable options for students of limited means and consider expanding the range of sizes in apparel.

The presenters offered a list of things to keep in mind, including:

Physical accessibility of the store and merchandising displays.
Intentional consideration of the members of the campus community.
Alignment of merchandise with the needs and interests of the community.
Using prime space to demonstrate these communities are valued.
Mannequins reflect members of the community.
How photos and other images communicate.
Store atmosphere supports a sense of belonging.
Awareness of any stereotypes or assumptions about communities.
Awareness of merchandise assortment excluding customers.

All Ages Can Meet in the Middle

Thu, 04 May 2023 18:10:14 GMT

Some of your store’s staff may be thinking the other employees just don’t have a clue. The so-called clueless ones may be thinking the same thing of the other group. What’s dividing the two? Age, quite possibly.

A campus store’s staff could potentially span five different adult generations. That means employees bring very different generational experiences and expectations into the workplace, and each generation may disparage the others as out of touch or naïve.

“Here’s the thing about stereotypes,” warned Closing General Session speaker Matt Havens at CAMEX100, “you shouldn’t have them. Where it comes to age, we hold onto stereotypes tightly.”

In the workplace, those stereotypes can quickly get in the way. How can employees work effectively together when the older ones regard the younger staff as unmotivated and lazy, and the younger ones believe the older staff are incompetent and terrified of change?

“What matters is why people are the way they are. As leaders, we need to figure that out,” Havens said. Understanding what each generation has grown up with can help store leaders determine how to interact with those employees. The idea of community, for instance, has changed over time, he noted.

Older generations were raised solely in physical communities where they connected with other people and could observe what to do. “Sometimes you learn from your community what not to do,” he said.

But younger generations have spent part of their existence online. “Their world since birth has always been global,” Havens noted. But that expanded community can be overwhelming.

The solution is for leaders to help employees shed their stereotypes and meet in the middle. Havens offered suggestions for older and younger workers to reorient their thinking about the other generations.

With older employees (who are more likely to have decision-making and/or supervisory responsibilities), it’s important to be mindful “how intentional are you” in communicating with younger workers, he said. “Your people need to know you care about them.” He suggested:

Listen intently to younger employees.
Ask more questions and stop talking.
Reflect and seek their feedback.

“Older people don’t need to agree with why change is happening,” Havens said. “What can you do to meet young people halfway? Recognize they are a product of their upbringing.”

Younger employees should realize “none of the older people you work with got where they are overnight,” Havens pointed out. “Advancement is a process, not a right. We don’t give promotions or raises automatically.” Younger people are “generally more wired for speed” but need to slow down and learn why certain practices are in place.

“One of the best things you can do is spend time talking to older people and find out how they got there,” he said. “Let them know you appreciate them.”

Havens stressed all generations need to understand that change is occurring at the same pace it always has—even though everyone tends to think it’s faster today.

“For young people, not every new idea you’re going to have is a great one. And that’s okay,” Havens said. “For old people, not all new ideas are bad ideas.”

When Computers Were Still New to Stores

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 23:02:20 GMT

Computers are ubiquitous in campus stores these days, both as an operational necessity and as a sales product. But it wasn’t always so. At one point, computers were new to campus stores—and kind of scary.

Nonetheless, the collegiate retailers recognized the potential of computers. Larger stores got into computers first, then helped pull the rest of the industry along, with the help of NACS. In the early 1980s, a NACS Computer Committee was established and store managers that already had some experience with computers were asked to serve on it. The committee’s mission was to develop a variety of educational materials to assist stores in understanding the use of computerized systems and how to sell computer merchandise.

Computer-related sessions abounded at CAMEX for many years (and are still on the schedule even now). However, even with all of this information and assistance, installing a computer system was a formidable task for college stores. One textbook manager wrote a humorous account about researching computer solutions for his boss, who wasn’t completely convinced a solution was needed.

The account appeared in the October/November 1983 issue of The College Store Journal magazine, which was entirely devoted to computers. The manager decided to remain anonymous, though.

(This is the third in a series of historical reprints appearing in Campus Marketplace during the NACS Centennial year.)

"Confessions of a computer addict"

A continuing and somewhat truthful saga in which our hero presents the rules of buying a microcomputer for a College Store book department

by Anonymous

Reprinted from the October/November 1983 issue of The College Store Journal.

As all textbook people do, I spent many an hour attempting to convince my boss that a computer would eliminate many menial tasks.

For some reason these discussions took place right before we had to type shelf tags, the buyback list, the book list, and perform other menial tasks.

“Boss,” I would say, “I don’t want to eliminate all 4,000 active stock control cards, but we do have three different card systems—the main order card, the used book cards and the author index cards. We could eliminate two of them. And we would still type the purchase orders and returns forms, because it would keep the staff knowledgeable about the books…”

His response, ever polite, was to lean back in his chair, clasp his hands behind his head, look towards the ceiling and say “Smith, you’re absolutely right…” Then came the expected pause, and finally, “…it’s too bad that we can’t afford it.”

So I’ll never forget that morning (or was it afternoon?) when the boss and I met for our daily cup of coffee. “Smith,” he said dauntingly, “I think we can computerize the Book Department using a microcomputer?”

“YES! You are probably right,” I promptly replied. “What’s a microcomputer?”

“I don’t know either,” he responded, “but micro means small, and small usually means cheap. Look at this…” and he unfolded a recent issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education . “There…” and he pointed to an advertisement which said:

Attention College Bookstore Personnel

You can probably do it with a microcomputer.

Free consulting service.

Call (123) 555-1234

“Smith,” my boss said, “draw up a list of things that you would want a computer to do, and I will call this number to see what happens.”

So I did, and he did, and shortly thereafter appeared a gentleman, named Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones spent the day examining our textbook operation and my priority list, and after we bought him lunch, pronounced that all of our listed tasks could be accomplished using Apple II+ microcomputers. “I’ll send you a quote,” he beamed.

Time passed, and a letter did appear from Mr. Jones.

“Unfortunately you have too much data to use one computer,” he wrote, “but you can still get the work done using Apples.” Only $36,000, said the bottom line.

Needless to say, we felt that $36,000 was not a micro amount.

But my boss was intrigued with the idea and I was absolutely convinced that it could not be done with microcomputers. (Machines with cute names obviously weren’t of much use except as toys.)

“Smith,” he said, “get more information.”

So I embarked upon a journey to the Campus Computer Center, there seeking Mrs. WanKnobi, a mainframe user consultant and a microcomputer freak. I described our visit from Mr. Jones, and gave her a list of our priorities. She looked me in the eye and spat, “$36,000!!!! It’s simple, all you need is a micro with a hard disk, and that won’t cost anywhere near $36,000.”

“Fantastic,” I exclaimed. “Where do we get a hard disk?”

“You can’t, they aren’t available yet,” she said.

Then Mrs. WanKnobi imparted the first rule of computer purchasing:

RULE #1. “But wait.”

So we did. And six months later Mrs. WanKnobi called to say that hard disks were available for microcomputers, and that she would be glad to consult with us on how to continue the search.

“You need a data base manager. What software are you going to use?” she questioned. “We usually use Champion or Velva Sheen,” I replied knowingly. “You idiot,” she said as she twisted her cane and threw her hood back over her head. “There are three essential things to consider when buying a computer.”

RULE #2. “Software, software, software. Find the software package that will do your job, then buy the computer that will run it.”

“Get more information,” the boss ordered.

So I began to look for software and discovered:

RULE #2a. The computer store with the hardware/software you want to see is nowhere nearby.

So I went, and I played with all kinds of hardware and used all kinds of data base managers: PFS:File, DBMaster, TIM III, and a host of others.

I enrolled in a local adult education computer literacy course. I took books home to read. I talked to anyone who had microcomputer experience—to anyone who knew what one was, for that matter.

“Boss,” I reported, “it can’t be done. All of the data base managers can’t store enough records, or can’t generate the necessary reports. Besides, we have too much information to input at the same time to use one computer, and micros can’t network. Finally, they are too slow.”

“Smith,” he said gently, “you obviously have learned a great deal about microcomputers. You have spent a lot of time on this, including your own time, and certainly you must be right…it can’t be done. Forget it.”

I couldn’t. I had become addicted to computers. Spreadsheets, word processing, games, I loved them all. I had discovered:

RULE #3. Computer literacy is a whole which appears to be a heck of a lot more complicated than learning each of its parts.

RULE #4. Computers are fun.

I became obsessed. I visited more computer stores. My wife and I took the kids on vacation and I spent the time visiting computer stores in other cities. I blew the kids’ college fund on computer magazines. I had to find a way to get the boss to buy a microcomputer for the textbook department!

Then I discovered dBase II. Thirty-two fields—65,000 records—fast indexing, so you could find any entry among 65,000 records in less than two seconds—and an unlimited report capability. It was more exciting than getting a compliment from a professor.

“Boss,” I said excitedly, “I found it.”

“Forget it,” he said. “It can’t be done.”

Ohmygod, what had I done?

“Boss,” I said confidently, “I have spent a lot of time on this, including my own time, and learned a lot about microcomputers. There is a way.”

“Smith,” he said, “you have lost your ability to look at this rationally. Forget it.”

Then he commented, “However, we should look into selling microcomputers, because they are becoming big business. Get some information.”

So I did. One option was to arrange to have a computer store lease space from us to sell computers. At their expense we could learn what would sell on our campus and then take back the lease at some future date. Boss and I trucked across the state to visit an interested store that sold Osbornes.

“Boy, do we have a deal on right now,” said the friendly store owner. “We are selling the Osborne, complete with a spreadsheet, a word processor, and, if a customer buys it before Christmas, we will throw in dBase II for free. Only $1,795.”

“Pardon me?” I said.

“Let’s go to lunch,” said the boss.

We had an exciting lunch, with ideas tossed back and forth. As he asked for the check the boss said to the store owner, “Since we might be selling these Osbornes, how about making us a deal on one for us to try ourselves?”

“Pardon me?” I said.

RULE #5. You can’t accidently break the computer by pressing the wrong keys.

RULE #6. It is worth the time it takes to learn to use it correctly.

RULE #7. You don’t have to learn the first thing about programming to use a computer.

Three weeks later I had dBase II and that Osborne dancing. We did the book list for the next semester on it. I was writing all of my letters using the word processor, and I had done the budget projections for the next year using the spreadsheet and had developed a report for the sales bookkeeper to record daily sales in 15 minutes instead of the two hours it took by hand.

And my wife was leaving the phone book open to the page marked Attorneys.

“I’m convinced,” the boss admitted.

“I wish I was,” I said.

“Pardon me?” said he.

“Well the Osborne isn’t reliable enough for full-time business use. The single density version only has 90k per disk, the program takes up one disk, and we have enough data for three disks. Also, we still have too much information to enter at requisition time to utilize just one machine, even if it had a hard disk. And microcomputers can now network, but there isn’t any software that will allow them to share a data base file simultaneously, at least not at a reasonable cost. And besides, the equipment to back up our data files would almost be as expensive as the computer.”

(See RULE #1.)

Weeks passed, and the Osborne was Waltzing and working on the Jitterbug, when the latest issue of BYTE Magazine was tossed casually on my desk. Inside was a review of the Victor 9000 microcomputer. The reviewer couldn’t say enough about it. Only $4,995 with a 10 megabyte hard disk, and floppys that could hold 1.2 megabytes each. And it could run dBase II.

And they lived happily ever after.

To make this long story end, we bought two Victor 9000 computers, one with two 1.2m floppy disks, and the other with one 1.2m floppy and the 10m hard disk. And even though we could not get them to network, we got around it by creating independent files using dBase II on the machine with the two floppys, carrying the disk to the machine with the hard drive (where we stored the master file), and appending the independent file to the master file—a process that took 90 seconds. All of the corrections are made to the master file. And even all of our records for an entire semester could fit on one neat little 1.2m floppy, so backing up was easy.

The set-up was completed with a Centronics 352 dot matrix 200-characters-per-minute printer. Total cost, including software, under $12,000.

The next semester we had the book list, shelf tags (in perfect order by course number, then alphabetized by author, and nary a mistake in them), an alphabetical by author reference list, the buyback list, the used book buying search/trip list, and immediate access to complete information about that semester’s books and courses.

(You should have seen the face of the McGraw-Hill representative when he asked about his adoptions. In five minutes we printed a list of all of the McGraw books for the next semester, with course numbers, professors’ names, and quantities requested.)

We had replaced two of our three card files, and all but two of our summer typists. First year savings was at least $4,000, not counting increased staff efficiency and our best buyback ever. And then we began with the general book department inventory.

And me, well I don’t use pen and paper unless there’s a power failure. I look forward to reading PC World more than Playboy , and I live in dread of magnets and thunderstorms.

Oh, and by the way, I’ve changed jobs. The opportunity came along to sell computer software, and maybe computer hardware, and it was like letting a cat loose in the catnip…

And please, don’t mention the word “c.o.m.p.u.t.e.r.” to my wife. Thanks.

Create a Sense of Belonging in the Store

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 21:54:26 GMT

Does the entire campus community feel they belong when they enter your campus store?

A sense of belonging is linked with diversity, equity, and inclusion, said Janelle Williams Melendrez and Jeff Bucholtz, co-founders of (R)Evolve Consulting, in their CAMEX100 presentation, Belonging as a Portal for Customer Experience. For campus stores, belonging is part of each shopper’s experience—whether customers see themselves in the store’s products, merchandising, marketing, staffing, communications, and environment.

“A feeling of belonging is more important now after all the isolation of the pandemic,” noted Bucholtz.

Stores should look for ways to enhance belonging for all members of the community. “Think of belonging in terms of learning, growth, and doing things differently,” said Williams Melendrez.

You can start by “noticing how music, displays, or merchandise is or isn’t resonating with members of different groups,” Bucholtz notes. Some people, for example, might not see themselves in the type of mannequins your store uses.

To demonstrate the impact that merchandising aids like mannequins can have on people, prior to CAMEX the speakers set up a different kind of mannequin in the Southwestern College Campus Store, Chula Vista, CA. This mannequin, dubbed the Queen, had a fuller shape than the typically skinny form and also was a dark color. The reaction to the mannequin display from campus staffers (captured in a video shown during the session) was immediately positive. One woman remarked that “this is the first time I’ve walked in here and felt I can buy something here.” The importance of seeing yourself in a retail space was underscored by another person: “If you don’t see anything that looks like you, it’s not a space for you.”

The store’s manager, Gilbert Garcia, who is also a NACS trustee and a member of the NACS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee, said he was visibly moved by the reaction to the mannequin. “It never even dawned on us” to install a mannequin like the Queen, he said. “We didn’t know it was available.”

That doesn’t mean every campus store should run out and get new mannequins, emphasized Williams Melendrez. It’s about figuring out how to make the store space all the more welcoming to every segment of the community. “What can I do to make things even better?” she said.

Garcia said he’s now working with other campus groups to find out how the store can better represent them. “I challenge everyone to speak to your community” and learn more about them, he added.

Bucholtz stressed it was important to communicate with campus organizations and groups to get their perspectives and not assume you know. Look for opportunities to collaborate with campus groups and connect with other departments that are helping to build belonging in other areas of institutional life. “Your campus may have data on this from its own climate surveys,” he suggested.

Allow time during staff meetings for different employees to share their own experiences and challenges. Using card decks with questions or topics (sometimes called dialog cards) can help get the conversation rolling.

It’s an ongoing process, not a one-time fix. Staff may need help in recognizing how to get past entrenched ways of doing things and become more welcoming. Taking part in implicit bias training is one solution to explore, suggested Williams Melendrez.

Creating a greater sense of belonging is not only in the store’s best interest, it also supports the institution’s mission of retention and student success, she added. “We know from research, students who feel like they belong are more likely to stay,” she said.

Employee Zeal Ignites Positive WOM

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:52:00 GMT

“Whatever you think of me right now, you’re right,” speaker Scott Stratten told the audience at the Opening General Session at CAMEX100 in New Orleans.

The same is true, he pointed out, for a customer’s perception of your store: however the customer regards your store, that’s the reality for them. Most perceptions are formed “by the most recent experience they had or heard and the most extreme experience they had or heard,” he said.

Stratten ran a viral marketing agency for many years with major brands as clients. He’s written six books, including UnMarketing , UnSelling , and UnBranding , “which make me 63 cents a copy.” He used humor to get his serious points across, cracking up the audience with a play-by-play description of how, back in the day, people used to make mixed tapes by cassette-recording songs played on the radio, “if only the deejay would shut up.”

Customer perception can be shaped by word of mouth, just another way to go viral. “Word of mouth is always happening, but what we want is good word of mouth,” Stratten said.

He talked about a Phoenix family who accidentally left their child’s stuffed animal at a Ritz-Carlton resort. Dad told the distraught child that “Joshie” had gone on an extended vacation. Meanwhile, a laundry worker at the resort found the stuffie and realized its importance. With the help of a loss prevention employee, they photographed Joshie on vacation—getting a massage, sunning poolside, hanging out at the bar with other stuffies, even checking monitors at the loss prevention office—and overnighted him back to the family. Dad immediately posted about the situation on social media, earning Ritz-Carlton a boatload of good will from everyone who saw the post.

The best thing about the story, Stratten said, was that it didn’t involve a company executive. Two lower-level employees took it upon themselves to fix a problem for a customer in a fun way. “All because of the people there,” he said. “I want to make somebody working in my store have the same pride in the institution.”

Ultimately, it’s the people working at the store who embody the store’s brand. “You’re the brand. You should have this up in your store,” Stratten said. But your store may not be giving off the right vibe.

“When you walk into a store, what’s the feeling?” he asked. He said he once visited a shopping mall on a Tuesday morning, thinking he’d get the best service because that’s a slow time. He visited a number of stores “and at every single one, I was either ignored or treated like an interruption. In two of the stores I went into, there was nobody,” he recounted.

Then he stopped at a shop selling fresh, handmade cosmetics and body care products. The cashier enthusiastically greeted him, ascertained he was a first-time visitor, and then personally showed him around the store.

“I walked out with $79 worth of soap,” he said.

“Are you passionate about the store, about the school?” he added. Employee passion is “contagious, that fire spreads with people,” he said.

These days, social media is the primary vehicle for word of mouth and potentially for revealing where employees may be passionate about their work, as the Ritz-Carlton anecdote showed. But sometimes older adults tend to disparage those younger for their social media habits.

“You don’t have to use social media, but don’t crap on anyone who does,” Stratten admonished. Older age cohorts may believe they know more by virtue of their lengthier experience, “but you have younger generations grown up on disruption. A lot of wisdom is based off times that don’t exist now,” he noted.

“The problem is saying this is the way it’s going to be because this is the way I’ve always done it,” he said. “All people want today is to be treated like a fellow adult.”

That generational bias can also come into play in other ways, such as encouraging employees to take initiative but then dismissing their ideas out of hand. “When ideas come to you, listen to them,” he said. “There are different things, different ways.”

The place to begin, he emphasized, is by asking employees—or even former employees—what they would recommend stopping, starting, or continue doing in the store.

“You don’t have any idea what it’s like to work for you. That’s not a negative statement, nor positive,” Stratten said. “If you want to know, that’s leadership. That’s how it starts.”

How Student Workers Viewed Rush

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 20:13:24 GMT

College stores have always relied on their student workers. But over the years, many stores have had to grapple with the fact that they’re often not able to pay student employees at the same rate as other local employers.

In fact, the “lowly status” of student worker wages was among the topics discussed by the 20 store managers attending the October 1923 meeting where the College Bookstore Association was born, according to an account of the gathering. (Other topics were expanding trade-book sections, faculty relations, merchandising difficulties, employee training, the need for more store space, publicity, “selling problems,” and getting their schools to pass regulations forbidding faculty from selling books and supplies to students.)

The account noted students were earning just 40 to 75 cents per hour back then, with total bookstore payroll only making up 6% or 7% of gross revenues.

On the other hand, it’s a lot more fun—and looks better on a post-graduation resume—to work at the campus store than some other part-time jobs open to students, except maybe during rush.

In 1981, The College Store Journal magazine reprinted several articles written by students about their campus bookstore which were originally published in their campus newspapers. Two were written by student employees about their rush experiences: “The Confessions Of A Bookstore Employee” by a University of Vermont student and “Help, I’m Trapped In A College Bookstore” by a Hillsborough Community College student. Their humorous tales of working in the store may sound familiar today. Scroll down to read both from the April/May 1981 issue.

Help, I’m Trapped In A College Bookstore

Submitted by Sarah Emerson, Manager of the Hillsborough Community College Bookstore in Tampa, Florida. Written by Rita Diefenderfer who was Sarah’s student assistant at the time and was a student writer for their school’s tri-campus newspaper, The Tri-Camp. The column appeared May 16, 1978.

Standing behind my counter at the Dale Mabry bookstore during the first week of the spring term was an educational and terrifying experience. Suddenly the crowd surged forward and I realized they were going to attack in force. As the mob burst forward, checks, IDs, and old textbooks in hand, I feared loss of control. What to do … where to turn … my heart pounded … my mouth turned dry, and I realized there was no backing out. The “rush” had officially started.

Now, working in a college bookstore is usually an extremely pleasant job … except during the rush. Distinct personality types come suddenly and fervently to the forefront.

There is Anxious Anne, who knows we will sell all seven hundred eighty-three textbooks before she reaches the counter, and Crusty Craig who answers all questions with a grunt and a frown, spreading sunshine about him. Tough Ted demands to know why he has to have some ID in order to write a check. Curious Cindy wants to know how much the bookbag on the bottom of the pile costs and then buys the one on the top.

Gregarious Gary had a class with you last term and wants to talk all about the break while twenty people wait in line behind him fuming. Scatterbrained Sally leaves her class list at home and is never sure of the name of her course, but wants the right text.

Polite Paul lets all of his friends in line, making Angry Andy at the end of the line furious. Questioning Quinn wants to know if you’re sure this is the book store.

Dangerous Dan pushes his paper cup into the ashtray, starting a small fire as Maddening Martha continues to fumble through her purse looking for a penny so she can give you the right change.

Meanwhile back at the counter, I’m still trying to figure out where the erasing shields have been moved to. I continue to marvel at the line multiplying and looking like an enormous serpent ready to strike. The green shows on my register tape and I realize I’m going to have to explain to thirty people that they’ll have to wait while I change the tape. When I turn my back, the thought passes through my mind, “Will the crowd turn ugly?”

The tape is changed after stubbornly refusing to thread properly. The line has continued to grow and I listen intently hearing the words “lynch” and “attack” muttered and I’m afraid they mean me.

I ring up two more transactions and realized I’m now out of ones, quarters, and pennies. I imagine I can hear hysterical laughter on the other side of the store. Oh, no … I hope another student assistant hasn’t cracked.

Macho Mike comes forward to buy an Almond Joy and I find myself nervously stuffing the candy bar into the register as I hand him his money back. Wow, I think … I’ve finally been here an hour … only four more to go.

As the day progresses, my tongue begins to turn traitor and I answer questions with questions; my fingers refuse to function and my hearing goes. I am positive USF and Tampa U have sent their students to us when I see the still-growing lines.

I realize I have just sold my thousandth piece of bubble gum and didn’t even blow the bugle in recognition.

Suddenly, it’s over and it’s time to leave. I anxiously wait for my relief, collect my belongings and sign out. I’m at the door ready to leave and realize I have forgotten to buy my books, don’t have my ID, my change has spilled into the bottom of my purse and I’ve left my class schedule at home.

Who says there isn’t any justice? I sigh and search for the end of the line.

The Confessions Of A Bookstore Employee

Submitted by C. Hosmer Graham, Manager of The University Store, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont. Written by Guy Page, a bookstore temporary employee. Reproduced from The Vermont Cynic, September 18, 1980, The University of Vermont undergraduate newspaper: copyright The Vermont Cynic 1980, Sarah T. Bailey, Editor.

During the first two weeks of September, I checked purses and offered plastic bags to thousands of UVMers charging through their semi-annual textbook rush on the University Store. The attractiveness of the job is not the focus of this story; three months of unemployment had depleted my self-respect and Heritage savings account.

Although I never took Psych I, it hit me halfway through my ham and cheese on the second day that the entrance to the bookstore was a laboratory. Almost every UVMer was a participant and I, an observer. This story is what I saw.

First, I’m only an alum (got my paper in ’79), and I believe that students know and practice courtesy. Seriously. They cascaded me with never-ending “yes, thank you’s,” and “no, thank you’s.” I expected streams of spoiled undergrads to rip bags from my outstretched hands.

Three students were impolite; one every four days. Maybe the polite majority of students were recently freed from bringing food to Cape Cod tourists or stocking shelves at the local Grand Union. Maybe they knew that treating workers like robots causes more turnover than earning three dollars and ten cents an hour.

Faculty/Staff, unfortunately, were different.

“Excuse me, ma’am. During the first two weeks of school we’re asking everyone to lock their purses into a locker,” I’d say to the well-dressed (definitely post-graduate) woman.

“But I’m not a student. I’m a member of the faculty.” She may have been thinking, “Only students steal,” but she didn’t say so.

“I’m sorry. We’re asking everyone not to bring their purses on the floor.” I saw her grip tighten and her back stiffened. Aw, I thought, here we go again.

“Stick it,” she cooed, fanning my face with her middle digit. In the stratified society that is UVM, possession of a Ph.D. lets you beat the servants.

Some complainers—a group that also includes mothers—might benefit from a course in listening.

“Ma’am, we’re asking everyone to lock their purses,” I’d say.

“I’m not leaving my purse out for anyone to steal!”

“Yes, ma’am. If you like, you can put it in a locker for a quarter, which you get back after you’re through.”

“You mean I have to pay for it?” Knuckles whiten on purse straps.

“No, ma’am. You get the quarter back after you’re through with the locker.”

“How can I pay for the stuff if I can’t bring my wallet with me?”

“Oh, but you can bring it with you,” I’d growl, and on it went. Once was funny, even twice, but three or four times every hour?

Some of you may have noticed that I, a male, complain only about females. I am not sexist. Who know why only three men out of thousands resented parting with their packs, syllabuses, and hilighters?

I’m not an apologist for the UVM Store. But tight preventive security is the best solution for a bad situation. High book prices, the low price offered students for last semester’s books, the long lines and the lack of security on the sales floor make stealing books temptingly easy to rationalize. Prevention is better than the cure of searching everyone on their way out.

Cussing a store guard shows one admirable trait: a disinclination to conform. Students showed little talent for individuality in other ways.

I noticed an influx of alligators (of the Izod-Lacoste variety) in a land already crawling with them. Time says the preppie look is back. It never left Camp Catamount, and besides, whoever paid attention to Time anyway?

[Guy goes on to devote several more paragraphs to lamenting the proliferation of alligator-embossed shirts on campus. Then he concludes:]

Sorry folks, but there it is: those who wear alligators look unspecial, like lemmings.

There’s more, but why bother? I’ve already got Greeks, women, and faculty mad at me. But if someone offers you a similar job, take it. The observer sees a lot more than a participant.

Three Views on Licensing

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 00:50:00 GMT

There’s no one right way to manage the licensing process at colleges and universities, especially for imprinted products sold in the college store.

The three presenters of the Collegiate Licensing Panel virtual session at CAMEX22 shared a number of practices that have been successful for their campuses and stores, including ways to educate staff and students interested in creating custom wares for special occasions or fundraisers.

Moderator Shelly Schrimpf, assistant director of campus retail and licensing for the Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, asked the panelists to discuss how they educate internal departments on licensing policies, how many graphics are approved weekly, how much licensing revenue is derived from the campus store, what happens when a licensing decision goes against the store, whether they permit fashion colors in addition to school colors, why stores should be an integra part of the licensing process, and what benefit they derive from having a licensing company. Here’s a summary of what they had to say:

Travis J. Cochran, director, Brown Bookstore, Brown University, Providence, RI

As bookstore director, Cochran is also responsible for licensing for the Campus Shop and technical center, reporting to the Licensing and Social Responsibility Committee chaired by the provost, with a dotted line to the Office of Communications for when there are requests such as name use or trademarks in communications (such as using a Brown shirt on a TV show). Any changes to royalties or policies go through the committee.

“We have administrative leadership group meetings,” said Cochran, who also works with the purchasing staff to make sure marks are used properly on items bought for the university. “Probably on a weekly basis, we’re educating someone on the process.”

Brown uses CLC’s dashboard to track graphics submissions, which can number anywhere from 300 to 5,000 per week. As licensing director, sometimes Cochran needs to approve something for a vendor but not for the store. “It happens all the time,” he said. For example, a vendor may sell some type of on-demand products the store doesn’t have, but the school still gets the royalty.

“What’s good for the university is good for all of us,” he said. “Sometimes I have to take off my bookstore hat and put on the licensing hat.”

Brown does permit colors other than the official school colors (brown, red, and white), especially neutral shades. “We do our best to shy away from rival school colors,” he noted. Two font sets are used, one for athletics and another limited to university purposes. On occasion, a different font might be used for something specific.

It’s important not to get too strict with licensing and branding policies. “When I came in and rewrote the licensing policy for Brown, I tried not to be too stringent,” Cochran said. “We need to protect the university” but overregulation can stifle creativity.

“There are two things we did to help build bridges with the licensing department,” he said. One was to make sure that departments and suppliers understood the review process; the second was to make clear the reasoning behind licensing decisions. The latter was important to avoid submissions repeating the same transgression.

“We went in with the feeling we’re in a learning and education moment here,” Cochran said.

He also manages the CLC contract. He considers the company as “an extra pair of eyes and ears, to combat counterfeiting and violation of licensing out there and to streamline the process to make it easy to approve or reject submissions for art. But they don’t make the decisions for us.”

Gregg Zarnstorff, director of trademark licensing and brand protection, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Zarnstorff has been director of licensing since 2010 but more recently has worked within the Office of Strategic Brand Management, part of university communications. His role extends to brand enforcement with departments on use of promotional goods and dealing with student organizations on how to use university marks.

He also works with the bookstore, Wolfpack Outfitters. The store is included in his weekly meeting with the CLC rep. Once a month, there’s a luncheon meeting to discuss critical projects, campus enterprises, and concerns.

“The biggest challenge is having turnover in staff and student groups,” Zarnstorff noted. Once a month, he and the communications creative director lead a one-hour brand training session open to anyone on campus. They typically get 30-40 attendees.

He also uses CLC’s dashboard to keep an eye on the 7,500 submissions that come in every year. “Fifteen percent get rejected or are asked to be revised, based on years of training licensees on what we’ll accept and won’t accept. A lot of department purchases,” he said.

The store purchases from 71 of the 281 licensed vendors, accounting for 17% of royalties. Another 34% comes from the local market. Some exclusive product lines, usually those tied to academics or a campus activity, are approved solely for sale in the bookstore, such as “College of” shirts.

“I try to work with the bookstore as much as I can,” Zarnstorff said, and meets with them every Thursday. Sometimes there’s a bit of contention, for example, when the store asked to revamp the design for “College of” shirts without NC State branding. “In the end, we were able to work it out,” he said. “On the plus side, then sales increased 40% over the prior year.”

Fashion colors are fine, as long as the logo is white. He’s also open with fonts but draws the line at “blood-dripping” fonts, a request that comes up occasionally. “We’re the Wolfpack,” he explained.

Zarnstorff said CLC “helps us with enforcement. When it comes to product category management and how to select licensees and royalty rates, CLC is very good at analyzing numbers for us.” CLC’s recommendations provide a starting point in decisions, but NC State can consider other factors; North Carolina companies get a closer look.

“We have a crafter’s license open to any North Carolina resident,” he said. Not many people have taken advantage of it, but the program has served as an incubator to help newbies dip their toe in the water. Two crafters eventually expanded into standard licenses.

Michael Jastorff, director of licensing and director of four stores at Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD

Black Hills is self-licensed, with about 94 marks registered at the state and federal level. Marks used for publication go to the marketing department, but merchandise designs are sent to Jastorff for processing. Jastorff works to maintain good relations with marketing.

It was decided to exempt the University Bookstore from royalties on all sales. Most of the products licensed are for sale in the store, with a few exclusively for the store. Certain marks are reserved for the university’s internal use, as well.

“We have a lot of companies that we give a one-time exemption to,” Jastorff explained. If the product sells, then the store will set up a licensing agreement.

Black Hills will order fashion colors if something looks good. The same for different fonts. “If we like the font, we’re going to run with it,” he said.

Jastorff sees the store’s involvement in the licensing process as a natural step. “It’s great for the bookstore to be involved. On every tour, one stop is the store. We’re the heartbeat of what’s happening on the campus side of things,” he said.

Faculty Watch Report: Faculty Requiring Fewer Materials, More Cost-Aware

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 13:44:12 GMT

However, Faculty Need More Assistance in Navigating Options and Affordability

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (February 9, 2023)— College faculty, on average, required fewer course materials during the 2021-22 academic year, according to the Faculty Watch™: 2022 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college teaching faculty. Faculty only required 3.9 materials on average across the 3.9 courses they taught. This was the lowest number of materials required by faculty since Faculty Watch began tracking this measure in 2016. In 2021, faculty required 4.1 materials across 3.9 courses. In 2020, faculty required 6.0 materials on average across the same number of courses.

Faculty awareness of course material costs and what role faculty play in course material affordability at their institution remain mixed. Many faculty are interested in receiving more assistance and information from experts, including the campus store, on topics including affordability and alternative format options.

More than 64% of faculty reported knowing the cost of all their materials. There was greater awareness (67%) among those selecting their own course materials than situations where academic departments or institutions assigned materials. Yet, faculty still tend to overestimate the cost of course materials for students. In 2021, just 57% of faculty knew the cost of all materials.

What if course materials cost students more than what a faculty member feels is reasonable? About 21% of faculty said they would be very or somewhat likely to adopt the materials anyway. More than half (60%) said they would be very unlikely or somewhat unlikely to continue with the adoption. Over a quarter of faculty (29%) said they would be very or somewhat likely to tell students a course material is not required, while 49% were very or somewhat unlikely to do so. Thirty-five percent indicated being very or somewhat likely to tell the college store a material was not required.

After years of steady growth, preference for digital materials declined this year. Preference for print materials held steady, with gains for print textbooks with a digital component. This year, 22% of faculty preferred standalone print materials, similar to 2021. Preference for standalone print has halved since 2016 but print preferences have levelled out for several years. There were few changes in format preference from 2021 across formats. E-books and digital books with other digital components lost ground, about 2-3% each. This follows a steady growth in this category for several years. Meanwhile, preference for print books with digital components increased by 3%. When combining all types of print and all types of digital into single categories, preference for print was 43% in 2022 and preference for digital was 26%. The latter is a drop of 5% from 2021.

Faculty Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other key findings from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 1,132 college faculty from 25 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, include:

The college store remains the number one source for course materials that faculty recommend to students.
The top three ways faculty felt they wanted more interaction from the college store were through email (36%), on-demand contact (31%), and information posted on the college store webpage (27%).
Print remains the most widely used course material format by faculty. In 2022, 71% of faculty used print materials. This is an increase from 67% in 2021. Compared to 44% in 2021, intent to use access codes or adaptive learning platforms in the coming year was much lower in 2022 at 31%.
This year, 37% of faculty had used open educational resources. This was in line with the 37% who used OER in 2021 and the 38% who used it in 2020, however it is significantly below the number of faculty in 2021 who indicated they intended to use OER in the next twelve months. Awareness of OER is now nearly universal.
About 30% of faculty did not require materials for at least one of their courses. This was down from 40% in 2020 and nearly half of faculty in 2021.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Collegiate Retail Alliance (CRA) to Make Sizable Donations to Two College Store Trade Associations

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 19:01:06 GMT

The Collegiate Retail Alliance (CRA) is announcing its decision to dissolve and, simultaneously, to donate its remaining assets to the National Association of College Stores (NACS) Foundation (nacsfoundation.org) and the Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA) (ICBAinc.com). The donations will be split equally between the two organizations.

The CRA was formed in December 2000, and acquired Ratex Business Solutions, providing a retail software system to independent collegiate stores. For most of these twenty-plus years, the CRA was committed to developing technology that would benefit its member stores. In May 2018, Ratex was merged with the NBC Prism Technology Division to form a new company called PrismRBS. Then in May 2022, PrismRBS was sold to N. Harris Computer Corporation.

With the latter transaction, the nature of the CRA was fundamentally changed. What had always been an operating company with a membership organization was no longer an operating company and no longer a membership organization. The CRA board therefore decided that the best way to serve its original mission of serving independent collegiate stores was to dissolve the CRA and donate the remaining assets to the two major independent college bookstore associations.

David Kent, COO of CRA, said, "The CRA is pleased to be able to support these two great organizations who both focus on demonstrating that self-operation of a college store is the most effective operating model to serve students and higher education institutions. Even though the CRA will cease to function as a unique entity both ICBA, and NACS through the NACS Foundation, will be able to use these donations to further their support of the independent college store channel.”

Ed Schlichenmayer, CEO of NACS and the NACS Foundation, commented, “I commend the leadership of the CRA for their generosity, as well as their long-standing commitment to the development of successful business solutions for independent campus stores. This donation further signifies their dedication to the college store retail industry, and the NACS Foundation is grateful for this opportunity to accelerate its mission to provide campus store professionals with the support and services they need to ensure their stores remain valued campus resources.”

Jon Bibo, CEO of ICBA, added, “The College Store Members of ICBA passionately focus on student and institutional success. Therefore, ICBA’s programs and services are constantly being expanded and enhanced to meet the evolving needs of higher education consumers and institutions. This generous donation from the CRA will certainly go a long way to helping us serve our Member Stores, who can in turn, better serve their institutions.”

ABOUT NACS

The NACS Foundation, established nearly four decades ago, is the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry. It is closely aligned with the mission of NACS, and both organizations are focused on driving the success of independent college stores, who in turn are integral to student success through the support of their institutions' academic missions and cultivation of their institutions' school spirit and sense of community. The NACS Foundation supports industry-related research, provides meaningful resources to ensure store professionals have access to quality education, and is the leader in the development and adoption of campus store performance standards.

ABOUT ICBA

Since 1927, the Independent College Bookstore Association (ICBA; ICBAinc.com) has been focused exclusively on serving institutionally affiliated college stores as Members. ICBA’s Mission is to support the independent operation of a college store, which is the most effective way to serve campus stakeholders. ICBA provides value to our Members through Education, Networking, and Vendor Partner programs. ICBA programs and services are designed to help vendors support this channel and to help self-operated stores remain independent and achieve financial and operational success to support the campuses they serve.

A Thoroughly Modern Campus Store

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 19:43:31 GMT

As part of the celebration of NACS’ 100th anniversary, Campus Marketplace is reprinting historic articles from the association’s newsletters and magazines periodically throughout the centennial year. This is the first reprint in the series.

After its founding in 1923, the College Bookstore Association continued to hold its annual convention concurrently with the American Booksellers Association’s convention every May. For the 1933 convention, however, the association decided to split off from the ABA event. By this time CBA had changed its name to the National Association of College Bookstores in 1931 and then to the National Association of College Stores in 1932.

Among the reasons for holding a separate convention were a desire to locate the event on a college or university campus and to conduct more educational sessions on general retailing practices, in contrast to ABA’s fairly strict adherence to bookselling topics. Another reason was an interest among members to visit the brand-new Indiana University Bookstore, dubbed “The Most Modern College Bookstore in America” in a NACS Bulletin article about it in July 1932.

The store, managed by Ward Biddle, association president 1930-32, was built with funds accumulated from budget surpluses over a 40-year period. A big mortgage was out of the question in the Depression era. The new store incorporated many ideas that today considered indispensable for contemporary college stores: attractive merchandising, open layout, community space, and attention to the customer experience.

So the decision was made to not only host the first standalone convention at Indiana University, but also to move the dates from May to July when the campus could accommodate the group and the bookstore was better able to handle tours for attendees. Ironically, despite the strong intent to hold future conventions on college campuses, this was the last time the convention would be held on one due to logistical difficulties with dates (spring was preferred) and transportation.

The following article was reprinted from the NACS Bulletin, July 1932. The original spelling and grammar have been preserved.

The Most Modern College Bookstore in America

By Gordon F. Hayes

“The most modern and beautiful college bookstore in America” was the idea Ward G. Biddle had in mind when he set to work more than a year ago perfecting plans for his new bookstore at Indiana University. The store was opened recently in a $40,000 wing of the new Union Building at the University.

After visiting some of the finest bookstores in America, Mr. Biddle selected among his models the bookstores of the University of California at Los Angeles and of the University of Washington at Seattle. Mr. Alfred Granger, one of the architects of the Union building, added suggestions from a quaint old bookstore in Tudor style, in England, to the excellent plan outlined by Mr. Biddle. As a result the visitor finds this magnificent well-planned building really measuring up in many ways to the ideal of “the most modern and beautiful college bookstore in America.”

Entering the building, the visitor is at once so entranced that he instinctively removes his hat. His eye takes in a sweep of showcases on either side, then centers at the rear on a massive staircase which leads to a beautiful mezzanine floor. Above the staircase hangs a remarkable, life size painting. To either side above are glimpses of red leather chairs, soft window draperies, and oak desks with which the mezzanine floor is furnished. Truly an atmosphere of books and quiet charm such as would satisfy the most ardent lover of the Elizabethan age—one of the most beautiful bookstores in America.

But how about the practical side of the new store? Is it as efficient as it is beautiful? Do we find here that difficult combination of the practical and the beautiful? Bring your eye back to the front and see. On either side of the door are two small alcoves located just back of display windows. Here is a table and a chair, where a postcard may be addressed or a souvenir selected, or stationery chosen. The articles themselves are displayed, of course. Turn now to the main floor. There is a center arrangement of counters and showcases displaying works of fiction and novelties. On the right are showcases containing notebooks, inks, and other practical supplies.

Now go back to the front and start in again. On the left are counters for book, art, and stationery departments. To the rear of this set of counters is located the book shelves with adequate room for 15,000 volumes. This commodious space enables the bookstore to have on hand all the books required for the University courses, and also many second hand books. The books are arranged alphabetically according to departments. This arrangement is carried further as to the author, title, semester ordered, cost and selling price, and the professor by whom ordered. This information is printed on removable labels held in a metal container under each shelf. At the back of the room is the general office with two windows facing the front of the store. In this office is housed the vault for post office and bookstore receipts.

The visitor is next attracted by a broad flight of stairs that connects the main floor with the elaborately furnished mezzanine floor. The Fireside Bookshop is on this second floor and it includes a rental library and space for magazines. At the back of this is a fireplace above which is inscribed in gold letters the quotation from Abraham Lincoln, “I will study and get ready then maybe the time will come.” Above the mantel hangs Edwin Howland Blashfield’s painting, “Alma Mater,” which was presented by President and Mrs. William Lowe Bryan, of the University.

On the mezzanine floor is the office of the manager and that of his secretary. A small kitchenette opens off the Fireside Bookshop for the purpose of preparing tea which can be served at designated times during the week.

To the left at the top of the stairs is the James A. Woodburn room. This room is panelled with oak and the walls reveal built-in bookcases which contain the books of Dr. Woodburn. It is furnished with upholstered chairs, designed after those in the old Bank of England, a suitable carpet, crimson and gold draperies, a long table and a comfortable lounge. This room is intended to serve the entire University as a place for conferences, board meetings, and any other University meetings.

Next let the visitor go from this floor to the basement and view the post office. Part of this section will be used as the University ticket office. Another room on this floor is equipped with moth proof cupboards, for the purpose of storing caps and gowns. There is plenty of room here for enlargement of the bookstore proper. An outside opening makes the post office easily accessible without the necessity of going through the main part of the bookstore.

The bookstore, regarded a vital necessity on the Indiana University campus, was built from surpluses that have accumulated for over forty-two years, and cost approximately $40,000. It comprises the east wing of the new Union Building.

The first bookstore at Indiana University was established in 1890, in Wylie hall, under the management of Frank Fetters, who is now head of the economics department at Princeton university. Indiana University took control of the bookstore in 1910, and N.O. Pittinger, now comptroller of Swarthmore college, became manager. In 1923 the management was placed in the hands of Ward G. Biddle. He has received many congratulations not only from his customers but also from bookstore managers who have gone to Bloomington and have come away saying the new store is one of the most efficient and beautiful college bookstores in America.

Tips and Takeaways for the Tech Section

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 23:39:58 GMT

A new year—and a new academic term—will be starting in a few weeks. You might be thinking about ways to improve your technology products section.

Consider borrowing some ideas that have worked for the UCLA Store, University of California-Los Angeles. In a CAMEX22 virtual session, Rick Crowe, associate director of marketing and computer store, shared some recommendations and tips for tech merchandise and operations.

Crowe has seen a lot of changes in tech retailing over the years, including the shift from desktop to mobile, the software resale model, and the emergence of new services. At one point more than 10% of his store’s sales were in software, then came school licensing deals, subscription models, and electronic delivery. His store currently stocks the full array of tech products: hardware, peripherals, accessories, consumer electronics, “and even a little bit of software” accounting for less than 1% of sales, he said in the session, How to Run a Successful Tech Store.

Campus stores can be successful in tech with a combination of price, service, selection, and something unique that sets them apart. “Really, you want to focus on value. Price, we always focus on that but that really isn’t the driver,” Crowe said. “It’s what you can bring that’s really unique to your campus.”

Some basic tips:

Focus on products with higher margins.
Carefully manage the life cycle of products you carry; don’t get stuck with product when a new version comes out.
Pay attention to merchandising. “This is not a situation where if you stock it, they will come. They won’t,” Crowe said. Even if you’re only stocking one or two units, make sure it looks appealing in the store.
A web and e-commerce presence is mandatory. Build in suggestions for other items they might need. “Keep that churn going. What else can you move?” he noted.
Invest in fixtures and people. Good fixtures will show off the product and good training will ensure employees can provide the best service.

In tech sales, it’s not uncommon to bundle products to spur business. But be careful. As part of a vendor promotion, the UCLA Store acquired a slew of printers (normally $99) for $9.99. The store tried a variety of tactics to give the printers away to drive other sales. What actually worked the best, though, was pricing the printers at $29.99 but selling them for $9.99 with the purchase of a computer. “Free sometimes communicates ‘worthless.’ Value can be considered the price,” Crowe said.

Keep your eyes open to opportunities for providing value to the campus. One area might be niche software needed for certain courses; other consumer outlets don’t carry it and campus departments can’t provide it because they don’t accept credit cards. The store becomes the solution. When students had trouble installing Office on their machines, the UCLA Store offered to help get them started.

The store has also worked to build relationships with campus departments for sales, offering service advantages such as holding stock, delivery, and logistics.

In selecting products, go with a good/better/best variety from vendors who offer solid support for the campus store channel. Focus on the needs of your campus customers, rather than general consumers. Cables, connectors, and chargers are must-have peripherals but consider printers carefully; students might need supplies but not the hardware. UCLA has printing stations, but students have to bring paper. For consumer electronics, a variety of headphones ranging in price from $10 to a couple hundred will work, although keep your customer traffic in mind.

Market your tech offerings at campus events and to groups. “Just be out there. You don’t have to give things away,” Crowe said. “In our case, we can talk about the services we have. We understand what our students are doing and what our faculty and staff are doing.”

He suggested a number of tactics:

Marketing

Bundling warranties as a “four-year solution,” at the right price point.
Use calls to action and “save up to” messages.
Set up tables outside the store to get the word out. Provide charging stations to draw prospective customers in.
Post interesting content on social media and the web.

Services

Find a way to say Yes to the customer. “You can’t always give the customer what they want, but you can find a way to get what they need,” he noted.
Train employees in customer service and knowledge of product, using vendor resources and peer mentorship.
Offer repairs, either on-site or through a third party. Possibly provide loaners for computers in service.
Explore trade-in options with vendors.
Provide financing for bigger-ticket items. “We found ways to work with financial aid, worked with the local credit union,” Crowe said.

Administration

Know your store’s numbers. Develop trackers to give snapshots of current business.
Watch category trends.
Keep an eye on the aging reports, especially for products with batteries.

Resources

Work with vendor partners to make the most of co-op advertising funds, product giveaways, and marketing collateral.
Ask suppliers for their bestseller lists to see what’s selling elsewhere.
Some vendors, such as Apple, Dell, and Microsoft, offer training online. “We give employees time to log in,” Crowe said. “It does pay off.”
Talk to your industry peers to find out what’s working for them.

E-Commerce to the Rescue

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 01:09:59 GMT

Like it or not, when the pandemic struck in spring 2020, many campus bookstores had to quickly up their game in e-commerce.

The result was that the upgrades enabled many stores to expand their services to students, provide greater convenience, and streamline certain functions, even though some physical stores were completely closed to customers for months.

Four campus stores shared their experiences and lessons learned in the CAMEX22 session in Louisville, Quickly Adapting Your Store and E-Commerce.

Northwest Wisconsin Tech College Bookstore, Green Bay

Like many college stores, the NWTC Bookstore closed in spring 2020 due to the pandemic. That fall, the administration decided the store should remain closed and put all services online. On top of everything, the school switched from semesters to quarters.

“It was a lot of transition in a very short time,” recalled Gretchen Bonnema, a store manager who started as a student employee 32 years ago. Prior to the pandemic, only about 25% of sales were online, with 75% going through the physical store, as textbooks were handled by counter service.

“It became essential for us to maximize the tools available,” she said. Students now had to order course materials online, but the store made it easy for them. With a single sign-on system, students could click one link to go to a personal booklist with all the materials they need.

“The student only sees the books for classes in which they’re enrolled,” she explained. That eliminates any chance of selecting the wrong book with a similar title.

The advantage to counter service was that a store employee assisted each student individually and could answer questions or provide more information. Bonnema said the store tried to duplicate that level of service with the online system.

“We learned a lot about the different kind of notes we could put out there,” she said. In collaboration with faculty, they utilized the notes section of the application to make sure students had access to all the information they needed, such as fees or options in format.

To the extent possible, the store tried to emulate e-commerce practices elsewhere, so students would be comfortable with the experience. Students can check their order history and payments, and whether they still have a rental out. A text messaging system sends alerts when their order is ready for pickup. They can also get alerts for buyback.

University Book Store, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The store only closed for about two months during the pandemic “but we had to work hard with marketing,” said Angie Maniaci, insignia products buyer. “Nobody wanted to shop in person.”

Surprisingly, email turned out to be an effective tool for drawing customers to the website. “They didn’t unsubscribe as much as we thought they would,” she said. The store sent out a string of email promotions: $10 Tuesdays, featuring a hot deal on surplus merchandise. Geraldine’s Pick every Thursday, with an item “recommended” by an 82-year-old employee. Twelve Days of Deals at Christmastime. Model of the Month, with student models showing off apparel (in return for a gift card, plus they got to designate a charity for a donation). Two’s Day Sale on Feb. 22, 2022.

“We got rid of the time limit for returns,” Maniaci said. As long as “somebody had a receipt and had the tag,” they could bring the item back. Returns didn’t actually increase; the longer someone had an item, the less likely they were to return it.

The store set up two fulfillment centers to process orders. With social distancing, it was even easier to pack orders. “We had lots of training,” Maniaci said. “Now everybody knows how to do everything.”

Georgia Southern University Store, Statesboro

Unlike others, the Georgia Southern University Store remained open for in-person business throughout the pandemic. “But we realized we needed to be creative in how we got products out,” said Derick Robertson, director, retail services.

Even though the store was open, web orders were up 30% to 40%. Two staff teams (day and night shifts) were needed to process orders.

The store began closing to the public at 5 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. “That gave us time to pick, pack, and get orders ready for the next day,” Robertson said. Parking spots behind the store were reserved for curbside pickup; phone numbers were designated on the spots.

“We didn’t have an official backorder system. We used QR codes” for scanning shelf tags, he said. “That saved us.”

Because students didn’t want to come into the store, drop boxes were set up to receive rental returns. Students could put the book in a bag, take a photo on their phone, drop the bag in the box, and send the picture to the store. “We made it simple and easy for them,” Robertson said. “That’s really driven sales.”

Texans Campus Store, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX

The store dropped its lease last year and now is operated institutionally. Kolton Shoop, who had started as a student employee, was promoted to e-commerce sales associate when the store went independent and needed its own e-commerce site.

“I had no web experience before, but I feel we can do basically anything we need to do on the website,” Shoop said.

The store greatly expanded the selection of apparel available online. Filters were added to the site so that customers could sort the listings by type, price, brand, size, and nine different sports. Small tiles next to the garment image show the available colors; click on a tile to see the garment in that color. The site is tied in with the store’s inventory, so if only one item is left in stock, it disappears from view.

Shoop uses Canva to create graphics for the site; most of the product images come from vendors but he’s able to shoot images if needed. An announcements page alerts customers to sales, a change in hours, buyback dates, rental returns, and the Future Grad of the Month.

“Keeping graduation as its own tab is useful. People couldn’t find it when it was jumbled with something else,” he said.

Why Digital is Gaining on Print

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 21:28:53 GMT

“I feel like the captain of the Titanic , trying desperately to avoid icebergs,” commented Bob Butterfield, director of instructional resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

In his CAMEX22 presentation, Walking the Line: OER, IA, Digital, and the Impact on College Stores, he acknowledged the difficulty in keeping up with the changes in course materials over the past decade. His institution made the decision to put the focus on digital for a number of reasons, he said, including the decline of print, growth of digital formats, publisher strategies, and what was happening in the K-12 market.

“Is print dead? Not quite yet, but there are signs its health is flagging,” Butterfield said.

Like many campus bookstores, UW-Stout was seeing fewer sales of new textbooks. Free materials have grown as much as 30%. More materials are produced first in digital format, with no print option or only a PDF.

“In trying to source books, it’s been harder to get print,” he noted.

Many schools shifted to digital materials when the pandemic hit, as an efficient way to get course content to students who were forced to go remote. Butterfield thinks the shift may be long-term for a lot of institutions.

Publishers are now seeing more profit with digital materials. “They would tell you their initial rollout with digital was not successful,” Butterfield pointed out. But the old PDFs have been replaced by interactive content created for digital, with additional services available, such as online tutoring.

K-12 schools are transitioning to digital content. As a result, students are using fewer print books as they come up through grade school and they don’t expect to use print when they reach college, he said.

“Students are coming to us when print is assigned and asking us for digital, saying, ‘I can’t deal with this any more,’” he said.

As more courses require digital materials or move to an inclusive access program, some campus stores have decided to step away from their role with course resources. That worries Butterfield.

“We do have a need to continue to engage in course materials,” he said. “It’s good to be a valued community member, but it’s much better to be an essential part of the success of your campus.”

He noted that OnCampus Research’s Faculty Watch survey data shows more professors are at ease with digital materials, and they’ll be more likely to adopt those in the future. “No one speaks faculty like faculty,” he said. “As they see more and more of these products, they will encourage their peers to become more comfortable.”

In addition to remote learning, inclusive access programs have led the way to digital materials. UW-Stout is a “big user” of IA, he said, but “our IA programs are both friend and foe for college stores.” He believes students do save money with IA, but some programs cut stores out of the loop or require extra reporting that doesn’t benefit the store. Opt-in/out procedures can be cumbersome for both students and stores, and faculty may have limited choices once a school decides to go with IA.

Still, he sees institutions sticking with IA as long as costs are reduced for students—or until something new comes along.

Open educational resources (OER) might be that thing.

“I am an OER advocate,” Butterfield said. “I put a lot of time and resources into OER.”

He thinks OER will continue to grow, especially with legislative support and funding for creation of materials, although it’s likely to plateau after a number of years. If funding declines, so will enthusiasm for this model.

“Why should your store have anything to do with OER?” he asked. “I think there’s a positive side. I truly think this is an area where stores and campus groups can come together. Your expertise in the store can really help OER groups on your campus to make these programs sustainable.”

Butterfield recommended several strategies that have been effective for UW-Stout in approaching digital:

Know the issues.
Be realistic about what you can influence.
Understand that national problems are not always local problems; take a campus-centric approach.
Tailor your message; as you work with different groups, remember they all take in input in different ways.
Learn different “languages” for library, faculty, students, and others to communicate with them.
Find opportunity in adversity.
Consider who you’re hiring; be sure to get the skills you need.
Be involved. Volunteer for campus task forces and committees, make your store known to as many stakeholders as possible, and be active in professional organizations.

Telling Your Store's Story on TikTok

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 19:08:05 GMT

Reaching today’s college students online means engaging them on TikTok. The social media platform was once filled with dance videos—which remain popular—but now there are short videos of all kinds.

Your campus store can join in the fun with videos highlighting new product arrivals, special events, who’s who on staff, campus groups and activities, or any number of visual ideas that could click with students. Just be sure to make it interesting.

“No child says, ‘Make me a commercial,’” noted Jennifer Sader, NACS learning designer and education consultant, in her CAMEX22 session, Effective Video Storytelling. “Instead they say, ‘Tell me a story.’” Sader and audience members offered their tips on how to do that on TikTok.

“I think that’s why TikTok has taken off so much,” she said. “They’re a quick hit, but they’re fun. They have characters … maybe a bit of plot. All the elements of storytelling.”

Campus stores don’t require a lot of equipment to create interesting videos, just a phone capable of recording video. The most important factor in video content: Stay away from the hard sell.

“If they just see ad, ad, ad, they won’t want to follow you,” Sader stressed.

Keep the video very brief, even though TikTok now allows up to 10 minutes. “I can guarantee no one is going to watch that,” she said.

Gear the content to student interests, and that means putting student faces on screen as much as possible. There are always exceptions to that rule; MSU Bookstore, Montana State University, Bozeman, produced a series of videos with product picks by a 70something cashier who’s become an icon at the store.

Putting different students in front of the camera is generally more effective than using the same person, in Sader’s view, but a campus influencer with the right personality could be a hit as the “face” of the store. It’s all right to feature products as long as it’s done with a sense of fun and creativity.

“Don’t just show merchandise and say, ‘Come buy stuff,’” Sader noted. Videos of student employees opening a shipment of a new apparel style or first-time product are popular right now. Invite customers to post videos of themselves wearing or using a recent purchase.

One advantage with TikTok is that the platform has already licensed pop music you can use for your videos. If you don’t even have a video clip, just a collection of still photos, you can upload them to a TikTok template to create a carousel of images overlaid with text, music, or sounds. The Effects function in the TikTok app functions like filters, adding selected special effects to video or stills.

Downloading a storyboard template can help in planning out the video, especially if you want to shoot a variety of scenes from different angles. “You can sketch out scene by scene what you’re going to do,” Sader said. “You don’t have to be an artist. Even drawing stick figures can help you figure it out.”

Get your student workers or student ambassadors involved in developing TikTok videos and coming up with fresh ideas. “It’s not good to give students free rein with it. They need some structure,” cautioned Sader. Some stores allow students to take charge of the creative process but a manager must approve the idea before shooting begins and then OK the final cut before it’s posted.

To help promote the videos, be sure to add hashtags with your school name and the store’s name so the videos will pop up in searches. TikTok business accounts also have the option to buy advertisements targeting people in the geographic area.

To get some ideas for video shoots, search out schools in your region or your institution’s peer schools to see what they’re doing.

Leaning Toward Lean? Five Pitfalls to Avoid

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 22:12:35 GMT

Perhaps your campus store is considering instituting the Lean Principles as a means to improve customer service and operational efficiency, as did the Cedarville University Bookstore, Cedarville, OH. The store used lean concepts to speed up online order processing and other practices.

But before your store embarks on a lean program, Cedarville Manager Clay Ludlow has some tips to help make sure your efforts are a success.

Ludlow shared his bookstore’s foray in lean management in sessions at CAMEX22 in Louisville, KY, and in the virtual CAMEX.

The lean concept was originally developed to help identify and fix inefficiencies in manufacturing processes, eliminate defects in products, and reduce inventory of products and materials. The concept has since been expanded and adapted to almost any type of business, including collegiate retailing.

The number of principles vary depending on the scope, but typically revolve around five: Identify value; map value stream; create flow (smooth work processes); establish pull (match work effort to demand); and seek continuous improvement. Google “lean principles” and you’ll find a long list of resources on implementing the concept.

Ludlow took a master’s class in lean concepts before applying them to the store’s e-commerce processing. By carefully mapping out every step in the process, no matter how small, the store was able to see where time and effort was being wasted. For one thing, the processing team was trying to fulfill several orders simultaneously in the belief it was quicker to perform the same task (pulling merchandise, adding packing filler, etc.) at the same time. But in reality the workspace became disorganized with multiple boxes, setup for the next task took a few minutes, and it was easy to miss an ordered item.

“So we moved to a single-batch process,” Ludlow said. That meant processing one order at a time, start to finish, before moving on to the next order. “It took two-three weeks for us to normalize our operation,” with some employees wanting to return to the old process. In the end, the team was able to process more orders per hour, with fewer mistakes.

However, not all businesses trying the lean principles have found success. Ludlow shared five reasons why a lean program may fail to take off:

Not really understanding lean process management.

“Read the book,” he advised. A single article or presentation won’t provide enough detail; the book includes case studies, solutions, and other material needed in order to comprehend the full concept and apply it to your store.

Not thinking like a customer.

“You need to empathize with customers,” Ludlow said. “How can you maximize value if you don’t know customers, how they’re choosing, why they’re choosing?” When it comes to textbooks, for example, students “don’t just walk into the store and grab them.”

Not having goals to drive what you’re doing.

“Your goals are going to hold you accountable,” he said. Goals should be based on demand for your goods and services.

Not accounting for errors.

“You need to make sure you’re measuring mistakes,” he said. “Mistakes may take up a ton of time that doesn’t show up in the risk analysis.” At first his store couldn’t figure out why workers were marking certain textbooks as out of stock when the inventory report showed copies on hand. By running through the process of pulling books, they discovered employees sometimes assumed there were no more copies on bottom shelves; in actuality the stack had been pushed back out of view. So they placed bright orange stickers at the rear of each shelf and trained workers to carefully check bottom shelves. Only if they could see the sticker was the title truly out of stock.

Not revisiting the lean process.

“You should be reviewing periodically. Lean is never done,” Ludlow said. Over time, variables change and processes need to be tweaked. He suggested reevaluating every two years.

College Stores Deliver a Double-Digit Lesson on Savings

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:00:31 GMT

Innovations Lower Student Spending on Course Materials by 26% in 2022

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OH (August 31, 2022)– As college students return to campus for the new semester, savvy shoppers will head to their campus stores in person and online to take advantage of superior customer service and money-saving options and discounts offered on course materials such as electronic textbooks, rentals, used books, and more.

According to a recent study by Inside Higher Education and College Pulse, students ranked campus stores third best of 18 nonacademic departments identified for having good service (replying quickly, resolving the issue, being kind, etc.)

Also, 72% of students that purchased one or more course materials during the 2021-2022 academic year did so at the campus bookstore, according to Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Course Materials. Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) .

Since 2008 student spending on required college course materials has declined by nearly 52%. In the 2021-2022 academic year alone spending fell by 26% from the previous year.

These declines are due to a variety of innovations developed by college stores and their parent institutions. Stores now offer specially discounted digital and print course content, rental and used textbooks, as well as a growing collection of free digital materials. These options are often a fraction of the price of buying a new textbook.

College stores were the first in higher education to embrace and innovate price comparison shopping and marketplaces allowing students to easily compare prices and purchase from a variety of sources. Also, many campus stores offer price matching, price guarantees, ensure sales tax exemptions are applied at checkout, discounts for early reservations, free in-store or curbside pickup for online orders, and access now, pay-later options.

NACS offers the following tips to students on ways to save:

Inquire whether your college or university offers a discounted course material program, sometimes referred to as inclusive access or first-day access program. Some institutions have established programs to further reduce the cost of required course materials and give students trial access until the add-drop deadline.
Shop early. It doesn’t pay to procrastinate. The sooner students shop, the more likely they are to find a good selection of used books and rentals.
Make sure to ask the store staff about the various savings programs offered. Staff are eager to help.
Check the campus store’s website for a price-comparison marketplace tool.
Rent course materials. Renting materials from the campus store helps avoid the shipping hassles and returns students may experience with online companies and surprise charges.
Buy used or electronic textbooks and course materials. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new print textbook.
Know the refund policy. If a student drops a class or the professor decides not to use the textbook, the student will need to return it before the deadline to get a full refund.
Students should not write in or unwrap books or course materials until they are certain they will keep them. Most sellers won’t give full credit for course materials that have been marked up or opened.
When purchasing digital materials with shorter-term licenses, do not activate the license until close to the start of classes.
Keep receipts in a safe place. Most retailers require them for returns. Receipts can also be turned into cash through the American Opportunity Tax Credit. See www.textbookaid.org
Be careful when shopping online. Is the seller a credible business? Be cautious of too-good-to-be-true-priced fake or expired access codes. Ensure you’re not overcharged for sales taxes if you qualify for an exemption. Don’t forget about shipping costs. Know the full price of buying online. If students need to return a book, they need to know the costs involved.
Use a credit card when buying from online retailers in case a charge needs to be disputed.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

NACS Student Watch Report: Course Materials Spending Dropped

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 14:12:38 GMT

2021-22 Average Spending was the Lowest in 24 Years

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (Aug. 23, 2022) —College students, on average, spent less on their course materials during the 2021-22 academic year even though they took more courses and acquired a slightly greater number of materials, according to the Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2022 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college students. Total course material spending fell to $339 per student for the year, the lowest amount since NACS began tracking student spending in 1998 and less than half the spending in 2007-08 when students paid $701 on average for course materials.

In 2021-22, students acquired 8.6 materials for 8.9 courses, on average, compared to 8.5 materials for 8.6 courses in 2020-21. Cost-wise, that worked out to an average of $38 per course for materials in 2021-22, down substantially from $53 per course in 2020-21.

More students also acquired materials through an inclusive access (IA) program, also known as instant access or day-one access. Thirty-nine percent obtained materials through IA, compared to 33% the year before and 15% in 2018-19. (Inclusive access provides students with their course materials, usually in digital format, by the first day of class, at a discounted cost.)

Another factor that may have shaved students’ expenditures on course materials was that slightly more students (73% vs. 70% the previous year) said an instructor had assigned at least one material that was either free or not directly paid for. Most (70%) of these materials were provided to students through the campus learning management system, but other sources were instructor handouts, website articles, class notes, professional journals and articles, web searches, social media, general consumer books (novels, for instance), and free textbooks. (While students did not pay for them directly, some of these sources are supported by student tuition and fees, such as instructor-developed materials and journal subscriptions at the campus library.)

Around one in four students decided not to acquire at least one course material. Students who skipped materials were also more likely to consider dropping out, suggesting these students are struggling with the costs of attendance. However, students who skipped acquiring materials only spent $24 less on average per year than students who obtained all materials.

About 11% of Student Watch respondents said they had pirated at least one course material or obtained materials through unauthorized means, usually in a PDF format. Students who pirated materials also typically spent less on course materials in total and tended to look for ways to reduce or eliminate spending on course materials, such as seeking out other nontraditional sources for materials, obtaining materials from other students, borrowing materials, and skipping one or more materials.

Funded by the NACS Foundation, Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other key findings from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 11,800 college students attending 40 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, include:

The campus bookstore remained the most popular place to obtain course materials, with 72% of students shopping there in person or on the store’s website for materials. Possibly influenced by the pandemic or the increase in digital course materials, more students purchased materials from the campus store’s e-commerce site than from the store’s physical location. Students obtained more than half of all purchased course materials (in units) from campus stores (physical and online combined), along with 45% of rental units.

Course materials represented only 28% of “books and supplies” spending (a combination of course materials, technology, and supplies). In 2021-22, students did pay slightly more for technology ($700 compared to $694 in 2020-21) and supplies ($164 vs. $157).

Half of students say they use digital course materials more now than they did before the pandemic, with only 9% using digital materials less.

The majority (86%) of students use learning management systems (LMS) within their courses, a number that has been on the rise. In 2016, only 63% of students used the campus LMS.

Many students returned to in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year. Students gave the highest ratings for learning experience to in-person courses, but other course structures (such as hybrid classes, which have both classroom and online instruction) received higher ratings this year over the previous year.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

The Higher-Ed Mindset for This Fall

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 02:48:34 GMT

As students return to campus this fall, what’s on the minds of college and university administrators?

Richard Keeling knows. As chair and senior executive consultant for Keeling and Associates, he spends a lot of time with higher education decision-makers. The pandemic threw everything off-kilter.

“Lots of things happened that have made it harder for institutions to do what they wanted to do,” Keeling noted in his CAMEX22 session, New Expectations, Markets, and Models: The Reshaping of Higher Education.

Much of it boils down to people and money.

Institutions weren’t surprised when enrollment dipped during the pandemic, Keeling said, but they thought it would bounce back. For many campuses, it hasn’t. He noted numerous reasons, including student dissatisfaction with education and especially its cost, the general disruption in students’ lives, smaller pool of high school graduates, and parents and students who lost jobs in the pandemic, but now competitive wages are pulling students away from school.

“There are concerns about the value proposition of higher education, especially at private schools,” Keeling said. “There’s a shift among parents and students toward a strong focus on career readiness and skills.”

Lower enrollment means, of course, fewer dollars coming in to support the institution’s operations.

At the same time, Keeling said, administrators and boards are worried about their employees. Some employees ended up working from home and now are reluctant to return to the office or classroom, at least full-time. Some burned out because they had to take on additional responsibilities. And some, more staff than faculty, decided their jobs were no longer sufficiently fulfilling and they quit.

Even though some institutions have had to lay off positions, all schools need qualified and productive people in their workforce. Institutions will need “to rethink employment entirely,” he said. “In the long term, how do we make employment more attractive?”

Flexibility is the key to both employee satisfaction and attracting students to enroll, he said.

On the employment side, administrators are considering how to:

Make employment worthwhile.
Create a human resources approach that responds to the changing nature of work.
Reconsider the institutional work hierarchy and privileges, especially the faculty/staff differentials. “There needs to be more effort to bring staff into decision-making,” he said.
Revise metrics for work performance and productivity and reassessing priorities.
Focus on health, especially mental health and well-being.

For student enrollment, administrators are looking at:

Developing education for nontraditional markets, “not the people we’ve usually thought of as students”: programs geared to part-timers, clustered courses, certificates, and stackable credentials, for instance.
Recreating academic programs to respond nimbly to changes in student purposes, intentions, and goals.
Focusing on outcome-based learning.
Blending remote/virtual learning with in-person education.
Expanding business and industry partnerships for experiential learning.

In these scenarios, institutions will need to “be distinctive, be first, be flexible, and be sustainable,” Keeling said. The key questions administrators are facing for 2022-23 and beyond are, he said:

What will students expect, demand, and accept?
What is our value proposition?
Who’s a student?
What will graduates need for the future?
How to make the best use of resources?
What risk should we take to ensure long-term sustainability?

Where do campus stores fit in? Keeling had several recommendations:

Look for ways to be distinctive from other retailers.
Be more responsive to students and their needs.
Support the institution’s mission and vision.
Adjust what “the store” means and does as campus conditions change.

NACS Foundation Installs New Officers and Directors

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 22:25:01 GMT

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NACS Foundation Installs New Officers and Directors

OBERLIN, OHIO (August 15, 2022)— The NACS Foundation, the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry, recently installed a new president and president-elect, and a new board of directors.

TJ Cochran , director, Brown University Bookstore, Campus Shop, and Technology Center, Providence, RI, with additional responsibility for the university’s licensing and registered trademarks, was installed as president.

Beth Christian , sales operations manager, bookstore channel, Verba | VitalSource, Bloomsburg, PA, was installed as president-elect.

The terms for president and president-elect will conclude June 30, 2023.

Three new directors were also installed for three-year terms:

Kevin Hannegan , director of channel partnerships, Pearson, Holly Springs, NC.

Helen Nakos , manager, bookstore & auxiliary support services, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL.

Cassie A. Wherry , manager, Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA.

Continuing on the NACS Foundation Board of Directors will be Immediate Past President Michael C. Tolly , vice president of inventory management, MBS Textbook Exchange LLC, Columbia, MO, and five directors: Sara Ellenberger , director of sales and account operations, RedShelf, Chicago, IL; Polly Grapes , director, State Fair Community College Bookstore, Sedalia, MO; LuAnne Kelly , manager, Campus Bookstore, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada; Rip Scott , vice president of sales and marketing, Boxercraft, Greenville, SC; and Tammy L. Slone , director of retail operations, Cedarville University Bookstore, Cedarville, OH.

About The NACS Foundation: Operating for 40 years, the NACS Foundation has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

How to Pace the Ups and Downs

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 19:53:07 GMT

The last couple years have been crazy for everyone—campus stores included—but wait: There’s more to come.

“I don’t think the ride’s over yet,” said guest speaker Tracy Knofla in her virtual CAMEX22 session, Buckle Up! The Roller Coaster Continues Its Wild Ride. But she also had some calming words.

“I think there are many things you can do, and are doing, to mitigate it,” she added. Campus stores have quite a few tools and resources at their disposal to help them keep the wild coaster under control as much as possible heading into fall rush.

Knofla outlined six steps for stores to consider:

Keep up with future trends.

Knowing what’s coming down the pike can give you time to think about how to deal with it. The easiest way to keep tabs on emerging trends is to browse regularly through publications that cover business, higher education, and consumer habits. Knofla mentioned The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, NACS publications, and even your local newspaper as good sources.

There’s no need to buy numerous subscriptions; your campus and community libraries may offer access to print or digital copies. Many major publications also allow limited access to articles online or provide free email newsletters with selected items.

Focus on your staff.

Your employees may be having a tough time managing all the changes, especially if they’re expected to do more work with fewer people. “Help your staff to stay healthy, mentally healthy,” Knofla said.

Check with campus human resources and online articles for ways to alleviate the pressure on staff.

Focus on your customers.

After being cooped up, many people—especially students—are craving a personal connection. “Friendly and warm is really important now. Ask them what they’d like to see in the store,” Knofla said. “This is the time to ramp that up.”

Just as the store collects data on customers’ shopping habits, so can you learn more about what’s going on with your customers’ everyday lives, she said. “The stats we have are fine, but I want to know how Sue and Bill are doing.”

Reach out to your peers.

No one understands your work situation better than industry colleagues. Keep in touch with other campus store professionals through in-person events—“CAMEX is one of the most valuable experiences you can have,” Knofla said—or in online communities such as The Hub or even a casual Zoom get-together with colleagues.

Partner with your vendors.

“Vendors have a global perspective of what’s going on in the world,” far beyond just their knowledge of the products they sell, Knofla noted. Have a conversation with your suppliers about what they see is happening in the campus store industry and in higher education, she suggested.

Keep the creativity flowing.

Difficult times call for creative solutions. “We have to do things differently now,” Knofla pointed out, so use that as a catalyst for brainstorming and trying something new.

“Build upon what was forced upon you,” she said. Look for other creative people on campus who can help.

Find Your Store's Superpowers

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 19:30:54 GMT

In a world where anyone can buy almost any product online, what makes your campus store so special? Why should the school administration even keep the store around?

In the last two years stores have functioned basically in survival mode. Now things are normal (sort of) and administrators are expecting accountability again. Your store needs to highlight its strengths and demonstrate how it delivers value to the campus, but many stores aren’t comfortable with bragging.

CAMEX22 keynote speaker David Avrin provided an exercise that campus store leaders can undertake with their teams to identify specific advantages in the store to report to administrators or promote to customers. The exercise is easy and intended to provoke a lot of discussion among your staff, including student workers.

Be sure to have a flip chart, white board, or even just a stack of sticky notes on hand to record and organize the group’s thoughts. Now it’s the team’s job to develop “persuasive and informative claims you can make about the store that, if stakeholders knew, would double your business,” Avrin said in his keynote. Doubling your sales might be a stretch, but the point is to identify strengths that might not be apparent to your customers or institution.

Reveal those strengths by using a series of categories and unfinished sentences to get discussion flowing. Avrin provided some sample starters:

Supremacy: “We provide more --.”

Expertise: “As part of the university, we --.” (“To show you’re not just purveyors of sweatshirts, you’re more than a stop on the tour,” Avrin explained.)

Convenience: “Instead of waiting for --.” (“To push your on-campus location, he said.)

Simplicity: “With just one click --.”

Clarification: “Too many still think the store --.”

Action verb: “We developed, pioneered, launched --.”

Participants must use full sentences, Avrin said, and cannot just list out products and services offered by the store. Team members can create as many additional categories and sentence starters as needed.

Avrin suggested coming up with at least 10 statements—20 to 30 is even better—on which the group agrees. “Then here’s where it gets hard,” he said. “Pare those down to just five.”

The five statements will form the nucleus of your messaging to students and administrators.

How Connections Strengthen Trust

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 19:00:04 GMT

While sitting in a restaurant waiting for her order, speaker Colette Carlson noticed a server struggling to carry a large load of dishes. The server lost her grip and the dishes crashed to the floor.

A man, apparently the manager, rushed in. “He could have come out and shouted and blamed her,” Carlson noted. But he didn’t. The man commiserated with the server, telling her “Welcome to the club” of tray droppers, and helped clean up.

“We can learn a lot about a connected leader in unexpected places. Haven’t we all dropped the tray?” Carlson said during her opening keynote, The Connected Leader, at the virtual CAMEX22. “Her supervisor took a crazy, stressful moment and infused it with connection and compassion.”

In that brief moment, the manager not only built trust with the server, but with all the other employees who saw the incident or heard about it later.

“Your success is in direct proportion to your ability to connect,” Carlson said. Surveys show, she noted, that most workers say their relationship with their supervisor is the most important aspect to their job satisfaction. And ultimately, satisfied employees will deliver their best performance and remain longer.

“As leaders, you need to be continually looking for ways to build that team engagement,” she said. She offered two strategies for getting there.

Awaken your awareness.

Awareness is “the foundation on which everything else is built,” Carlson said. Yet most people have blind spots or fail to pay attention to what’s going on around them in the workplace.

Connected leaders, on the other hand, take steps to open up two-way channels of communication. That means providing clear expectations and setting up systems of accountability for employees while also inviting them to furnish feedback and ideas—and actually listening to them.

“Your goal as a leader is to always be creating an environment of psychological safety,” Carlson said. Make it easier for your reports to share their thinking, ask them thoughtful follow-up questions, find out how they prefer to receive communications about work, and use inclusive language.

Be in authentic alignment.

“When you do what you say, you create trust,” Carlson pointed out. Connected leaders also develop trust when they communicate honestly to employees, and sometimes that might involve talking to them about a difficult topic or situation.

“You need to get comfortable with it,” she said, referring to potential conflict. Stick to the facts (rather than giving your opinion), be succinct but not abrupt, don’t blindside your staff, and choose an appropriate tone.

Talk with people in person if possible. “Never let your mouse do the talking when you need to have a real conversation,” she stressed, adding, “Our goal is to get people to change behavior without shutting down.”

On the flip side, alignment also calls for acknowledging when things go right. “Be a human highlighter” to show appreciation for specific tasks well done, Carlson said.

When an employee comes to you with a complaint or problem, don’t assume they want you to solve it. “Ask them, ‘Do you just want an ear, or my advice?’” Carlson suggested. At the same time, make sure they know it’s OK to ask for help.

“If you’re a connected leader, you’re modeling behavior for those behind you,” she said. “If you can’t ask for help, how can they?”

Carlson has more insights for connected leaders on her website , along with her advice column and information on other management topics.

Planning for the Unthinkable

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 22:00:59 GMT

Create an active-shooter plan for your college store, just in case.

By Michael von Glahn

This article was originally published in the December 2015 issue of CS Extra, a digital supplement to The College Store magazine. Note that some interviewees may no longer be with the same institution or store, however, the list of online resources has been updated.

Oct. 1, 2015, a sunny fall Thursday at Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, OR, started as just another day for staffers of the UCC Bookstore and a handful of customers making purchases.

Then, a little after 10:30 a.m., associate English professor Amy Fair and her students burst into the store, some screaming that a gunman was shooting people in Snyder Hall, just across the green. Fair’s class had heard the shots in the classroom next to theirs.

Store staffers, who’d taken campus active-shooter training in September 2014 and had just reviewed the plans and protocols the week before, instantly launched into their drilled response. They turned off the lights, locked the store down, and shepherded everyone into the receiving room at the back, the designated safe room. The large space has more than one way out, and holds tables and a refrigerator that could be used to block doors or flipped on their sides to act as barriers. Once secured inside, several people called 911.

“My training and knowledge kicked in immediately,” says Brian Paillette, bookstore specialist, receiving. “Students needed to be safe, first thing, then lock down the building.”

“Everyone did what was expected,” agrees Manager Micque Shoemaker, who’d just joined the store staff in July. “Communication began immediately. The bookstore staff locked the store down, guided others to the predesignated wait area, comforted those who were distraught, and kept everyone quiet until the all-clear.”

“I think the fact that we had a plan in place gave the employees confidence that they knew what to do and how to handle the situation,” says Jasmine Allen, bookstore specialist lead/textbooks. “I think students and staff who took refuge here felt safe because we had a plan and knew how to do it. As traumatic as this experience has been, if the bookstore had not had a plan the trauma would have been much worse.”

The trauma for the small campus was horrific enough. In a 10-minute shooting spree, the gunman—a 26-year-old student who’d bought textbooks in the store only two days before—killed an assistant professor and eight students in his introductory composition course and wounded nine others. After being wounded by responding police officers, he committed suicide.

While checking out two days before, the shooter had asked Shoemaker when the store was busiest, not the usual customer question about when lines were shortest. In hindsight, that suggests he might have been sizing up the store as a possible setting for his planned rampage.

Shoemaker had attended training in Bend, OR, the year before that included active-shooter response. “I came away from that with the understanding that every school should have a plan in place and that we should be prepared. It’s not a matter of if—it’s a matter of when,” she says.

Unfortunately, there is no information indicating how many college and university campuses have active-shooter response plans in place.

“It would be wonderful if such data was available,” says Bill Taylor, president of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators and chief of police for San Jacinto College, Pasadena, TX.

In October 2014, a Campus Marketplace poll asked readers if their college store had an emergency management plan in the event of a crisis on campus. While 46% of respondents said yes and 18% indicated they were working on one, 36% said they had no plan.

Workplace Violence Takes Many Forms

Colleges and universities are an unfamiliar new environment for many students, who face new stresses and pressures, in many cases with less family contact or involvement than they’re used to. As a workplace employing hundreds or even thousands of people, personal conflicts, disciplinary actions, or terminations can create friction. Add in the family issues or legal or financial difficulties that can occur anywhere, and you have a Petri dish for potential violence.

Candy Stoll’s CAMEX Flash Session, Workplace Violence—Predict and Prevent, was one of the top-rated educational sessions of the 2015 conference. The senior manager, asset protection, for Follett Higher Education Group says one of the first steps is to understand what actually constitutes workplace violence.

“Most workplace violence is not that tip-of-the-iceberg horrific event,” she explains. “It starts small and very insidiously.”

While workplace violence can grow and evolve into a headline tragedy, she adds that “the vast majority of it is stuff that’s innocuous, that you wouldn’t realize is workplace violence. That’s where the big opportunity is: If you learn the warning signs, you can catch it early, before it becomes the next horrific massacre.”

Stoll suggests viewing workplace violence as a triangle, with the apex being the April 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, in which a student gunman killed 32 and wounded 17 before committing suicide. “If Virginia Tech is the tip of that triangle and I make that red, the vast majority of workplace violence is at the base of the triangle, which is green, and that’s bullying, verbal abuse, harassment—that’s the stuff that most people never think of, but that’s where the bulk of it is,” she says. “If some intervention doesn’t occur over time it could escalate to that tip of the triangle.”

Stoll classifies any workplace behavior that makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy as falling onto the violence spectrum.

“If you hear someone screaming at someone, that’s workplace violence,” she says. “Someone in lunchroom saying, ‘I am so frustrated! I just don’t know what to do! I’m going to go postal! I’m going to lose it!’—that’s workplace violence. People don’t realize that those are all forms of it because it doesn’t get the attention that the big event with the weapon gets.

“Whether it’s in written form or whether it’s said verbally or whether it’s some kind of physical action against you, it really is in the eyes of the beholder. If I’m feeling threatened, frightened, intimidated, it’s defined as workplace violence.”

The perpetrator can be a co-worker, a customer, a family member, a former friend, or even a stranger who for whatever reason is in your workspace. More than 20% of campus shooters between 1990-2008 were classified as “other”—often dismissed staffers or former students who returned to campus to commit their acts.

The good news is that almost all workplace violence is preventable and treatable, as long as you pay attention and have appropriate control measures in place for intervention.

Know the Warning Signs

Even if something seems innocent, Stoll says it’s best to err on the side of caution, especially if the language or attitude becomes habitual.

“Humor is the most acceptable form of aggression,” she explains. “When people tell you something, you need to believe exactly what they’re telling you.” Jokes and exaggerated language—“I just want to throttle him!” “She makes me want to go berserk!”—are usually harmless venting, but they can also indicate serious frustration or anger that requires some sort of intervention.

“Everybody has a bad day,” Stoll acknowledges, “but what we’re talking about are patterns of behavior. When that kind of verbiage and the kind of behavior that goes with that becomes their new pattern of behavior, that’s the problem.”

She recounts how at one store, a creative individual amused co-workers by drawing cartoons about them, which was fine until he penned one showing a particular person being decapitated.

“People said, ‘Oh that’s innocuous enough, that’s innocent. It’s just a cute little cartoon.’ What’s the message when you see in the backroom of your workplace a cartoon that shows your head being snapped off? That doesn’t exactly feel so innocuous,” Stoll points out. “If you allow that to continue, what’s the message?”

She adds that there were plenty of warning signs regarding the Virginia Tech shooter, whose odd behavior and morbid, violent writings had alarmed classmates and instructors alike.

“Think of it as a continuum,” Stoll suggests. “It starts small, with the verbal, and if there’s no intervention it will continue to escalate over time and frequency and intensity, to a point where without any intervention the person will get to the point where they will act … to endanger the safety of others.”

Watch for changes in personality or performance, disciplinary problems (absenteeism, chronic lateness), depression, or any sort of odd, repetitive, or bizarre behavior. Social media also provides new platforms for people with issues to display inappropriate behavior.

If you’re concerned, start a conversation with your supervisor, human resources, and the campus police. Find out if your campus has a dedicated threat-assessment team to evaluate situations.

When Stoll asked the audience members at her Flash Session what sort of response plan they had in place on their campuses, some indicated they knew to call campus security or the police if a violent incident arose, but were less clear about who to contact if they were worried by behavior that made them uncomfortable and the violence was only potential.

“That seemed to be a disconnect for a lot of the participants,” Stoll says. “I’m so amazed at the number of people that don’t know what to do. They don’t know that there’s a resource to help them, so they just tolerate the behavior.”

Unless there’s a defined plan on campus, people also don’t know how to respond if a shooting actually occurs.

In a fire drill, the sort of emergency training with which everyone is most familiar, you typically exit the building to head for a designated gathering point for a headcount. In an active-shooter situation, that might simply give the perpetrator a concentration of targets. In a violent incident, you need to evaluate where the source of danger is and continue moving away from it as best you can.

“We had to teach people how to think,” Stoll says. “If we assume that people have common sense, well, there’s no such thing as common sense, which is why you have to educate.”

Train for ‘Muscle Memory’

At the University Bookstore, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, Director Andi Stipp has some advantages over the majority of college store managers when it comes to emergency planning, as she’s a certified paramedic and her husband works in law enforcement. Stipp based her store’s active-shooter plan on handouts and training she received from the university, supplemented by insights from discussions with her husband.

Things are complicated by the fact her store is on three floors—sub-basement warehouse, retail floor, and textbook level—with nothing other than telephones for communicating from floor to floor. There is a public-address system, but Stipp says it’s “not the easiest thing to get to during a situation like this.”

Students can receive alerts on their cellphones via the campus text-messaging system. Shocker Alert System notifications—named for Shocker, the school’s mascot—also appear on every building’s digital clocks, but Stipp points out that while there is such a clock on her store’s textbook level and another down a hallway, there’s no clock on the main retail floor.

One hour of active-shooter training is required for campus staff, but only as time permits, so not everyone on her team of 13 full-timers has been able to take it yet. The training is offered once during the summer and again in December—“Right in the middle of buyback,” Stipp notes.

The program starts with the basics, such as identifying the sound of gunfire. “Would you be able to identify the sound of gunshots if you heard them? Are you able to distinguish a balloon popping from a gunshot?” Stipp asks. At Umpqua, news reports indicate students in Fair’s class thought the first shots were someone rapping a yardstick against a chalkboard in the next room.

The training walks participants through events on other campuses, such as Columbine High School and Virginia Tech, and details what sort of behavior to look for from someone who may be planning an attack. Stipp modified the campuswide program’s recommendations for a store setting.

“We have holdup alarms at our cash registers,” she explains, “so as soon as you identify the sound of gunfire, hit your holdup alarm.” That instantly alerts the police department on campus to a situation without having to go through 911.

Stipp says the most important part of her training is walking all full-time staffers through the entire store, even areas where they don’t normally work. “Should you be on this level and there’s an active shooter, where would you seek shelter, where would you go, where would you escape, what can you do to create a barrier between you and the threat?”

Many on her staff didn’t know where certain doorways went, the location of every fire door, or the existence of a back hallway. “It was kind of an eye-opening experience of how familiar are you with your surroundings?” Stipp says.

She revisits the plan with them several times a year for reinforcement, noting any changes in layout that affect evacuation patterns or new staffers who need to be brought up to speed. Repetition is key. “If you’re in a situation like this and in high stress, you’re going to fall back on that muscle memory,” she says.

In the Aftermath

An incident may be over in 10 minutes, but its repercussions will linger for months, years, or lifetimes.

After a traumatic event on campus, Shoemaker’s advice is simple: “Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Text one another. Call. Meet. Keep the lines of communication open.”

Make sure everyone is aware of short- and long-term mental health services on and off campus, as well as any options for referrals for more long-term counseling if needed. Responses may range from a flood of emotions to no emotion at all.

“Aftermath is so tricky because everyone’s needs are so different,” says Allen. “We communicated with each other a lot in the days following the incident. … It is really an ongoing process and everyone is at a different stage in healing. Be prepared for a lot of emotions, from yourself and others, and be ready to be sensitive and supportive to co-workers and students who are not on the same path as you.”

“Explain to your employees that no reaction is the wrong one,” Shoemaker says. “Some may cry, some may not. There will be anger, there will be fear. … But what do you do with that emotion? You have a choice. You can let the experience and the emotions make you stronger and more resilient or you can let them break you.”

She strongly recommends staying off social media, which will be “overwhelming” and make you feel “bombarded and vulnerable.”

Be prepared for a media frenzy. Some reports will be accurate and others will be wildly off base. Some journalists will be respectful and sensitive, but many will not.

“I was driving a college van for two days after Oct. 1 and I was followed, cornered, yelled at for an interview,” says Shoemaker. “It was horrendous.”

With the campus suddenly thrust into the national media spotlight, the first week back was “insane.”

“It’s the only word that describes it,” Shoemaker says. “The store was filled with people wanting shirts and merchandise. I didn’t spend the weekend placing orders or putting together artwork, so I had to work fast. It’s tough when you’re trying to come back and just deal with your emotions and those around you, but you have a business to run and customers to serve.”

Before her staff returned, she went in over the weekend to clear away reminders of the day of the shooting. She closed out tills, cleaned off counters, threw away food that had spoiled, and tried to make the store look like it does every other day. Instead of the usual split schedules for staff, she had everyone come in together for the first week.

“We arrived as one unit and we left as one,” she says. “Unity meant a lot.”

Administrators may need reminding that the college store is a student-facing arm of the school, too.

“Leadership was working with faculty, student services, and financial aid to coach them on how to help students as they returned to campus: what to say, what not to say, how to deal with people breaking down or showing an array of other emotions. Bookstore staff need to have this training as well,” says Shoemaker. “We have employees, students, faculty, community members in and out of the store throughout the day. We dealt with breakdowns, people needing to talk, anger, all sorts of emotions, and it was trying for a staff who were trying to deal with their own.”

“There were many questions and rumors flying around in the days after the shooting and sometimes it was difficult to find out information,” Allen notes. “For example, when plans were being made to pick up vehicles left on campus, our store manager got one piece of information, but the press conference said something else.”

She adds that you shouldn’t rely on campus email, radio, or television to communicate your messages. “We had difficulty accessing campus email, and for employees like myself who do not have television or radio reception at our homes, it was easy to feel left in the dark.”

Next Steps

In the end, Shoemaker says her store’s plan is a good one that worked when put to the test. However, she’s going to tweak it by adding a first-aid kit, bottled water, and blankets to the safe room.

“There could have been someone come in who was injured or in shock,” she notes. “Having those items handy so that you are not at a greater risk by leaving the room is imperative. I would also consider having a box of snacks as well. Depending on the situation, you could be there for some time before getting an all-clear to leave.”

Such items would also be helpful in the event of a weather event, earthquake, or other natural disaster.

In Wichita, Stipp is researching door sleeves that can be placed over the hinges on the doors to her shelter-in-place locations to create an additional barrier to entry for a perpetrator. The units are expensive, but Stipp notes that when the potential trade-off is one or more lives, you look for ways around the budgetary constraints.

Shoemaker doesn’t know if the UCC campus as a whole plans to hold regular drills in the future, but one of her goals is to run a drill for her staff every term. That will keep the plan fresh in everyone’s minds and allow for adjustments to address any changes to the store’s layout or placement of fixtures, etc. In her opinion, drills should be mandatory.

Deby Niebaum, bookstore specialist, floor, UCC Bookstore, supports upping the frequency of emergency drills. “We had the training in 2014, but only one drill that I remember. It would be helpful to have regular drills at least one every six months. … The more prepared you are, the better, just like fire drills are done regularly. The students should also be involved so they know what to do; when we practiced, it was just the staff.”

Allen urges college store staffers to take such active-shooter/lockdown training seriously.

“It’s not easy and it’s not fun, but it’s important,” she says, adding that the training she received was “a harrowing experience” that included watching videos and listening to 911 tapes in order to learn from other school’s tragic experiences.

“Many people left the training,” she recalls. “They didn’t think it was important, or it was upsetting, or it made them angry. Remember your school is not trying to torture you or be mean—they are training employees in the event of a tragedy such as ours and it is so important to take it seriously.”

Shoemaker says the last two in-service sessions she and her staff attended at UCC had updates and refresher information about the school’s active-shooter plan. “The session seemed to be optional, based on the number of people who attended,” she recalls. “It should be mandatory.”

To fine-tune your plan, Shoemaker suggests convening a staff brainstorming session to see what questions and ideas arise. “Play the devil’s advocate so that you’re really thinking over what could happen, what options you have, and how things could change at a moment’s notice,” she says. “For instance, if you’re in lockdown and then someone begins banging on a locked door, begging you to let them in, how do you know who is really on the other side of that door? A quick decision to open the door because it seems like the right thing to do could turn into a massacre because it’s the shooter or an accomplice trying to trick you into opening the door.

“Every decision you make will have a consequence, good or bad. If you’re prepared and know what you need to do, that will take a lot of guesswork out of the equation and take the burden off those needing to make that kind of decision.

“I’ve heard over and over again through the years that there are three kinds of people in a tragic event,” Shoemaker says. “The one who rushes into the fire, the one who runs from the fire, and the one who watches in shock and is unable to do anything. I don’t think you will know who you are until you are part of such an event. However, I do believe that with training, the ability to participate in drills, and a plan, you are better prepared to make decisions that have to be made.”

Resources for Active-Shooter Planning

The Department of Homeland Security offers a booklet, Active Shooter: How to Respond , available as a PDF.

The FBI maintains an active-shooter webpage that provides many resources, including a video showing how to respond during an active-shooter event.

The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center ( http://rems.ed.gov ) supports K-12 schools, colleges, and universities with emergency-management resources, training, and publications, including:

A PDF of the Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Institutions of Higher Education provides resources and references for development and implementation of an institutional emergency-management plan, or improvement to an existing plan, and includes a section on active-shooter situations.
Active Shooter Educational Sheet from Homeland Security
Active Shooter Event Quick Reference Guide from Homeland Security

Run. Hide. Fight.

The recommended responses to plan for an active shooter in your workplace.

Because most active-shooter incidents end within 10-15 minutes, which may be before police or security personnel arrive on the scene, store staff and anyone else on campus have to be prepared to respond to the situation on their own. The Department of Homeland Security recommends that you:

Run— If an escape route is accessible, evacuate as quickly as possible. Stores should map out such routes and have staffers walk through them periodically to reinforce where all exits are and what route to take depending on where they are in the store. Customers and anyone else in the store are likely to follow staffers’ lead during an emergency, as they did at UCC.

Hide— If evacuation isn’t possible, get out of sight or to a room that can be locked. An active-shooter plan should include designated safe spaces, if available, where staff and customers can shelter in place. Ideally, a safe space should have more than one entry/exit point so that you aren’t trapped.

Lock the door (you can also use zip-ties or extension cords to hold a door shut) and blockade it with heavy furnishings, etc. Turn off any source of noise, such as a radio or TV, and silence cellphones and pagers. If possible, dial 911; if it’s too dangerous to speak, just keep the line open so the dispatcher can hear what’s going on.

If you can talk to a 911 operator, provide as much of this information as you know:

Location of the shooter
Number of shooters if more than one
Physical description(s)
Number and type of weapons
Number of potential victims at the location of the incident

Also, the operator will need the street address where you are, not the building name you probably use under normal circumstances, so make sure everyone on staff knows that information.

Fight— As a last resort only, if you’re unable to run or hide, or your hiding place has been compromised, attack the shooter as aggressively as possible, yelling and throwing items or using improvised weapons such as fire extinguishers or tools.

“I keep wasp spray at my desk and plan on putting it in every room,” says Micque Shoemaker, manager, UCC Bookstore, Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, OR. “It is accurate up to 30 or 40 ft,. depending on the brand you buy, and it’s a weapon of sorts if it came to it. Aim for the eyes and face of the threat and it could make a difference.”

Depending on who arrives on the scene first, responding officers may be in patrol uniforms, plainclothes (if detectives, such as the first to engage the shooter at Umpqua), or tactical gear such as Kevlar helmets and bulletproof vests. They may shout commands or push people to the ground for safety. When law enforcement arrives, for your own safety:

DO put down anything in your hands (purse, backpack, bag, jacket).
DO raise your hands with fingers spread and keep your hands visible at all times.
DON’T scream, yell, or point.
DON’T make any quick movements toward the officers.
DON’T stop to ask for help in evacuating.

“People are encouraged to hunker down and be quiet,” says Jasmine Allen, bookstore specialist lead/textbooks, UCC Bookstore. “They are discouraged from leaving. Running to a car could make someone a target and there is a huge concern of a bottleneck on the road and blocking emergency-response access if everyone tried to leave at once.”

The first officers on the scene will focus on locating, containing, and neutralizing the shooter. Rescue teams will follow after them to treat and remove casualties.

Maintain a crisis kit in your designated safe space(s). This might include flashlights, a first-aid kit, radios, floor plans, and a staff roster with emergency phone numbers.

Make sure your plan takes into account evacuation contingencies for individuals with special needs or disabilities.

Don’t rely on campus communications remaining intact once an incident erupts. In February 2010, when a biology professor at the University of Alabama in Hunstville opened fire on her colleagues during a departmental meeting, killing three and wounding three others, the ensuing volume of web traffic—tens of thousands of hits per hour—caused the school’s server and website to crash, hampering the ability to get information out. The Virginia Tech website experienced 150,000 unique visitors per hour after the shootings on that campus, its servers having to transfer more than 28 times the normal volume of data.

Three Ways to Gain an Edge

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 18:15:02 GMT

“What is it about what you do that makes a student or alum buy from you? What sets you apart?” asked Jennifer Goetsch, vice president customer success and marketing, Nebraska Book Co., in her CAMEX22 presentation, You’re Welcome: A CX Strategy.

With the proliferation of online marketplaces and big-box retailers, most—if not all—of the goods and services provided by campus stores can be found elsewhere. “Let your customer experience be the reason someone chooses you and tells their friends, family, and social media about you,” Goetsch responded.

She outlined three ways campus stores can enhance their competitive advantage:

Empower team members.

When a customer approaches a store employee with a question or complaint, the last thing they want to hear is that the employee has to put them in touch with someone else. “It happens because the front line isn’t trained or empowered to handle it,” Goetsch said. “It means you have to trust they can handle the issue and have your best interests at heart.”

Cashiers are key to the customer experience, she said, and they should be trained on more than just checkout procedures. “Have ongoing reviews and coaching conversations with team members,” she suggested. Hire people who can interact well with customers.

Empowering your employees to manage customer situations on their own can pay off in other ways as well. “They’ll be more engaged,” Goetsch noted, and engaged employees bring in more revenue. They’re also less likely to quit.

Communication.

Students absolutely don’t want to phone the store with a question, “and they don’t want to wait three days for an answer” to a text or even email,” she said. Has your store set up a system to respond quickly to customer messages?

Also, does your store post on social media, especially Instagram and TikTok, to reach out to potential customers? Make sure your posts appeal to students. “Do they sound like a college kid or a middle-aged adult?” asked Goetsch

Check Google, Yelp, and Facebook for reviews about your store. “Gen Z is all about reviews,” which they read before deciding where to shop, Goetsch said. Invite customers to post reviews about their good experiences with the store. Create a link to a review site with a QR code printed on card stock and place it at the checkout or other prominent spot so customers can scan the code with their phone and immediately write a comment or give a rating.

Personalization.

A campus store’s main competitors are mostly online. To these typically large companies, selling to students is just another transaction. “That’s where you can grab market share,” Goetsch said. “You’re the only one who knows for sure what they need,” especially when it comes to course materials and supplies.

Build a promotional campaign around shopping local and how that benefits the student. “If you shop local with your campus bookstore, how does that money go back to the campus?” she said, adding, “Gen Z loves it.”

Bring something into the store that’s not available elsewhere. “Invite makers to your store,” Goetsch suggested. Hold a makers’ night with tabling and promote it on social media. “I guarantee students will come and check it out,” she said.

“Personalization is not about putting their name at the top of an email.”

Values Provide Fuel for Staff Performance

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 10:45:02 GMT

Managing how your employees work won’t necessarily guarantee high performance or a healthy bottom line.

“We think that what drives performance is actually behavior-based,” said Brant Menswar in his closing keynote at the virtual CAMEX22, Building Bridges: The Fastest Path to High Performance. But, he added, behavior is a weak indicator of performance.

“What drives high performance,” he stressed, “is values.” Employees are apt to work harder and more efficiently when they are invested in the values of their workplace.

“We do our best work when we care about work and feel we can make a meaningful contribution,” Menswar said. The highest-performing organizations, according to Menswar, share three traits: they are purpose-driven, embrace collaboration, and foster resiliency.

In order to connect values to employee behavior, campus stores must start by defining those values. What purpose drives the store? Prior to CAMEX, he invited NACS members to peruse an online list of 125 possible core values and check those they thought were most important. Some members chose more than 60.

“The average person selects at least 30 values as important to them,” Menswar noted. “There’s no way you can honor 30 things every moment with consistency.” Some values can be grouped together, but you should focus on no more than five or maybe six values, he said.

The top three selected by NACS members were integrity, family, and teamwork. Integrity and family are good choices for core values, he said, but teamwork isn’t really a value and neither is leadership, he added. Employees are required to work as a team, no matter if the team functions well or not, and the same goes for people in leadership positions.

Menswar’s own core values, which guide his work as a speaker and author, are creativity, impact, family, hope, empathy, and authenticity. He encouraged attendees to find their own core values, which will help provide clarity of purpose and action.

“Values are the glue that holds us together when things get rough,” he said.

Collaboration, the second trait of high performers, means employees must be working toward the same goals. “Working together without alignment is cooperation, not collaboration,” he said. “You have to have shared goals to collaborate.”

Resiliency, the third trait, enables employees and organizations to get through the most difficult times—such as a pandemic, layoffs, delivery delays, and inflation.

“You find your adaptability goes through the roof,” he said. “You’re able to effect change so quickly and with such impact.”

NACS Announces New Officers and Trustees

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 15:13:00 GMT

Andy Dunn, MBA, Is Installed as the New NACS President

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (June 7, 2022)— The National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing the campus store industry, has installed officers and several new trustees on the NACS Board of Trustees.

Andy Dunn, MBA , director, campus retail and licensing, Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, was installed as 2022-23 president/treasurer.

Dunn holds a bachelor’s degree and master of business administration from George Fox University, Newberg, OR, where he started his career as a student worker at the bookstore, ultimately moving up the ladder to director of bookstores.

In his 25 years in the industry, he has worked in both institutional and leased college stores. In April 2015, he came on board with Grand Canyon University to lead the Lope Shops’ transition from contract management to self-operation. Over the past seven years, he has led a team that has grown from three FTE and three student workers with one store to 11 FTE, 50 student workers, three permanent stores, two seasonal stores, and a fully integrated e-commerce solution.

Dunn was previously president-elect/secretary and a trustee-at-large on the NACS Board.

In addition, Ella Van Nort , director of the FIDM Scholarship Foundation and director of retail operations, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Los Angeles, CA, was installed as 2022-23 president-elect/secretary. Steven Westenbroek , director, College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, NE, will continue on the board as immediate past president.

The terms for these officers will conclude June 30, 2023.

Two new trustees-at-large elected by NACS members were also installed for three-year terms: Robert Butterfield , director of Instructional Resources Service, University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, and Clay Ludlow , manager, Cedarville University Bookstore, Cedarville, OH.

In addition, Cassie A. Wherry , manager, Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA, who just completed an elected term as trustee-at-large, will continue on the board to fill a one-year vacancy.

Trustees remaining on the board are: Allison Hartel , assistant director, marketing and outreach, CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder; Gavin Jensen, CCR , manager, Wildcat Tech at the Wildcat Store, Weber State University, Ogden, UT; Debbie S. Cottrell , CCR, manager, UMHB Campus Store, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX; Gilbert R. Garcia , manager, Southwestern College Campus Store, Chula Vista, CA; and Carrie J. Rose , CCR, manager, Grove City College Bookstore, Grove City, PA.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

There's Help for Managing Your Time

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 22:18:11 GMT

In 1925, inventor Hugo Gernsback, considered the father of modern science fiction, devised The Isolator, a means for eliminating distractions in order to concentrate fully on important tasks.

The massive metal helmet and collar, with a hose hooked up to an oxygen tank, blocked out noise. Two portholes allowed the user to keep their eyes on the task.

Not surprisingly, The Isolator didn’t catch on.

Almost a century later, computerized technologies provide much easier ways to manage your time so that you can focus on work. Aaron Johnson, president of Vindy, shared six of his favorite apps in the CAMEX22 session, Software Tools to Maximize Productivity.

Time management is really key to getting things done. “Your calendar should guide you in everything you do,” Johnson said.

Apps also give you a way to automate and organize many tasks. That can be especially helpful to campus stores that are operating with fewer employees or have taken over additional responsibilities.

A quick poll showed that quite a few audience members were already using one or more of the apps at their campus stores. All of the apps have a free version available.

Forest www.forestapp.cc

This app, for phone or computer, helps track your time. The name comes from a little trick the app uses to keep you on task: You plant a tree, and if you navigate away from your task during the scheduled time, the tree dies.

Forest also lets you assign categories to tasks so you can look back weekly, monthly, or annually to see how you actually divided your time. “People may be very surprised where they’re spending time versus where they think they’re spending time,” Johnson noted.

Trello www.trello.com

“Most of us use it for daily planning, also for our marketing calendar,” Johnson said. “I use it for my to-do list.”

With the app you can assign tasks, set due dates, and manage email related to tasks, using a drag-and-drop column format. “You can filter out stuff that doesn’t need to be done today, but still lives on my to-do list,” he said.

Confluence www.atlassian.com/software/confluence

Johnson’s company uses this software as a base to store more than 300 pages of content, such as policies and procedures, new employee manual, branding guide and assets, and a lot of employee knowledge.

“We picked it because it has a great internal search engine,” Johnson said. Content can be tagged or linked to other content, especially useful in outlining processes for sales and other purposes. Email templates are provided for creating FAQs.

Slack www.slack.com

This app is popular with many companies—as well as colleges and universities—for quick internal communication among employees, similar to direct messaging. Channels can be set up to address specific items and messaging can be automated, such as certain reports or updates.

At Johnson’s company, Slack messaging has replaced the need for many meetings. “We don’t want a bunch of meetings going on if we can share the same info on Slack,” he said.

Evernote www.evernote.com

When you do need a meeting, Evernote is handy for taking notes. A search function is built in, and you can create action items within the notes. Notes can be tagged or organized into folders.

Evernote also has the capability to scan handwriting into notes. Web articles can be clipped and saved, with ads filtered out.

Zapier www.zapier.com

This software can assist in automating workflow and managing email. Templates are available and it can be used in combination with Slack.

For more time management tips, take a look at Johnson’s recommendations from his CAMEX21 presentation, The Myth of Multitasking.

Becoming Inclusive in Your Marketing

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 19 May 2022 22:11:50 GMT

College and university campuses embrace diversity and aim to provide a safe, respectful place for everyone.

But marketing the campus store to such a wide audience presents a challenge. “I want to create quality campaigns and not hurt or upset shoppers,” explained Mandy Zawila, director, Hope College Bookstore, Holland, MI, in her CAMEX22 virtual session, Marketing Through a DEI Lens.

Zawila discussed how her store worked on becoming more aware of cultural differences—sometimes by acknowledging mistakes—and finding ways to become more inclusive in its marketing efforts.

It starts with awareness. “Viewing marketing through the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) lens is key to help with total customer engagement,” she said. Recognize how your own background and experience has shaped you—and your perceptions—and appreciate that other people come from a different cultural experience that affects their everyday life.

Her store has worked with training and resources from the Cultural Intelligence Center to better understand how to relate with people from different cultural backgrounds—which encompasses a variety of factors, not just nationality or ethnicity.

The training has helped the store to see how some marketing approaches or promotions could inadvertently denigrate or offend some groups. For example, the store had followed a traditional marketing calendar that included sale days retailers have observed for decades. But Columbus Day is now regarded as insensitive to Indigenous people and not an appropriate time for a sales event or celebration.

“This opened our eyes,” Zawila said. “The sale was not successful and we hurt people.” The bookstore now consults a diversity calendar with holidays and observances from many cultures and communities.

The store tries to be mindful of verbiage and symbols in promotions and materials that could be perceived differently by people on campus. To avoid mishaps, the store frequently connects with a diversity subgroup on campus for their insights and is showing marketing pieces to campus groups for feedback before they go live.

Several audience members also indicated they touch base with student organizations to review marketing materials. The Hope College Bookstore also asks its student workers to weigh in on selections of general merchandise; that helps make sure the store is meeting the needs of all students. “We have a great diverse pool of workers,” Zawila said.

“We can learn about other cultures, here on campus and in the world,” she said, and bring that awareness to store promotions and events.

Show Support with Pride Products

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 12 May 2022 21:38:36 GMT

Some campus stores may hesitate to stock “pride” products in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, out of concern it will appear the store is simply profiting off it.

That’s not how the community sees it, said Heather Petersen in her CAMEX22 Speedy Sprints presentation in Louisville, KY. They’re thrilled to find pride merchandise in any store “and love to spend their money with inclusive businesses,” said Petersen, sales floor manager, Kenyon College Bookstore, Gambier, OH. “Seeing pride merchandise in the store says, ‘This is a safe space.’”

More than 20% of Generation Z and about 10.5% of millennials identify as LGBTQIA+, she noted. “Lots of people around you have been on their own quiet journey.”

The store can show support by stocking items—apparel, hats, socks, umbrellas, drinkware, room décor, plush, stationery, almost anything—with a rainbow graphic, a symbol of community pride. Many suppliers may be able to imprint items with pride art; ask for it if you don’t see it in the catalog.

“Items $20 or less is a good way to begin,” Petersen suggested. “Stickers are an inexpensive way to begin the conversation.”

Pride items can be merchandised in their own special section or mixed in with other products in category sections—or both. Stores can also explore partnerships with campus departments and organizations for events, especially during Pride Month in June and LGBTQIA+ History Month in October.

It’s not just members of the community who will shop for pride items. Parents and grandparents will buy them, too, and so will allies.

Campus store employees can be allies as well. One way is to share your pronouns, a practice that’s gaining ground on many campuses already. Be prepared “to say something if you hear a slur,” Petersen said. “Reach out to the quiet student” who may be struggling.

“Don’t underestimate the bright spot your store can make,” Petersen said. “We need allies.”

CAMEX22 attendees who missed Petersen’s Speedy Sprints presentation can catch up with the recording and slide deck posted on the CAMEX website (you’ll need your CAMEX login) until at least June 17, 2022. The slide deck includes some of the pride products and suppliers recommended by Petersen.

For another look at how campus stores are supporting marginalized communities and social issues with special merchandise, see “ Social Advocacy and Merchandise ,” by Stephen Cribar, from the September/October 2020 issue of The College Store magazine.

Educating Staff Goes Beyond Training

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 05 May 2022 19:06:25 GMT

Campus stores, like other retailers, are facing many challenges these days, ranging from availability of products to inflation. It’s even more important that all store employees turn in their best performance, especially if there are fewer staff to handle the work.

“Do you have a good staff right now?” asked Tom Shay of ProfitsPlus, a business consultancy, in his virtual CAMEX22 presentation, Getting Extraordinary Results from Ordinary People. “If the answer is No, you have a problem here,” he added.

When employees aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do—and in the way they’re supposed to do it—customer service suffers first, Shay said. In turn, he said, poor service can cause the store to lose its most productive workers and have trouble recruiting replacements.

Too often, retailers train new hires on procedures and policies, and then leave them to carry out their duties with no other interaction. Employees need an ongoing education program, Shay stressed.

“If you don’t have a staff education program, there is no way possible for you to have great customer service. It doesn’t just happen,” he said. Education, which can be incorporated into regular staff meetings, helps workers better understand the purpose of their responsibilities and the important role they play in making customers’ lives better.

Shay shared 12 questions that managers should keep in mind in developing staff education:

Do employees know why they should do it? “Because I said so is not the correct answer,” Shay noted. Explain the rationale for processes; if you can’t, maybe the process should be changed or omitted.

Do they know how to do it? Don’t assume employees automatically know how to handle certain things, particularly student workers in their first job.

Do they know what they are supposed to do? Make sure responsibilities are spelled out. Shay recommended keeping job descriptions simple and breaking up tasks.

Are they confident your way will work for them? And, have you asked them any questions about how they think it should be done? If possible, allow employees some options or leeway in how certain duties are carried out and let them be creative. If something absolutely must be done a specific way, be sure to explain why.

Do they understand the importance and timeliness? Some tasks may seem trivial to employees unless you clarify.

Is there a reward for doing it? Getting to keep their job isn’t really a reward, Shay acknowledged, and other companies may be offering perks, so build some incentives into your program. It can be something small, he said, such as a cup of coffee or an extra 15-minute break.

Is there a penalty for poor performance? Employees need to understand the consequences for not completing their work properly.

Does this person have the skills to do this work? Watch how your people work and be prepared to switch duties if someone would be better suited in another role.

Are you asking them to do this task because you cannot do the task? If the manager doesn’t understand the work, then the employee won’t succeed either.

Is there enough time and necessary tools to complete the task?

Do you check on the progress of the task, or wait until the staff member tells you they are done? Occasional check-ins will ensure the employee is on the right track, Shay said, especially if it’s the first time they’ve done the task. But don’t check too often; the employee should feel entrusted to do a good job.

Staff education sessions should be required for employees, Shay said. Involve some employees in facilitating education. Sessions shouldn’t run more than an hour and employees should be paid for the time.

“An inadequacy that goes uncorrected sets a new standard for the business,” Shay said.

Stores Can Ride Out the Bumps

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 22:04:36 GMT

It’s not quite over yet. COVID cases were dropping, but now are on the rise here and there, causing some campuses to reinstitute precautions. Shipping backups were starting to unclog, then China reimposed lockdowns in certain areas.

For the foreseeable future, campus stores will need to live with a degree of uncertainty. On the plus side, stores learned a lot about flexibility and adaptability in the first wave of the pandemic, and those lessons can be applied going forward.

In the CAMEX22 educational session, Inventory Management in Turbulent Times, a panel of speakers shared their coping strategies for keeping stores stocked and ready for anything. Facilitated by Ella Van Nort, director retail operations and services and director FIDM Foundation, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles, CA, the panel included Stacy Elofir, director, Towson University Bookstore, Towson, MD; Roxanne Irizarry, national sales manager, MV Sport | The Game; Dillon Rickard, program manager, PartnerShip; and Barry Waters, director, CMU Bookstore, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant.

“You pivot to try to do the best you can,” said Waters. Like many others, his campus, along with the store, closed abruptly. The store was limited in the number of employees who could be on premises at the same time, so web orders were fulfilled in shifts.

It was a similar scenario at the FIDM store in 2020. “We shut down and in two weeks we have to ship out all books and supplies for next quarter,” Van Nort recalled. In the end, though, it turned out to be an opportunity for the store to start selling e-books for the first time.

Orders dried up for suppliers. Irizarry remembered that for about five months her company had no bookings and had to try to figure out what stores might eventually need. “We can’t order when we don’t know what to order,” she said. “We really had to wing it.”

Then just as suddenly, about a year into the pandemic, there was a big surge in consumer demand as places started to reopen and people got vaccinated. Now shoppers were ready to buy, but stores hadn’t ordered much general merchandise, if any, for months.

“It was an opportunity to pull everything we had,” Elofir said. “It was also an opportunity to get rid of some stock that was not so popular.” What had been a slow seller the year before now became quite attractive to customers.

However, stores now had a different problem: no merchandise. Vendors, caught off guard by an unexpected blitz of orders, at first had to hustle to get product out the door and then found their manufacturing facilities, especially if located overseas, couldn’t replace inventory quickly.

“All hell broke loose,” Irizarry said. “We couldn’t get shipments out fast enough, then couldn’t get stock for three months.”

Shipping was stalled as well. Shippers in every state were warning “‘We’re not going to be able to deliver your product,’ and we had to get that message out,” Rickard said. Local terminals had to send drivers home for a few days if they were exposed to COVID.

Waters showed photos of empty apparel cubes at his store to illustrate his difficulty in getting merchandise. “In 35 years in business, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said.

At the Towson store, Elofir removed some fixtures and spread the merchandise out to make it appear the store was full. “We always wanted it to look good, even if we had to take fixtures out,” she said.

Elofir couldn’t get sweatpants from her usual vendors and ended up contacting a local supplier for any size or color they could provide. She took a flexible approach with other suppliers as well.

“I always asked our vendors ‘What can you do?’” and picked from what was available, she said.

Irizarry echoed that advice. “Think outside the box, it doesn’t have to be in school colors,” she noted. Because her company always stocked larger inventory in grays and other neutrals, she was able to get those in the hands of store buyers when school colors weren’t possible. MV’s decorating facility also was running into difficulty getting enough pieces to run embroidery and applique “so we sold lots of blanks,” she said.

As campus stores get ready for another fall rush, some challenges will remain. Waters hopes to reimagine his store, “making it look different in areas where it looked stale and the same for three-four years,” he said.

Elofir’s store used to have 22 full-time staffers, now there’s 13, mainly due to retirements and a hiring freeze. She and another employee handle the buying, which means “we work with what’s available,” Elofir said. They have narrowed down the type and style of garments to carry in order to streamline ordering and merchandising.

The reduction in staff also means they will need to decide between having a sales space at campus games and events and keeping the main store open at the same time, because there aren’t enough people to do both.

Irizarry recommended that stores order as far ahead as possible. “You can pack and hold for next year, and can always change,” she said. “We’re trying to be as flexible as possible with customers” but can’t ship an order within two weeks. Her company is looking at other potential partners for options.

Rickard also suggested stores anticipate their needs and place reorders sooner. “Be open to other carriers” and reach out to your shipping rep to find out if there are other options for shipping, he said. Another carrier might cost a little more but is in a position to get the shipment to you on time when needed. On the other hand, Elofir cautioned, keep an eye on shipping costs because they’ll be factored into your retail prices “and we don’t want to price ourselves out.”

Your rep might be able to help in other ways. Rickard said he tracked a shipment for Van Nort’s store and found it was held up at a terminal just five miles from FIDM. She was able to get a campus truck to pick up the merchandise right away.

But the most important thing, panelists agreed: In these challenging times, be kind to yourself, to your staff, and to your reps.

Easier Ways to Meet Students’ Textbook Needs

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 19:37:44 GMT

As course materials formats have grown in complexity over recent years, so has managing and sourcing those materials.

A panel of campus store professionals shared their recommendations for streamlining the process in the CAMEX22 session, From Adoptions to Selling: How Your Store Can Better Manage Course Materials to Save Time and Manpower.

Each store faces different situations with their students but have found ways to adapt to those needs.

Ben Compton, course materials manager, Aztec Shops, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, recommended first assessing how well your textbook operations are running. “It’s very important to set up the department correctly,” he says, to make sure the right employees are handling each task. “It’s extremely vital to cross-train people in your department,” he added.

Building partnerships and relationships is also critical to smoother operations. Compton’s store set up a bookstore advisory committee with representatives from each college and the academic senate. The committee, which meets monthly, provides valuable feedback and brings issues to the store’s attention.

“It’s also important to realize your store may need to transition from the physical world to the digital world,” he said. Eight years ago Aztec Shops retrenched its approach to course materials. Back then digital sales amounted to 2.3% of all course materials; now digital sales make up 85%.

A shift to more digital materials also made a difference for the Shocker Store, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS. Director Andi Stipp said the store’s inclusive access program was driven largely by the high percentage of first-generation students on her campus, half of whom were eligible for Pell Grants.

“Our students prefer digital when available, because it’s more affordable,” she said.

The Shocker Store initially created an opt-in program. Students had free access to the materials until the drop date, at which time they needed to pay the subscription fee through the store. It took the store seven days to reconcile all the billing, and the program only had 78% participation.

In fall 2021, they decided to switch to an opt-out model. With higher participation (97.9%) the average cost to students has dropped. Charges are applied to student account, or other designated account, and only takes the store about an hour per month to process.

For Ryan Windle, textbook manager, CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder, print rentals have been the best way to keep costs down for students. “We know our students still prefer print books when they’re available at a good price,” he said.

Sourcing rental books from multiple marketplaces has been key to lowering the cost “and we pass the savings on to students,” Windle said. But the time involved in manually checking titles on a number of marketplaces and processing orders proved too much.

About three years ago the store decided to use the MBS SimpleSource ordering tool, which allowed easier access to MBS inventory as well as books available in multiple online marketplaces. The store could build want lists, set limits on pricing, schedule ship dates, and more through the tool.

“We now rent books in the $10-$20 range,” something they couldn’t do previously because of the time and labor involved, Windle said. The CU Book Store also signed up for the MBS Rental Rebate program, which enables the store to sell back or keep titles as needed.

Cathy Slane, field marketing territory manager with MBS Textbook Exchange, recommended that campus stores work with multiple vendors in sourcing books. “I never believe in putting all your eggs in one basket,” she says. Using more than one vendor will let stores take advantage of better pricing and availability.

Moving Yourself into the Front Row

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 19:03:30 GMT

“I know what it’s like to be challenged, to have self-doubting thoughts,” admitted Marilyn Sherman in the closing CAMEX22 keynote in Louisville, KY. “Sometimes you can do everything right and still fall short.”

It can be easy to sink into self-pity, give into fear and negativity, and ultimately unplug altogether. That’s when you find yourself sitting in the balcony, Sherman said.

Her keynote, Front Row Leadership: How Top Performers Never Settle for Balcony Seats, used theater seating as an analogy for identifying your level of engagement and satisfaction in various aspects of life, including work.

Situated far back from the action on stage, “balcony seats are when you’re disengaged. You buy a ticket the day of the event,” Sherman explained. “General admission seats are what you call the comfort zone.” Comfort might seem like a pretty good place to be “but you can’t stay in bed all day.”

The front row, on the other hand, holds the best seats in the house. “The front row means it doesn’t get any better,” Sherman said. A “front row moment,” she added, “is any moment where you feel good about yourself.”

She encouraged the audience to start keeping track of their front row moments, because doing so reinforces the positive. “You can create more front row moments if you’re looking for them,” Sherman noted.

So which seats do you occupy? Sherman recommended this exercise: Create a chart with the column headers Chair, Front Row, General Admission, and Balcony. In the Chart column, write Work, Attitude, Friendships, Relationships, Faith, and Health. For each of those items, mark your current seat location in the other columns.

“Chances are, your check marks are all over,” Sherman said. Choose one in the balcony or general admission that could be moved up—if you work on it. Only pick one, she said, to avoid getting overwhelmed and giving up.

“Over the next 20-21 days, be cognizant of this chair,” she said. “When you feel good about it, choose another.”

The Work seat is not the only one that affects your responsibilities at the campus store. Each seat has some impact on all the others.

Sherman also suggested writing out a vision for yourself. “If you were to see yourself one year from today, what does that look like? Jot it down,” she said. She writes a letter to herself each year and packs it away with her Christmas tree. The following year, when she unpacks the tree, she reviews the letter to see how she’s doing and writes a new one.

She uses a four-pronged approach called the SEAT of Success:

See the outcome you desire.
Energy focused toward your vision.
Choose your attitude.
Tenacity.

That last prong will come in handy in overcoming obstacles along the way to the front row. It also helps to have compassion, she said, especially when you’re not making the progress you’d hoped for. “Give yourself some grace. We all need a little bit more grace in this world today,” Sherman said.

“Every single day you have an opportunity to make a difference with students,” she noted. “Your job is to notice when they’re off their game” and reach out to them. Like an usher who knows the seats and has a flashlight to guide people to the right spot, “illuminate the path for your students, your vendor partners, your president,” Sherman said.

Significantly Reduce or Zero Out Course Material Costs with the American Opportunity Tax Credit

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:54:19 GMT

College stores support nationwide #taxbreaks4students campaign to encourage students and families to see if they qualify for educational tax breaks and save receipts from eligible course material purchases.

OBERLIN, OH (March 30, 2022) – As part of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) ongoing support for the #TaxBreaks4Students campaign, NACS reminds students and families to find out if they qualify for educational tax breaks such as the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC).

Thanks to the federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and other sources of funding, colleges and universities across the country distributed an unprecedented amount of emergency and additional grant aid and support to students. In many cases, institutions are also covering all or a portion of the cost of required course materials for students in the 2021-2022 school year. For students who still have out-of-pocket costs for required course materials and tuition and fees, the AOTC can significantly reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs of course materials.

Key features of the AOTC include:

Up to $2,500 per student a year for tuition, fees and required course materials.
Don’t make enough to owe taxes? You STILL may qualify for up to $1,000.
For students who are at least half-time in a degree or certificate program, or a program leading to recognized education credential.
Can be used for four years of higher education as long as the school is eligible to participate in a federal student aid program administered by the U.S. Education Department.
Available to individuals with less than $90,000 or joint return filers with less than $180,000 in income.
Are you an undergraduate? Job training student? Apprentice? See if you qualify https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-eligible-to-claim-an-education-credit

Students not qualifying for the AOTC may qualify instead for up to $2,500 per year for out-of-pocket tuition and fees, per return, through the Lifetime Learning Credit. The campaign urges students to check out IRS resources to see whether they qualify for these important benefits.

– See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej

#American_Opportunity_Tax_Credit #IRS

#IRSTaxTip – See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #Lifetime_Learning_Credit #IRS

#Education Tax Credits Help Pay Higher Education Costs http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #AOTC

Do you qualify for an #education credit? Check out IRS #Interactive_Tax_Assistant On-line Tool at https://www.irs.gov/help/ita #IRS

#Lifetime Learning Credit can help with #education costs to improve job skills. Get the facts at http://go.usa.gov/Jvej

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

NACS has been a longtime advocate for reforms to the federal education tax benefits calling on Congress to streamline and simplify the tax benefits making them better aligned to students’ and family’s needs and including course material and related technology costs as eligible expenses.

NACS Faculty Report: Use of Digital Course Materials Changes as Campuses Reopen

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 19:52:29 GMT

Last Year’s Spike in Digital Materials May Have Been a Temporary Shift for Some Faculty

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 24, 2022)— Many colleges and universities switched to online courses and digital materials during the pandemic. Now, as classes resume in-person instruction, some faculty appear to be returning to the course-material formats they used before the pandemic, according to the Faculty Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials 2021 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of higher education faculty members.

After a rise in 2020 in the use of digital formats such as e-books and content in learning management systems (LMS), faculty usage of these formats fell back to levels before the pandemic, while faculty preference for print materials has remained unchanged. At the same time, more faculty are aware of the availability of open educational resources (OER) and inclusive access options for their course materials.

“In a surprising turn from the growing comfortability with digital content, 2021 saw decreased levels of comfort with digital content compared to prior years,” said Brittany Conley, research analyst, NACS OnCampus Research. “Perhaps unsurprisingly, faculty who are uncomfortable with digital content are much more likely to prefer to use print materials, and it’s worth noting the first year that saw comfort with digital materials decline is also the first year that print preference did not decline.”

Faculty Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 1,650 faculty members at 19 two- and four-year institutions in the U.S. and Canada between October and November 2021, include:

Digital usage decreased. After having the largest growth in 2020, faculty usage of e-books and learning management systems returned to prepandemic levels (or lower). In 2021, 54% of faculty used e-books, down from 62% in 2020 but about the same as 2019’s 53%. Using content in the LMS had an even bigger swing: 64% in 2021, 84% in 2020, and 78% in 2019. This is a strong indicator that the sizable increases in digital course material usage in 2020 was only a temporary spike while courses were held online.

Digital comfort dropped. For the first time, 2021 saw faculty expressing a lower level of comfort with using digital content than before, with just 46% being very or extremely comfortable using digital content compared to 60% in 2020. At the same time, in another first for Faculty Watch, there was no decline in 2021 in the number of faculty who prefer using print materials, remaining at 42% for either standalone print materials or print combined with a digital component.

OER awareness grew, while use remained unchanged. Awareness of open educational resources (OER) increased, with more than 90% of faculty having at least heard of OER. Despite awareness actual usage of OER remained flat at 37%, growing only 4% since 2018. More faculty are planning on using open resources in the future.

Inclusive access usage increased again. Inclusive access continues to grow. More than half of faculty have now used inclusive access in at least one course, up from 21% in 2020 and 12% in 2019. (Inclusive access programs, also known as instant access or day-one access, enable students to access course materials by the first day of class at a reduced cost, usually through an optional fee or charge.)

New technology rose. More faculty (82%) used new technology in their instruction in 2021 than in 2020. The vast majority of those who used new tech plan to continue with at least some of it in the future, even without the pandemic being a factor.

Fewer course materials assigned. Faculty required fewer course materials in 2021 than they have since Faculty Watch began tracking the number in 2016: 4.1 materials for 3.8 courses, versus 6.0 materials for 3.8 courses in 2020. In addition, more faculty felt the number of assigned materials was affected by the pandemic.

Faculty seek help from campus bookstores. Faculty are more interested in help from campus stores this year, such as understanding affordability of selected course materials and learning about alternative course material models.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Face the F.A.C.E.S. for Your Customers

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:41:52 GMT

Customers expect a lot these days. And their expectations are growing.

Campus stores can rise to those expectations by focusing on F.A.C.E.S., five specific areas related to elevating service and connections to your customers: Familiarity, Anticipation, Convenience, Experience, and Stance. Speaker, author, and podcaster Joey Coleman explained how in his opening keynote at CAMEX22 in Louisville, The Changing F.A.C.E.S. of the Customer.

“The impact of innovation, of changes, of enhancements and customer experience,” noted Coleman, “these are going to creep into our lives more.” Campus stores need to figure out where changes are heading in order to be able to shift with the change.

“There’s entrenched change on your campus. Your customers are constantly cycling, you’re getting new customers all the time,” he pointed out. Each arriving class of freshmen brings new expectations.

To put even more pressure on campus stores, innovative retailers around the globe are coming up with creative ways to meet and beat customers’ expanding expectations for shopping. A New Zealand company developed an edible (or compostable) coffee cup made from flour, eggs, and sugar to replace the takeout paper cup, of which billions are discarded each year. The edible cup can hold hot liquids for 24 hours before starting to dissolve.

A bank in Poland decided to improve on the efficiency of the 24-hour ATM by installing the machine in a car. Using an app, a customer can hail the mobile ATM to come to them instead of going to an ATM location, which can sometimes be unsafe. The ATM-in-a-car has proven particularly popular with bars and restaurants that need to deposit cash at the end of the night.

Similarly, a Chinese company put grocery items on a truck. Customers find the nearest Moby Mart on the app, schedule a visit, and select their items when the truck arrives. It’s all cashless; the purchase is charged to the customer’s account. Theft isn’t a concern because cameras are on board, too.

“So what happens when your store goes to the students instead of the students coming to your store?” Coleman asked.

These innovations show how some retailers are responding to Convenience, Experience, and Stance (three parts of the F.A.C.E.S. model), but Coleman explained how campus stores can scale the model by taking five steps, one for each part: research, watch, try, journey, and expand.

Familiarity

Getting to know your customers is the first place to start, according to Coleman. Social media uses algorithms to track customers’ preferences and behaviors; many companies, such as Uber, ask customers to rate their experiences. Campus stores can research their customer base with similar tactics.

“Look at students, alums, and other people coming in. Look at social media,” he suggested. It’s now a thing for newly accepted students to decorate their room at home with swag from the school and then post photos on Instagram. Look for those images and see what else the incoming freshman class may be interested in. What do they have in common?

Anticipation

Gaining a better understanding of the customer enables the store to anticipate what the customer will need and want, and get products, services, and operations in place to serve those. In tandem with your research on customers, Coleman recommended watching how customers interact with the store.

Encourage employees to pay attention to customer reaction and possibly keep some kind of record so the observations can be shared with other staff. Employees should also be empowered to help customers in whatever way is needed, as part of building “a culture of care of service.”

Convenience

How can your store make things easier for students?

By trying new technology or new practices, Coleman said. First identify a customer pain point or some interaction that could be improved. Set up a pilot to test a new service, automated process, or technological improvement. Start with something small and if it doesn’t work, try something else.

Experience

Disney World visitors wear arm bands to access rides, unlock their hotel rooms, and even pay for purchases on the premises. Not needing to tote tickets, room keys, credit cards, or cash allows guests to focus on having a wonderful time at the park. But first Disney had to recognize how small things like ride tickets were bogging down the experience.

Think about the journey your customers take when they visit your store, including all of the physical and emotional touchpoints along the way. “By mapping the customer journey, you can easily identify ways to create remarkable interactions,” Coleman said.

Stance

“What is your stand or attitude about something? This is potentially the most interesting and challenging part,” Coleman noted. Customers increasingly expect to shop with brands that actively and openly support issues of importance to them, such as the environment, diversity and equity, criminal justice reform, social issues, and income disparity.

“We see a lot of this on college campuses,” Coleman said. “Students and alumni want to know what’s your stance.” The store must expand its understanding of topics, evaluate what position to take, and determine how to express that stance.

Stores' Rivalries Rev Up School Spirit

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 01:09:51 GMT

School spirit is the glue that often binds students, alumni, and supporters to their institution of choice. Some campus stores helped stoke school spirit by engaging in friendly competition with other stores—at rival institutions.

Last fall the VolShop at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the University Co-op at the University of Texas-Austin saw an opportunity to have a little fun with fans in the weeks leading up to their head-to-head game in men’s basketball on Jan. 29.

Since both universities go by “UT” with a similar entwined-letter graphic, and both use different shades of orange in their school colors, the stores planned out a “contest” to determine which university was the “real UT” with the “right orange.” The winner would be decided by the sale of specially designed tee shirts sold by each store.

The stores’ marketing teams got together to create the shirt designs and promotional campaign. They also planned on a special pin that would acknowledge “losing the bet,” which would be worn by the employees at the store selling fewer shirts.

Everything was on track until the Co-op ran into some licensing hurdles with its version of the shirt. The battle of the tee shirts ultimately had to be abandoned.

However, the two campus stores did not give up on the chance to build school spirit. In November, they turned to Twitter to ask followers to vote on which orange was better, Tennessee Orange or Texas’ Burnt Orange. There was also a bit of humorous smack-talk between the two stores, all in fun.

Tennessee won. As a result, the Co-op had to wear its rival’s shirt. The store posted photos on social media but may have gotten the last laugh: in one photo the shirt is surrounded by University of Texas gear.

And the fun has continued as the big game approaches tomorrow. Tommi Grubbs, marketing manager for the VolShop, said fans are still engaged in the online banter between the schools.

MSU Bookstore, Montana State University, Bozeman, and the North Dakota State University Bookstore, Fargo, had better luck coordinating a tee shirt contest to mark their schools’ FCS National Championship football game on Jan. 8. And they raised money for textbook scholarships in the process.

The two stores developed a championship game tee shirt and then vied to see which could sell the most shirts before the game. They also competed on overall sales of their respective logo gear. In each case, the losing store would provide a $250 textbook scholarship to the winning store.

The competition added a fun aspect to the stores’ overall promotions for the championship game. MSU Bookstore, possibly aided by local news coverage of the contest, sold out of the special game-day shirts quickly, but the two stores continued to duke it out on social media for total logo sales right up to kickoff.

Set Your Sites on Visitor Needs

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 18:39:03 GMT

When college students are up at midnight, your campus store is closed. So where do they go when they want to order or seek information? Your store’s website is probably their first destination.

Whereas many college stores offer only bare-bones website info such as hours and a returns policy, the Dalhousie Bookstore , Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada, puts lots of information right on its site, easily located from the homepage menu bar. In addition to hours, store locations, and returns policies the site provides a detailed FAQ, a donation request form for local organizations, extensive info on shipping options, sizing charts for seven apparel vendors, a description of the store’s sustainability efforts and commitment, a list of local and alumni suppliers that the store works with, and a signup form for the store’s weekly email newsletter, Bookstore Buzz.

And that’s not all. The site links to a YouTube video showing—with annotated screen captures—step by step how students can find out what course materials are required for their classes and place an order. There are also pages with an online form for redeeming access codes, updates on used books and buyback, a course materials FAQ, and other help with textbooks. Faculty also get some love, with a web section featuring a course materials order form, ordering info, a chart listing publisher representatives, and details on the available digital options.

But e-commerce is still front and center, with a fairly extensive array of apparel, dorm wares, and other general merchandise on display.

The site’s clean and easy-to-navigate design was “created from scratch” by an agency, which was integrated by the store’s e-commerce/point-of-sale provider into its back-end proprietary system, according to Robert Moffat, manager, marketing and communications for ancillary services at Dalhousie. However, an in-house designer developed the “How to Find Your Textbooks” video, which has been viewed by 9,200-plus unique visitors so far this year.

The merchandising team handles updates to the products listed on the site, while the in-house designer, with help from others on the marketing and merchandise teams, takes care of keeping site content up to date. When they have time, the store staff analyzes site traffic and click-throughs to help improve the site and the merchandise selection.

“It’s not always easy given how busy everyone is and how thinly stretched we are, but we are trying to make this part of our regular planning process,” Moffatt said.

Like many campus stores, the Dal Bookstore makes use of product images provided by vendors. But there are also many images of Dal students sporting clothing items and the store is trying to obtain more.

“We’ve been successful in recruiting students to serve as models, although it’s taken a while to get to this point,” said Moffat. “The first major photo shoot featuring student models was done last spring. We partnered with the Dal Athletics department and their marketing team to recruit several student athletes.”

The shoot required considerable logistical planning and coordination, but the work paid off: The store now has a large inventory of quality images to use on the website as well as social media posts.

The store engaged one of the university’s official in-house photographers, Nick Pearce, to take the pictures. “Shoots included studio-type images of the student athletes modeling various outfits and, later on, lifestyle-type shots of them wearing the Dal-branded clothing in a gym and in various state of activity,” Moffatt explained. “For promoting our new partnership with lululemon, we organized a two-day shoot, this time recruiting volunteers from the bookstore’s own complement of student staff.”

However, the site is not a one-and-done effort. The store is planning improvements to the menus to help guide visitors and expects to add more product images. “We are also looking at integrating a new automated chatbot as part of a universitywide solution, which is still in the evaluation phase,” Moffatt said.

Watch for the November/December 2021 issue of The College Store magazine for profiles of websites from three other campus stores: Camosun College Bookstore, Victoria, BC, Canada; MU Campus Bookstore and University Images, Michigan Technological University, Houghton; and University Books & More, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Significantly Reduce or Zero Out Course Material Costs with the American Opportunity Tax Credit

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 18:18:27 GMT

College stores support nationwide #taxbreaks4students campaign to encourage students and families to see if they qualify for educational tax breaks and save receipts from eligible course material purchases.

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

OBERLIN, OH (August 23, 2021) –The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is supporting the #TaxBreaks4Students campaign. Led by Illinois Congressman Danny K. Davis , the campaign aims to create an awareness of and encourage the nation’s 21 million college students to find out if they qualify for educational tax breaks such as the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC).

Thanks to the federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) and other sources of funding, colleges and universities across the country are distributing an unprecedented amount of emergency and additional grant aid to students. In many cases, institutions are also covering all or a portion of the cost of required course materials for students in the new school year. For students who still have out-of-pocket costs for course materials and tuition and fees, the AOTC can significantly reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs of course materials.

College stores across the country are working to raise awareness of the value of the tax credit for students and families and the need to save receipts this fall for tax filing season in the spring.

The credit can significantly offset or eliminate what was spent on course materials, supplies, and equipment for the average student in their first four years of college. These are benefits students and their families should be aware of, Hershman said.

Key features of the AOTC include:

Up to $2,500 per student a year for tuition, fees and course materials.
Don’t make enough to owe taxes? You STILL may qualify for up to $1,000.
For students who are at least half-time in a degree or certificate program, or a program leading to recognized education credential.
Can be used for four years of higher education as long as the school is eligible to participate in a federal student aid program administered by the U.S. Education Department.
Available to individuals with less than $90,000 or joint return filers with less than $180,000 in income.
Are you an undergraduate? Job training student? Apprentice? See if you qualify https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-eligible-to-claim-an-education-credit

Students not qualifying for the AOTC may qualify instead for up to $2,500 per year (starting in 2021) for out-of-pocket tuition and fees, per return, through the Lifetime Learning Credit. The campaign urges students to check out IRS resources to see whether they qualify for these important benefits.

“We applaud Congressman Davis and his staff and appreciate their leadership to create awareness around the important issue of college affordability,” Hershman said. “Combined with proactive campus-based efforts underway to make course materials more affordable for students, that has helped reduce annual spending on course materials by 28% since five years ago—$602 to $456—the tax credits go a long way to help students succeed in their academic careers and beyond.”

#IRSTaxTip – See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #American_Opportunity_Tax_Credit #IRS

#IRSTaxTip – See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #Lifetime_Learning_Credit #IRS

#Education Tax Credits Help Pay Higher Education Costs http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #AOTC

Do you qualify for an #education credit? Check out IRS #Interactive_Tax_Assistant On-line Tool at https://www.irs.gov/help/ita #IRS

#Lifetime Learning Credit can help with #education costs to improve job skills. Get the facts at http://go.usa.gov/Jvej

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About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Double Duty May Be Double Trouble Instead

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 22:14:16 GMT

Maybe you’ve gotten in the habit of sneaking looks through email or texts during Zoom meetings with your team or trying to review order histories while on the phone. You may think you’re getting more done by doing two things at once. But, really, you’re not.

There are much better ways to maximize your time and accomplish more without becoming exhausted, said Aaron Johnson, president of Vindy, in his CAMEX21 educational session, The Myth of Multitasking.

“I feel a large percentage of you probably have multiple browser tabs open right now,” Johnson joked to his online audience.

As the head of a company with a small workforce, Johnson said he wants to make sure his employees have the tools they need to be efficient without trying to multitask. As the father of three young daughters, he also wants “to make sure I’m fully done at 5 p.m. Mentally I want to be done. I don’t want to think about work when the day is done.”

With those motivations, he got interested in ways to improve efficiency and productivity. Multitasking doesn’t just refer to doing two tasks simultaneously, it can also involve switching back and forth on tasks or plowing quickly through five to 10 tasks without really thinking about the results. Rather than increasing efficiency, multitasking actually has a negative effect on short-term memory, anxiety levels, creative thinking, concentration, and accuracy, according to a variety of studies.

How can you avoid that mess? Here are Johnson’s recommendations:

Calendar

“Things you put on a calendar are things you’ll accomplish. If it’s not on the calendar, your day’s going to dictate to you,” he said. “First thing in the morning, schedule out your day in 15- to 30-minute intervals, because that’s about the maximum extent of time we can focus on a particular task.”

The daily calendar should include breaks, at least brief ones to refresh your mind and energy. “You should hold breaks at least as sacred as tasks,” he said.

Also include “office time” when you’re available to others, “where employees can come and interact with you and know they’re not interrupting you,” Johnson said. Make sure your staff and co-workers know your door is open at office time but otherwise they should not stop by as you will be focusing on work tasks. “By creating office time, you avoid the constant barrage of interruptions,” he noted.

To-Do List

“Certainly almost all of us have a to-do list,” whether on a phone, sticky note, or something else, he said. “It’s just a big long list.”

Instead of one intimidating list, organize your to-do tasks with due dates. Assign tasks to specific days on your calendar. Each day, focus only on the tasks for that day.

Johnson said his office uses Trello software to create calendars and manage tasks. “I have due dates and separate columns for what needs to be accomplished,” he said. Emails sitting in his inbox are a distraction, so he uses Trello to create a card for any email requiring follow-up. “I create a due date and drag it into the appropriate column,“ he said.

Pomodoro Technique

This technique is intended to allow you to give your full attention to a task for 25 minutes, and then take a quick break before either resuming the task for another 25 minutes or moving on to something else on your calendar.

Vindy uses the Forest app for the Pomodoro technique, Johnson said. When the timer is set, the user “plants” a tree which continues to grow. If the user looks at their phone before the 25 minutes is up, the tree dies.

“You can do competitions with other people,” Johnson said. “In our office we compete to see who grows the most trees.”

Chronotypes

“Everybody has different internal clocks,” known as chronotypes, he noted. Each person has certain hours of the day when they are the most alert and prepared to work. Be mindful of your own clock and schedule the most complicated tasks and meetings for your peak hours. Use the off-peak segments for smaller to-do’s and office time.

“There are some employees who can’t do their best work” at traditional working hours, Johnson noted. Where possible, allow employees to work at the hours that fit their internal clock, which might be noon to 8 p.m., for example.

Workplace Tips

Turn off all notification functions on computer and phone. “Those pings, it’s like a drug to us. We can’t help but look,” Johnson said.

Limit meetings to brainstorming sessions and strategic initiatives. Task management and updates can be handled through email or other communications. “Never have meetings that last longer than 30 minutes,” Johnson said. “If you have to, have breaks and come back.”

Close web browser tabs while you’re working.

Use headphones to block out environmental noise. “Classical music is really great,” Johnson said, but he advised against podcasts.

“Automate, automate, automate—that’s our mantra on our campus,” he said. His company has a rule: if anyone has to carry out a rote manual task more than two times, they need to figure out how to automate it. “That could involve setting up macros on a spreadsheet, or setting up rules to manage email, or ways to automate reports,” he said. Review your calendar for tasks that need to be done repeatedly and think about ways to automate them.

NACS Student Watch Report: Use of Digital Course Materials Is Up

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 19:12:31 GMT

2020-21 Academic Year Reveals Impact of Pandemic on Students and Materials

Contact: publicrelations@nacs.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OBERLIN, OHIO (June 15, 2021)— College students were more likely to obtain digital course materials for their 2020-21 academic year classes, according to the Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2021 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college students. That’s just one of the indicators showing how the pandemic impacted student learning and access to course materials in the past year.

During the 2020-21 year, many higher education institutions switched in-person classes either to fully online, hybrid models (some sessions online, some in the classroom), or HyFlex structures (optional online or in person sessions). Some campuses closed or restricted their physical facilities to students, including the campus store.

Before the pandemic, only about 35% of students were enrolled in online courses, according to the National Center for Education Statistics fall 2018 data. This year, 81% of Student Watch respondents had taken at least one fully online course this year.

“Student Watch respondents rated their learning experience higher for in-person classes than they did online-only courses,” said Brittany Conley, research analyst, NACS OnCampus Research.

Funded by the NACS Foundation, Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other key findings from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 11,800 college students attending 39 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, include:

• The campus store was still the number one place students turned to for obtaining their materials, but this year more students went to the campus store’s online presence instead of the physical store. Meanwhile, a little more than one in four students obtained materials directly from a publisher.

• The average course material spend (purchased plus rented course materials) per student was $456 for the 2020-21 academic year. This was up about $43 compared to 2019-20.

• It’s not clear why the average course material spend rose in 2020-21 after declining almost every year since 2007. However, a key change in student behavior may have had an impact. In 2019-20, students acquired about the same number of materials—and spent about the same—in fall and spring terms, which has been fairly typical. But, in fall 2020, students took fewer courses (4.2 on average) and obtained fewer materials (3.5 versus 4.7 in fall 2019) while in spring 2021 they took more classes (4.4) and obtained more materials (5.0 versus 4.4 in spring 2020). Fewer students skipped acquiring materials, and publishers slightly raised prices in the spring. Also, with more students taking classes remotely, access to cheaper options was limited, such as physical rentals, sharing, using print copies at the library, or buying used copies from peers on their campus.

• Students were less likely to rent print materials in 2020-21 than a typical academic year and were more apt to buy digital materials and/or obtain free materials. This does not necessarily mean student preferences have changed; some instructors chose to require digital or free materials (which are often digital) because their classes were online.

• 58% of students reported using digital materials more this year. Only 6% reported they used digital materials less than last year.

• More students participated in inclusive access programs in 2020-21, a finding consistent with both recent Faculty Watch™ findings and campus store surveys. Student satisfaction with the programs also increased from the previous year. (Inclusive access programs deliver course materials, most often in digital formats, by the first day of class at a reduced cost, typically as a fee or included in tuition.)

• More than half of students bought a computer device (laptop, desktop, etc.) this year. Technology spending for these students averaged about $1,100, compared to $320 for students who did not buy a major device. In some cases, students already owned computers but were most likely buying upgrades to keep up with online courses.

• 30% of students seriously considered dropping out or delaying enrollment in 2020-21 year. Nontraditional students were even more likely to consider dropping out (40%).

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

About The NACS Foundation: In operation for almost four decades, the NACS Foundation is the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals.

Starting the Journey to Inclusivity

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 27 May 2021 22:06:53 GMT

It was one year ago this week that George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, an event that ignited worldwide protests for justice and renewed the focus on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Black people and other people of color.

In the wake of that incident, many campus stores and their institutions have been seeking ways to best respond to diversity issues, put meaningful practices in place, and raise awareness among employees.

Stores shouldn’t expect to change things immediately, according to Jamie Riley, in his CAMEX21 presentation, The Time Is Now: Strategies for Fostering an Inclusive Campus Environment. Riley is director of racial equity with the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) in Washington, D.C., faculty member at Howard University, and consultant who has been working on social change and equity issues for the past 15 years.

“It’s not an overnight fix, it’s a journey,” he cautioned. “It’s been a journey for Black folks for 400 years. You’re not going to resolve racism in a semester.”

Nonetheless, he said there are ways for campus stores to get started on that journey. Considering the campus climate—and the store climate, by extension—is one place to begin.

“It’s important to understand what kind of climate our students are coming into,” Riley said. The climate encompasses culture, habits, decisions, practices, and policies. Students of color (along with faculty and staff) who feel unwelcome in that climate may leave. Think about the feelings of a Black student, for example, who doesn’t see any other Black students in the study hall and attends classes in buildings named after slave owners.

“If we can really change the environment, we can change the experience and the outcome the students have,” he said.

He outlined a three-step framework that can help organizations change their environment.

Step 1. Fostering inclusion: centering an antiracist lens

Many people “get comfortable with saying I’m not racist,” Riley noted, but that’s not the same as being an antiracist. An antiracist actively seeks to raise consciousness about race and racism and takes action when they recognize racial power inequities in everyday life.

For White people, “first you have to understand White privilege is a thing,” he said. Recognizing that can lead to identifying and changing internalized racist attitudes that could be affecting the store, such as in hiring and evaluation. Riley recommended adopting six responsibilities outlined by author and activist Tema Okun:

• Educate yourself about the effects of racism.

• Reflect on what this awareness means, such as identifying new ways to challenge racism.

• Be aware of how you may be upholding racism, whether you intend to or not. Identify internal racial attitudes.

• Take risks to challenge or interrupt racism when you see it. Support people of color when they talk about their experiences with racism.

• Understand you may experience rejection from Black people because it may be difficult to see how something you’re doing is harmful. Don’t take it personally.

• Build relationships with White and Black people who are also on the journey to antiracism.

Step 2. Fostering inclusion: moving from competence to consciousness

You’ll need to think about how your positionality—the social/political context that creates your identity—affects your attitudes about race and other people, Riley said. These include gender identity, belief systems, socioeconomic status, ability status, heritage, language, immigration status, family status, geographic location, occupation, education, age, sexual orientation, and others.

“What formational stereotypes, assumptions, and experiences prohibit you from transitioning to an antiracist lens?” he asked. He noted the four levels of racism:

• Systemic: ongoing racial inequities maintained by society.

• Institutional: discriminatory policies and practices within organizations and institutions.

• Interpersonal: bigotry and biases shown between individuals through word and action.

• Internalized: race-based beliefs and feelings toward individuals.

Step 3. Fostering inclusion: Developing skills to assess climate/environment to make necessary second-order changes

“Second-order” are permanent changes. For an individual, Riley said, that means moving from awareness (first order) to a full paradigm shift in thinking (second order). The book, Education by Design: Creating Campus Learning Environments that Work , by Strange and Banning, identified four types of campus environments. To achieve second-order inclusivity throughout the institution, all four environments should be addressed.

Physical environment: Physical structures on campus (including artwork) can influence feelings and attitudes, as well as contribute to (or detract from) students’ sense of well-being and belonging. “Do they feel welcomed into this space?” asked Riley. Reflection Question: What kind of message do our physical locations, office configurations, etc., send to students of color? What can we do to resolve these issues?

Human aggregates: The characteristics and components of the campus community affect culture, norms, customs, and traditions. In the campus store, Riley noted, they can impact the type of merchandise offered, which organizations receive donations, and other decisions. Reflection Question: How much power and/or influence do we naturally allow dominant racial identity groups to have in constructing campus norms?

Organized environment: The organizational dimension is measurable by the interactions among people and groups and what they’re able to achieve. “If you hire students or engage with them in the store, how do you handle promotions of employees and evaluate their work?” asked Riley. Reflection Question: Is our environment organized in a way that all students have the same ability to achieve the same desired outcomes and experiences through interactions with each other, staff, administrators, and faculty?

Constructed environment: How people on campus collectively perceive an environment through their individual experiences becomes the reality. That includes the way that students view the campus store. What do students see and hear when they walk in? Riley noted he once worked at an institution where the ambient music was associated with the Confederacy period. Reflection Question: Could certain communities of color view the constructed environment on campus as incongruent with their personal identities?

The journey for the campus store begins with the individuals working in the store, especially leadership. “The first steps are how are you evaluating preparedness or readiness for this work?” Riley said. “Self-evaluation, understanding how antiracism attaches to that.”

The second step is consciousness. “Where are you in your consciousness journey right now? Do you have the skills to actually implement that in your organization?” he asked. A number of self-assessments are available online to help you figure it out.

“If you’re trying to bring your team along, I always encourage folks to think about themselves before you think about your team, because if you’re not prepared in your own consciousness position, then trying to lead other people in this is not going to be helpful,” Riley said.

He recommended reading the essay, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh and the book, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.

“I always want to encourage folks that there’s a whole lot of work between acknowledging the problem and getting to the solution,” Riley said.

While Riley’s presentation dealt mainly with racial inclusivity “the information is applicable as you think about inclusion fully,” he said.

The Art of Textbook Ordering in a Pandemic

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Fri, 14 May 2021 11:07:17 GMT

It’s never been simple for campus stores to determine exactly how many textbook copies to order for the next term, and the pandemic has made it even more tricky. While some schools made the decision to just go all-digital, that option didn’t work for everyone.

The store panelists of the CAMEX21 educational session Right-Sizing Your Textbook Orders in the Times of COVID-19 shared what they’ve learned about estimating order quantities, tools that can help, communicating with faculty and students—and a couple pitfalls to avoid.

Panelists were Erryn deBlois, manager, Catawba Valley Community College Campus Store, Hickory, NC; Kurt Kaiser, assistant director, Colorado State University Bookstore, Fort Collins; and Mary Riker, manager, Maria College Bookstore, Albany, NY. Facilitating the session were Nicole Gallo, executive director of sales and marketing for Rittenhouse, and Adam Barrett, national accounts manager for Rittenhouse.

“Things have definitely changed” in the past year, Gallo said. Among the trends she has seen at Rittenhouse are a drop in overall sell-through coupled with a high rate of returns from stores. One exception to that has been bundles, which are “still selling at a pretty good clip,” she said. Not surprisingly, digital course materials sales are up quite a bit, given the shift to online instruction. Where inclusive access programs have been put in place, those materials are also selling well, both digital and print components.

She cautioned stores to be more aware of all online competition out there, not just Amazon; these days students have numerous options for acquiring their materials.

For the three panelists, the process for ordering, stocking, and selling course materials has changed a lot due to the pandemic.

Both Kaiser and deBlois said they follow an “order early, order often” practice to ensure they’ve got the materials available before classes start and can adjust quantities as needed. Kaiser sources used print books first, then other formats. DeBlois also pursues used print copies, although her store does offer digital options and she’s been ordering more e-books (Catawba Valley doesn’t have inclusive access).

“I had a lot of publisher delays, especially with custom products,” deBlois said. That was among the reasons she decided to order 5% more than usual, to make sure the store had enough copies and could avoid reordering.

Riker’s focus has been on new and used print as well as the store’s in-house rental program. Maria College is a small campus with commuter students, and use of digital course materials has been low. For fall 2020 semester, students were permitted to come on campus to purchase books, but by spring the college required students to show proof of a COVID test before they could enter campus.

“That kept students away,” Riker said, as students didn’t want to bother with the test. They bought or rented their materials somewhere else. “We saw a huge dip in sales,” she said.

Kaiser also has been adding 5% to textbook orders in order to have plenty of stock so students can get what they need right away. He offers whatever format students want and runs a rental program in partnership with a wholesaler, although rentals have gone down.

Both deBlois and Kaiser monitor enrollment reports constantly for fluctuations in class size, so they can adjust orders. At CSU, students can still drop and add courses two and a half weeks into the term, and Kaiser is finding that students just don’t enroll as early as they used to. Catawba Valley has open enrollment, and class counts may vary term to term.

Before the pandemic, Riker used to be able to go to faculty offices or just stop and chat if she saw a professor around campus. In the past year that hasn’t been possible, and communication with faculty has suffered. “The campus store was forgotten about,” she said.

Riker admitted the store could have communicated better with faculty upfront about the store’s ability to secure course materials despite the shutdown. As a result, several classes switched to open resources “and I didn’t know,” she said.

For the fall term, most faculty at Maria College didn’t submit adoptions until July; the same was true for deBlois at Catawba Valley, even though she typically works with department heads and deans on adoptions. For Kaiser, though, faculty communications improved when classes went online.

“Faculty were on their email a lot more often than usual,” he said. Also, departmental coordinators usually collect adoptions but there has been considerable turnover among coordinators due to early retirement buyouts, so now some faculty are taking responsibility for submitting adoptions to the store. His adoption rate has gone up 10%.

DeBlois developed a new adoption form that instructors could fill out online, but discovered some instead were printing it and filling it out longhand.

Communications with students has also been a challenge. Kaiser and deBlois both use social media to get information out, while Riker is in the process of creating a Facebook site for the store separate from the school’s. DeBlois was able to use email to send out details about how students could order materials online—an especially useful tool during the time the physical store wasn’t open for business (although students still showed up). Kaiser can’t send unsolicited email to students except when messages pertain to textbook rentals and inclusive access, but it’s been possible to add some information about other things at the bottom of those emails. Riker previously had to work through the campus communications department to email students, but then found she could use the store’s new point-of-sale system to handle that.

With the uncertainty of enrollment and sell-through, bin and hold services have been helpful for managing textbook orders. DeBlois uses the service for classes that don’t have high sell-through. At Maria College, nursing is one of the largest classes; Riker uses bin and hold to control the flow of hundreds of nursing books through her very small store space.

Bin and hold services typically allow a store to order a quantity of books to be held by the publisher until the store is ready for some or all to be shipped. The store can increase the quantity held or release books if the store’s sure they won’t be needed; only the shipped copies are invoiced. The service guarantees the books will be available when the store needs them and can be shipped within a few days. As Gallo explained, publishers would rather encumber quantities of books than deal with returns later on.

What They’ll Be Wearing Next Fall

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 06 May 2021 18:42:37 GMT

For the last 14 months, most students have either been holed up at home or semi-confined on campus. Who needs to look good if there’s no one to see you?

But come fall, the expectation right now is that students will swap Facetime for face-to-face time with their peers, resuming in-person classes and social activities. Suddenly they realize they’ll have to wear something other than raggedy pajama bottoms. Campus stores need to get ready with the right assortment of apparel.

“COVID has definitely impacted fashion. People are still looking for an escape,” said Kevin Keele in his CAMEX21 educational session, Unleash Your Inner Fashionista: Trend Forecasting for Campus Stores. Keele teaches at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles and has been a consultant for Trends2K.

As California is the starting point (along with New York) for many fashion trends, Keele has to keep his fingers on the pulse of emerging styles, what he calls “Brailling the culture.” If your store is located elsewhere, the good news is that fashion changes more slowly, giving you a better chance to spot a rising trend.

The entertainment industry, major events, social media, publications, and shifts in lifestyle can all provide clues to the next hot styles. Everyone dressed down during the pandemic, and Keele doesn’t think they will want to give that up entirely.

“Retailers need to focus on comfort,” he said. “But there’s still optimism out there.”

He sees activewear, loungewear, athleisurewear, and sleepwear worn as daywear continuing to be popular. People are walking and bicycling even more now, so fitness gear will remain a staple, including jogger styles and skateboarding garb. Some of these leisure styles will be reinterpreted with finer fabrics and some tailoring so they can be worn to work or evening events, he said.

For students, Keele thinks hoodies and crop tops are still top sellers, along with “boy-cut” tank tops with a scooped neck and deep armhole. Bucket hats, too.

Denim is “still important,” Keele said, but the fit will be more relaxed, more boxy—what he called a “trucker” trend. The use of recycled cotton in clothing is also growing more common.

Other trends for spring, summer, and fall:

• Colors: Bright tropical shades for summer, along with “powder” versions of brights. Sunny wheat hues, cold neutrals (gray, beige, off white), yellow used as an accent color (especially with grays). For fall, the usual navy and brown tones will be joined by warm brights such as bluer blues and mustard yellow. Color blocking will still be big with activewear and denim. Tie-dye will persist.

• Patterns: “A new emphasis on stripes,” Keele said, especially paired with nautical themes and navy/white combos. Checked patterns for both men and women, reworked revivals of “heritage” yuppie-type styles. Outdoor themes, such as animal prints, butterflies, small flower patterns along with big ‘70s-style florals, foliage patterns.

• Silhouettes: “The bohemian influence is still out there,” Keele said. Cottage dresses, with deep flounces at the shoulder and skirt bottom, will be popular. Men’s shirting styles will influence women’s tops. Some ‘80s styles will return, too (Keele noted those styles were influenced by 1930s trends). Others: utility shirts with pockets for women, abstract campus styles for men.

“Know what’s going on with the recovery,” Keele advised. “People say they need to express themselves with fashion.”

Picture This: Better Photos on Your Website

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 17:55:10 GMT

When campuses started closing last year due to the pandemic, many college stores suddenly realized they needed to add more products to their e-commerce sites and promote the merchandise on social media. That meant taking pictures—lots of them.

But shooting snaps of vacations and get-togethers isn’t the same as product and merchandising photos. Your web images need to show off the items in just the right way.

“Photography really does matter for shopping online,” noted Shannon Cottrell, adjunct faculty member for the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, in her CAMEX21 educational session, Build a Story: E-Commerce Product Photography.

Product images are central to the decision to buy in 93% of instances, Cottrell said, and 22% of returns are because the item looked different than it did online.

Campus stores don’t need to invest in a lot of pricey equipment to get good images, she said; an iPhone and a few inexpensive tools will work just fine. She offered a number of tips for improving your e-commerce photos.

Taking the picture

Your phone’s camera has built-in controls to help ensure images are sharp, properly exposed, and composed in an appealing way. Use the auto-exposure and auto-focus features; to activate the AE/AF lock, just hold down on the image. On an iPhone, a yellow square will flash when the focus is set.

Turn on the grid (the slider can be found in Settings > Composition) to compose the shot. “Think of your image as being divided into nine equal parts,” Cottrell advised. Position the important elements of the photo along the grid lines or intersections.

Turn off HDR (high dynamic range) on your camera. It exposes for highlights and shadows “but it’s mostly for landscape photos, not product,” she said. Set your format to Most Compatible, which will convert the image to a .jpeg. Your camera may offer HEIC (high efficiency image coding) but this format “is often not compatible with design apps,” she added.

Lighting the picture

Cottrell recommended using natural lighting whenever possible, but you may have to settle for in-store lighting. If shooting a product, place foamcore under and behind to create a neutral background; add foamcore on the sides to control directional lighting. For a soft, overall light on the product, place tracing paper “or anything translucent” over the top to diffuse overhead light, she suggested.

Cheap clamp lamps can provide additional lighting or fill in shadows from directional lighting, if needed.

In addition to shots of the entire product, be sure to take photos of product details, too.

Accessories

If you have the budget to buy photography accessories, Cottrell recommended these four:

• LED Studio Light Box (for taking product photos, instead of a foamcore box)

• Tripod (eliminates camera shake)

• 5 in 1 Reflector (instead of tracing paper or foamcore)

• LED Lighting Kit (better than clamp lamps)

Another helpful camera accessory is a polarizing filter. It clips right onto your phone and can be used to eliminate glare on products, such as glassware. “It’s a great tool for shooting window displays,” Cottrell said.

Shooting flat lays

A flat lay photo tells a visual story by grouping related products (laid flat) with props, all photographed from above. Cottrell suggested turning on your grid to make sure your photo is level (the grid will turn yellow when the lens is parallel to the lay). She recommended avoiding overhead lighting because you’ll end up with shadows from your camera or arms.

Place items at angles, making sure not to “let the star of your image get lost,” Cottrell said. Adding a “human” element—such as hands reaching in from the side, or drawings, photo prints, handwritten notes—can enhance the visuals. Try different arrangements and shooting from different sides until you find the right combo.

Editing the image

Cottrell recommended Adobe Spark Post and Lightroom Mobile for easy editing. Her suggestions for improving the image at the editing stage:

• Brighten the lighting.

• Tone down any coloration that distracts from the image.

• Add contrast. “It makes your subject pop.”

• Crop the image for the aspect ratio needed for the platform where it will be posted. Instagram is different from a web banner or a product shot, for instance.

Making Money from Your Marketing Metrics

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 18:54:20 GMT

Interested in an easy-to-use tool to boost sales at your campus store? You’ve already got one right at your fingertips: analytics.

The term “analytics” may conjure up visions of tedious number-crunching, which may not be your thing, but John Gallo, digital and customer service manager, York College Bookstore, York, PA, defines it as “using data to find win-win situations for consumers and business.”

In his CAMEX21 educational session, Marketing Analytics: Enhance Your Strategy, Gallo noted that taking a little time to conduct some analysis can “help you sell better, understand marketing effectiveness, and track trends and patterns.” While analytics is useful for in-store sales, it’s even more helpful with e-commerce.

“You can understand what works and what doesn’t, see what demographic patterns are happening on your site,” he said.

So where can you dig up all this valuable data? On the digital side, Google Analytics is a “must-have” in Gallo’s book. You can sign up free online and there are plenty of videos and tutorials to help you get started. Email marketing can also yield a ton of information on who opens, who clicks, and who buys; HubSpot and MailChimp are two popular providers.

With web forms, you can send out surveys or ask customers to sign up for email notifications. SurveyMonkey and Qualtrics have templates to help you out. Web forms and email marketing can be combined, Gallo pointed out.

On the physical retail side, be sure to take advantage of reporting functions in your point-of-sale system to reveal sales trends. In-store customer surveys can be another goldmine. And don’t overlook the experience of your frontline employees in interacting with customers. “Sit down with your staff” to hear what they’ve learned from shoppers, Gallo said.

If you utilize all of these tools, you can end up with a lot of data—maybe an overwhelming amount. Gallo recommended selecting certain key performance indicators (KPIs) to follow, such as revenue growth, net profit margin, average order value, net promoter score, customer lifetime value, conversion rate, abandonment rate, and cost per acquisition.

The net promoter score “really tells you how well customers really enjoy your products and services,” he said. In short, the score measures the likelihood of a customer recommending an item or your store to someone else.

Tracking the customer lifetime value might seem counterintuitive since most students move away after a few years, but in Gallo’s view this is an important metric for campus stores. He also noted that tracking the average order value for course materials may be more difficult than for general merchandise.

Use the GATRR method to set your KPIs: review business goals (“Some of us need to increase revenue, but others need to increase sell-through,” Gallo said), analysis of the current performance, target SMART goals, review with the entire team, and then revisit goals at least quarterly.

Tracking these KPIs with your analytical tools can provide insights, such as whether you need to update your web banners in order to improve conversion rates. Gallo’s store experimented with offering free shipping to increase the average web order size, trying different order minimums to find the one that worked best.

He also recommended that campus stores provide live online chat for e-commerce. “It’s great for boosting order conversion during back-to-school, and also great for customer service” since you can answer questions or resolve ordering problems in real time, he said. Also consider retargeting—sending a friendly follow-up email to customers who have abandoned their e-commerce cart.

“Trust this process,” Gallo said. “Over time you will find more and more insights. Keep trying and testing different things.”

Using Questions to Build Staff Connections

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 18:46:14 GMT

Youngsters aged three to five years ask 300-400 questions per day. Adults ask just six to 12 questions, mostly in relation to some specific context (“Are we out of toilet paper?”), even though posing questions is an easy way to find out all kinds of things.

“Nothing shapes our lives like the questions we ask,” said Chad Littlefield in his CAMEX21 Reimagined general session, Connection Before Content. His consulting firm, We and Me, uses question cards to help organizations build stronger rapport among their employees.

“If you want to increase the culture of connection and get more lift in your bottom line, there’s a really simple tactic,” Littlefield said. “Double the number of the question count.”

Using questions in team exercises can open up the lines of communication and allow employees to get to know each other in a casual environment. The process can foster more trust among employees (the connection) to improve how they work together (the content).

That trust factor is important, according to Littlefield. “Google did a research project to find out what are the characteristics of the highest-performing teams at Google,” he said. It turned out the top determinant was “the degree of psychological safety in that team.” Employees performed better when they felt others on the team acknowledged their feelings and efforts, listened to them, and demonstrated empathy.

Questions are different from the typical icebreakers many organizations may try at meetings. The questions are intended to “connect to purpose,” Littlefield said, rather than just serve as a fun get-acquainted game. He suggested starting off a team meeting with a question. Just a few examples from We and Me’s card deck:

• What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten? (No one-word answers. Each person should explain the circumstances of ingesting the strange food.)

• What is one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime?

• What is one thing life is teaching you right now?

The questioning method is adaptable to online meetings, too, he pointed out.

A variation on the question exercise is to ask the team to complete a sentence. “You build the first half of the sentence and invite other to finish,” Littlefield explained. His example: “If you really knew me, you would know…”

Another way to create connection among employees is what Littlefield called a “tiny teach.” Ask employees to divide up into smaller groups and briefly teach something they know that the others probably don’t, such as how to play a guitar or doing a dance move.

Littlefield said a goal for encouraging this connection is to engage employees who may otherwise be detached from the organization in some fashion. Some workers are natural contributors and connectors, but others simply criticize “without any interest in doing anything,” are totally disinterested in what’s going on outside their own work, or are in “a perpetual state of crankiness. Nothing you do will make them happy,” he said.

But, building stronger connections among employees isn’t enough on its own; context is also critical. Employees need to understand the “why” of their managers’ directions in order to pull together toward shared goals.

“Get crystal clear about what your intention is and share it with the group,” Littlefield said.

“When we are abundantly clear about intention, manipulation packs its bags,” he added. “When we try to get people to do things, but we don’t tell them why and don’t give context, that’s really close to manipulation.”

Go to www.weand.me to access a number of free resources provided by Littlefield and co-founder Will Wise, including 21 printable connect card questions, links to 10 video tutorials for group activities, and a 10-page excerpt of Ask Powerful Questions: Create Conversations that Matter, written by Littlefield and Wise.

Take the Scare Factor Out of Innovating

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:48:10 GMT

Despite the comic title of his CAMEX21 presentation—Uncrapify Your Future!—featured speaker Jeff Havens had a serious message for attendees: “Innovation is easy and you already have the skills to do it, and can do it any time.”

In Havens’ view, innovation is not just a smart business strategy, “it’s most of what makes life worth living.” With an innovative approach, campus store staffers can serve their customers better and make their work easier at the same time. But, he noted, people are often intimidated by the idea of innovation.

“When people talk about the need to innovate, they usually talk about the need to come up with the Next Big Thing,” Havens said. He pointed out that some of the most innovative companies, such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon, started out in a very limited, low-key way.

“The next Google is two people working in a garage you’ve never heard of. The next Facebook is two students working in a dorm room,” he said, adding, “Your next big thing will begin as a small thing.”

Havens has a simple process for sparking innovation in your store: Ask. Think. Do. Repeat.

The first step is to ask a question. Many innovations in the consumer world began with a question. Delta Airlines was originally just a crop-dusting service. “Then someone asked, ‘What if we carry passengers in the off season?’” Havens said.

Everybody owns wheeled luggage these days, but it’s only been around for a relatively short time. “We put wheels on the moon before we put it on luggage,” Havens said. Early versions were used only by airline personnel. Eventually this question arose: Is there a way to design wheeled luggage that would actually be comfortable to use? With the invention of the retractable handle, wheeled luggage took off with the public.

Stores can use a similar line of questioning to develop ideas for changing up procedures, product lines, and more. Here are some of the sample questions Havens offered:

• What are interesting things other bookstores are doing that we should copy?

• If our core business suddenly stopped making money, how might we generate revenue?

• What idea have we tried in the past and should revisit?

• What frustrates our customers?

• How can we motivate our employees’ energy?

• What is one process that slows us down?

• If we had an unlimited budget, how would we spend it?

• What’s the one skill we don’t have?

• Why do we do the things we do and how can we do them a different way?

Step two is to think about potential answers to the questions you’ve posed. “That the hardest part for most of us,” Havens conceded. While you’re at work, it can be difficult to find time among all your responsibilities to ponder possible ideas and solutions. Plus, “thinking doesn’t look very productive,” Havens said. “You see me sitting there with a far-off look in my eye. You’re not thinking I’m doing anything useful.”

And yet taking time to ruminate produces the best ideas, Havens said. “If you want to innovate, first seek to slow down,” he suggested. “One of the few upsides to the pandemic is that it forced everyone into a quieter space. I think we will look back on this time as one of the innovative, because we had no choice.”

If you can’t steal some time for thinking on the job, Havens said his favorite thinking places are while showering, exercising, walking, lying in bed unable to sleep, commuting, and traveling.

Step three is to act on the answers you came up with. This, too, can be difficult for some people, especially those who are more comfortable taking direction from others than in initiating their own ideas. Some feel they don’t have the expertise to put an idea in motion.

Havens reminded the audience that “you endlessly innovate in your personal life.” Situations, problems, and opportunities arise all the time and you develop a strategy to deal with them. If the strategy doesn’t work out, you change it, he said. Your ability to innovate in your off hours can be applied to your work life.

“You can do anything you want because you’ve been practicing this your entire life,” he said.

Digital Saved the Day for These Stores

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 17:07:01 GMT

When faced with pandemic-related setbacks involving their course materials business, three campus stores quickly pivoted to digital solutions.

Each store’s situation was a little different, but they all had a happy ending—as recounted in the CAMEX21 session, Maximizing Course Materials Sales by Creating a Convenient Virtual Shopping Experience.

“Students may not be directly on campus or walking into your store like they used to,” commented session moderator Lisa Montgomery, senior manager of marketing, Verba VitalSource. “If there’s one thing we also learned, it’s that stores are the heart of the campus, right? So that hasn’t changed even if their business models had to shift. The work of the campus store is now more important than ever.”

At the University of Dayton Bookstore, Dayton, OH, the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for a fairly radical decision: ditching rentals of physical textbooks. Rentals had been successful, making up some 25% of the store’s overall sales, according to Director Julie Banks.

But then the pandemic shut down the campus. Students went home, and staff were cut. “We were really struggling to just figure out how to maintain the current business, with changes in staffing and just doing more with less,” Banks said.

“We realized in talking to our team and observing our processes that the administrative burden related to running a successful rental program had just become too great,” she said. Rentals had always been laborious—physically reclaiming the books and then turning them around for the next term—but with students no longer on campus, it suddenly got a lot harder.

“We just really found that it was becoming more difficult and more books were not getting back,” Banks explained. Penalties for late returns were not an option. “Our university doesn’t like to charge fees. There was some sensitivity around charging rental fees and collection fees.”

But rather than go back to selling just print copies, the store came up with a plan to find a cheaper digital option for each of the titles in the rental program. “The general execution really took some time,” she said. It started with getting buy-in from the administration, particularly the chief financial officer and the provost.

“We provided some transparency to how cumbersome the rental process actually was, from a collection standpoint,” Banks said. With backing from the provost, the store developed a comprehensive marketing program to get the word out to campus stakeholders about the switch from physical rentals to digital formats, including inclusive access for some courses and publisher digital rentals for others.

During the pandemic, the university had been sending out a digest of messages targeted to stakeholder groups to keep them informed. The store was able to include its own information in those messages, and also reached out to students and parents through virtual orientation. Individual faculty members were contacted to explain the impact on the materials for their specific courses.

“A lot of our time was spent more on the marketing standpoint and selling it to everyone, that it was going to be a change, but would be all right,” Banks said.

And in the end, it was all right. The UD Bookstore, which previously averaged just 30 e-textbooks per semester, now is handling tens of thousands. “I would not change the path were going down,” Banks said.

For the University Store at Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA, the pandemic not only meant students were no longer in the store, but staff couldn’t come in, either.

“We were all working from home,” recalled Manager Laura Heger. That turned out to be something of a blessing; with no need to run in-store operations, Heger had time to work with faculty to quickly ramp up the inclusive access program.

The store had piloted a small program in spring 2019 “so we had one and a half years under our belt in experience in working with inclusive access,” Heger said. But now the program needed to drastically increase.

It helped that the store hadn’t encountered any resistance to IA. After Heger met with her vice president to explain the benefits, “she was right on board with me from the start” and assisted in meetings with the provost, bursar, learning management system team, Campus Leadership Council, and president.

“Everyone was so receptive from the beginning, really no negativity or pushback at all,” Heger said. Bloomsburg’s campus culture is centered on the students, so the store’s emphasis on IA “really helped our relationship with the campus, letting our campus know we are here for our students and they are our number one priority,” she added.

At first the LMS manager expressed some concern about potential problems for students, but after she researched IA programs at other schools, she was ready to partner with the store. Heger is able to view course pages in the system, and even posts links and announcements directly into the LMS for faculty, if requested. Knowing exactly what has been posted in the LMS has come in handy during rush, she said.

“The first couple weeks of classes, we do a lot of tech support for IA classes,” she said.

Inclusive access now accounts for about two-thirds of the store’s textbook business. “We’ve rounded the corner. Pretty sure this spring we will see an increase in textbook sales for the first time in quite a while,” Heger said.

The scenario for the University Co-op, serving the University of Texas at Austin, also involved the learning management system. UTA has never had its own bookstore, and the Co-op is considered the main store for the campus. But while it is owned by member students, faculty, and staff, the Co-op has no official affiliation with the university.

And that “causes barriers,” according to Michael Kiely, director of course materials at the Co-op. “The university is not real receptive to giving student information to outside entities, so it’s something that challenges us every day.”

About a decade ago, after extensive negotiations, UTA permitted the store to put a button on the students’ online schedule page.

“When students hit that button, it would just flip them over to the Co-op website and automatically fill the shopping page with all the books needed for their courses,” Kiely said. “That was huge, absolutely huge. That drove probably 90% of our web business.”

However, over the years, the sales derived through the button on the schedule page steadily declined for no apparent reason. “We’re just scratching our heads. What’s going on?” Kiely recalled.

Three years ago the Co-op decided to ask students how they were arriving at the store’s website. Nearly all said they keyed in the URL for direct access. When asked about the schedule page button, though, no one knew what the Co-op was talking about.

As it turns out, “that schedule page sat on a portal that just became obsolete to students,” Kiely said. Instead, students were heading to their course pages in Canvas to find out what materials they needed, and never saw the link to the Co-op.

Kiely said the store learned that Canvas contained a price-comparison tool that would display a link to the Co-op on the students’ course pages. “But we ran into that hurdle again, not being part of the university,” he said.

For a couple of years negotiations didn’t get very far, and then the pandemic changed things. “In the summer, the university made the decision that it would be mostly online. Students wouldn’t have to come back to campus,” Kiely said. “That accelerated it.”

The institution was interested in making it easy for students to acquire their course materials, and once they realized the price-comparison tool in Canvas would enable students to check multiple sellers, not just the Co-op, UTA was all in. A link was inserted into each student’s campus account, taking them to a My Textbooks page.

“We finally implemented it on the first day of class,” Kiely said. “I would never recommend doing any sort of implementation like that on the first day.”

However, despite the fact that the comparison tool had not been promoted at all, the Co-op received 500 orders that first day.

The success of that partnership built a lot of trust with the university, Kiely said, and as a result UTA agreed to do an inclusive access pilot with the store. “It’s a pretty big deal,” he noted.

“The pilot was very successful,” he added. “Many of you have been doing IA for years. We’ve been able to take all your successes and share them with the university.”

Last fall, “we saw business come back,” Kiely said. “That was freaking awesome.”

Workplace Pals Pay Off in Productivity

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 19:50:04 GMT

“If we want high-performing employees, make sure they like each other.”

That was the advice to campus stores from Shasta Nelson, author and consultant on creating healthier relationships and friendships, in the CAMEX21 featured session, The Business of Friendship: How to Feel Supported and Connected Even When We’re Apart.

When people form friendships with their workplace colleagues, the business benefits, Nelson said. Employees who say they have a best friend at work “treat customers better and take ownership of problems,” she said.

“Loneliness is not good for business,” she explained. Studies show that workers who feel isolated are prone to lower productivity, a reduced quality of work, more missed days, and a higher turnover. “Seventy percent of happiness comes down to relationships,” she said.

“It’s important that we talk about this more,” Nelson stressed. While some managers may view employee friendships as strictly an after-work matter, Nelson pointed out that personal relationships can help employees deal more effectively with stressful moments on the job.

“The workplace is where you spend most of your time,” she said, noting, “Co-workers witness us in ways no others witness us.”

Feeling lonely and disconnected can have an impact on both mental and physical health. “If we feel ongoing loneliness, it’s as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” Nelson said.

In the past year, the coronavirus pandemic forced many colleges and universities to send students home. At many campus stores, employees were laid off or furloughed, and the rest had to work from home or go to the store in shifts to avoid physical contact. “You can be on campus and still feeling lonely, if you’re not getting the right connection,” Nelson said.

It’s also impacting students, possibly even more than campus staff. Nelson said a recent Boston University study showed two-thirds of college students are feeling lonely and isolated during the pandemic. “This year has been really hard on relationships,” Nelson said. “School is where relationships happen.”

How can store managers help foster closer relationships among their employees, and also assist students?

Nelson said it starts by recognizing the three factors of healthy relationships: positivity, consistency, and vulnerability.

Positivity is “the foundation of all relationships. We want to feel better, positive emotions,” Nelson said. “How do both people feel after interacting with each other, and what can I do to make the other person feel better?” Feelings such as gratitude, empathy, and hope are also part of positivity. Managers can encourage positivity by asking their team to share what they’re proud of and inspired by.

“Help promote that emotion,” Nelson said.

Consistency—built on shared experiences and a pattern of connection—helps create trust within relationships. Consistency is reinforced when people interact on a regular basis, which may be difficult right now if your physical store is still closed. “You don’t have a natural proximity that helps us bump into each other,” Nelson noted.

Consider using tech tools such as Zoom to schedule casual check-ins with employees, possibly with a fun aspect.

Vulnerability involves a willingness to express personal thoughts and feelings to gain acceptance, “sharing who we are, what makes us us,” Nelson said. Relationships need both consistency and vulnerability to work, she added. This doesn’t mean that co-workers and especially supervisors must share everything in their lives and on their minds. “It’s OK to have boundaries,” she explained.

Nelson provided extra resources for CAMEX21 attendees who registered for the full conference and trade show package, including brief videos for team-building, guides for keeping friendships after a job ends, sharing questions for team bonding, healthy team-building resources, and a discussion guide for her book, The Business of Friendship. These are available on www.camex.org until May 28, 2021; log in with your CAMEX21 registration login.

National Association of College Stores Announces Officers and Trustees

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 20:46:45 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

National Association of College Stores Announces Officers and Trustees

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 18, 2021)— The National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing the campus store industry, has installed officers and several new trustees to its board of trustees.

In accordance with the NACS Bylaws, the Board of Trustees approved the appointments of Steven Westenbroek to serve as this year’s president/treasurer and Chad Schreier to serve as the immediate past president. Westenbroek, who served as the 2020-21 president, is director of the College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, NE. Schreier, president in 2019-20, is CEO of MSU Bookstore Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman.

Andy Dunn, MBA, director, campus retail and licensing, Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, was installed as president-elect/secretary.

The terms for these officers will conclude June 30, 2022.

Three new trustees-at-large elected by NACS members were also installed for three-year terms: Debbie Cottrell, CCR, manager, UMHB Campus Store, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton TX; Gilbert Garcia, operations supervisor, Bay Tree Bookstore, University of California, Santa Cruz; and Carrie Rose, CCR, manager, Grove City College Bookstore, Grove City, PA.

In addition, the board elected two trustees to fill vacancies on the board: Catherine Stoutner, associate director of retail, The UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois at Chicago, for a two-year term, and Polly Grapes, director, State Fair Community College Campus Store, Sedalia, MO, for a one-year term.

Trustees remaining on the board are: Allison Hartel, assistant director, marketing and outreach, CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder; Gavin Jensen, CCR, manager, Wildcat Tech at the Wildcat Store, Weber State University, Ogden, UT; Ella Van Nort, director of retail operations and the FIDM Bookstore, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Los Angeles, CA; and Cassie A. Wherry, manager, Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Where Is Higher Ed Headed?

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:04:31 GMT

Campus stores have an important role to play as higher education institutions adapt to the needs of a post-pandemic world.

“Independent campus stores are one of the few successful enterprises operating on campus,” featured speaker Richard Keeling told his CAMEX21 Reimagined audience. “You are important parts of the conversation in how colleges begin to operate differently.”

Keeling has his finger on the pulse of higher-ed administration. He was on the faculty of the University of Virginia and University of Wisconsin, and his consulting firm (Keeling & Associates) has worked with some 350 institutions. On top of that, he’s a medical doctor and researcher who understands the impact of the pandemic on education.

In his session, Reimagined Higher Education: How Colleges, Universities, and Students Will Thrive in Our More Connected Future, Keeling outlined some of the things that are on the minds of administrators these days. The pandemic, of course: health and safety of students and employees, trying to maintain excellence in academics and student life, and managing change.

But administrators are also greatly concerned about the sustainability of higher education in general—encompassing not just financial viability but also society’s need for postsecondary coursework—and how their own institution can thrive long-term. The pandemic has been just one disruption to higher ed; Keeling rattled off others that have walloped campuses recently: social and cultural upheaval, economic and employment catastrophe, plummeting enrollment for some schools, changes in the nature and location of work, inequalities in access to education and health care, increasing legislation affecting education, and even climate change in the form of more wildfires, hurricanes, and storms threatening campuses.

Some colleges and universities have nimbly adapted to these challenges, Keeling said. “Some institutions have become flexible only when they were forced to be,” he added, such as when states shut down due to the pandemic.

Certain ideas have been turned on their head—online education, for one. “I had colleges say it was impossible to teach organic chemistry online,” Keeling noted. “Four weeks later, we’re teaching organic chemistry online.” Yet, it turned out some students didn’t have the devices or bandwidth needed to successfully engage in remote learning.

Administrators’ worries over sustainability focus a lot on finances and what Keeling called the “crazy business model in higher ed,” with a reliance on tuition dollars. They’re looking at what costs to cut and how much, how to replace lost revenues, and what to do about tuition. Raise it, freeze it, or lower it?

“There are better questions,” Keeling pointed out. These put the focus on students: what do they expect, what value can institutions offer, how will student demographics change in the next few years, what will graduates need for work in the future, what is the best use of campus resources, and which risks can institutions afford to take?

“It starts with academics, then enrollment, physical infrastructure, culture, community reputation, and financials,” Keeling said. “You don’t become financially sustainable just by cutting costs and managing finances. You become sustainable by doing those other things.”

Institutions will follow one of two paths in pursuing sustainability. The “Save Us” route will aim to preserve the status quo. “They’ll hunker down, wait it out, no time for risk,” Keeling said.

Those that adopt the “Immerse Us” posture, however, “will say, ‘Let’s explore what this might mean’ and go in new directions,” he added. Immersive institutions will seek to restore public confidence in higher education by connecting curriculum, delivery, and the student experience to careers, providing more experiential learning and putting students first.

Keeling said these schools will look to performance outcomes and data to help make decisions and determine the best use of resources. Part of this will involve diversification of revenue sources and creating a closer working relationship between faculty and staff.

“There will not be two sides of the house, just one house,” he said.

“Excellence will mean we adapt nimbly, so we thrive in the future,” Keeling said.

How to Beat the Goliaths

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 20:53:22 GMT

If your campus store was pitted against Walmart or Amazon, who would win?

Your store actually has a fighting chance with the retail giants, in the view of CAMEX21 Reimagined keynote speaker Jay Baer, in his session 4 Ways to Win: How Campus Stores Can Thrive in 2021 and Beyond.

Baer is the author of six books, has founded five multimillion-dollar businesses, and recently was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame. His business consultancy has worked with many clients over the past decade, including a dozen universities.

“You have to play the game you can actually win,” he told the audience via Zoom. “It’s not the same game as Amazon plays.”

Campus stores even have a bigger opportunity right now, Baer said. “The changes wrought by the pandemic have changed all customers’ buying decisions,” he explained. People are more willing to try a new retailer or a different product brand, Baer said, noting a survey last June showed 54% of consumers had made a switch. “That’s higher now, I suppose,” he added.

“You might think purchasing decisions are driven by economics, but the data doesn’t bear that out,” Baer said. “If price doesn’t matter, what does? Customer experience.”

Customer experience has always been critical to retailing, he emphasized, but it has taken on greater importance “with the world upside down. Nobody wants any extra friction or obstacles, ever.”

He defined “customer experience” as the sum of anything that can affect the customer’s feelings about the store, filtered by the customer’s own expectations of the store. If the store falls short of those expectations, the customer feels the experience has been negative. While a campus store can’t be all things to all customers, “you get to choose which parts of customer experience you work on in your store,” he said.

Baer laid out four ways to hone the customer experience in your store:

Reimagine

Reassess the products and services offered in your store, including your reasons for selling them. Some 86% of NACS member stores saw a revenue decline in 2020, he noted, but some product sales are way up—slippers, for example. With people working from home, slipper sales skyrocketed 70%.

Pay attention to the needs and wants of your customers. You may need to carry items the store has never stocked before. One campus store, he pointed out, created a social justice section at the request of students. Doing something different doesn’t have to be “weird and scary,” Baer stressed. ATMs were once a new idea, he noted, and so too was contactless delivery.

“What do people need that our stores are uniquely positioned to offer, and how can you offer it both in-store and online?” he questioned. “By the end of the semester, what can you do to reimagine what you sell to whom and where?”

Rewire

“It’s not enough to have e-commerce, you need to have mobile commerce,” Baer said. A smartphone is the device of choice for Generation Z. They hate email, so product codes and special offers need to be formatted for mobile.

One caveat, he noted: “Gen Z has ridiculous speed expectations.” Customers will give campus stores only a little consideration when it comes to download speeds. You’ll need to make sure mobile pages load quickly.

Remarkable

“We assume if people have a good experience at a store, they’ll tell everyone about it. They don’t. Competency doesn’t create conversation,” Baer said. “We discuss things that are different and ignore the average.”

That means campus stores need to have a strategy to build word of mouth. “It’s not enough to run a good store, you actually have to do something different that your customer will notice and talk about. You have to give your customer a story to tell,” he said. One example: A burger restaurant in Sacramento, CA, lets each customer pick a card from a playing deck; if they pull the joker, their meal is free. Winners—and there are usually about four per day—typically post about it on social media.

“By the end of the semester, what can you do to be more remarkable?” he asked.

Relatable

“We trust people more than businesses,” Baer said. “For Gen Z, they particularly trust influencers.” Some 44% of Gen Z consumers have bought something based on the recommendations of a social media influencer. Friends and peers also influence their purchase of new products.

“You should be using your unique access to and relationships with your community,” Baer said, noting that’s something the mass retailers can’t do. “Make your customers the star of your show.” Student ambassadors are one way to achieve that.

In trying to reimagine and rewire, and become more remarkable and more relatable, Baer cautioned campus stores to keep it simple and specific.

“The hard truth here is 70% of customer experience initiatives fail to produce return on investment,” he said. “Why? Because people make it too big.”

NACS Foundation Installs New Officers and Directors

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 19:34:12 GMT

NACS Foundation Installs New Officers and Directors

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 5, 2021) —The NACS Foundation, the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry, recently installed a new president and president-elect, and a new board of directors.

Michael C. Tolly , vice president of inventory management, MBS Textbook Exchange LLC, Columbia, MO, was installed as 2021-22 president.

TJ Cochran , director, Brown University Bookstore, Campus Shop, and Technology Center, Providence, RI, with additional responsibility for the university’s licensing and registered trademarks, was installed as president-elect.

The terms for president and president-elect will conclude June 30, 2022.

Three new directors were also installed for three-year terms:

Polly Grapes , director, State Fair Community College Bookstore, Sedalia, MO.

LuAnne Kelly , manager, Campus Bookstore, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada.

Rip Scott , vice president of sales and marketing, Boxercraft, Greenville, SC, a maker of casual and loungewear for the college market.

Continuing on the NACS Foundation Board of Directors will be Immediate Past President Loreen J. Maxfield , director of retail operations, The UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois at Chicago, and five directors: Beth A. Christian , sales operations executive, Verba | VitalSource, Bloomsburg, PA; Sara Ellenberger , director of sales and account operations, RedShelf, Chicago, IL; Roger Hailstork , director, Syracuse University Bookstore, Syracuse, NY; Tammy L. Slone , director of retail operations, Cedarville University Bookstore, Cedarville, OH; and Pam Snow , senior director of channel/partner relations, SAGE Publishing, Elkmont, AL.

About The NACS Foundation: Operating for 39 years, the NACS Foundation has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

NACS Faculty Report: Pandemic Spurred Increased Use of Digital Course Materials

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:15:16 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NACS Faculty Report: Pandemic Spurred Increased Use of Digital Course Materials

While Faculty Think Shift to Digital Formats and Online Classes May Be Long-Term, Faculty and Student Format Preferences Still Matter

OBERLIN, OHIO (Feb. 23, 2021) —When higher education institutions were forced to shift to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many classes also switched to digital course materials in various formats, according to the Faculty Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials 2020 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college and university faculty members. That switch may remain for a long while, faculty respondents indicated.

In addition, 55% of faculty reported their course structure had been affected either a lot or a great deal by changes related to the pandemic. About 65% said these changes negatively impacted the quality of education, with only 15% saying the changes had positively affected the quality of education students were receiving.

“Many faculty, 62%, reported the pandemic affected the format of materials in their course. High numbers also reported the pandemic impacted the level of rigor of their courses, the number of students in courses, and even the content covered in their courses,” said Brittany Conley, research analyst, NACS OnCampus Research. “Looking more at the course material side of things, 30% of faculty reported the pandemic affected how much course materials were used in their courses.”

Faculty Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 968 faculty members at 17 two- and four-year institutions in the U.S. and Canada, include:

Print usage declined. Use of traditional print materials declined much quicker than it had in previous years. Print usage, despite the increase in remote learning, remained strong at 77% of faculty in 2020, however, that was down from 86% the year before and 88% the year before that. Among all formats, though, 24% of faculty still prefer to use traditional print materials and 20% prefer a print textbook with a digital component such as an access code. Similarly, the Student Watch™ 2020 Report showed 48% of students preferred some type of print course materials.

E-book usage increased. E-book usage saw the largest year-over-year rise in usage of all measured formats. In 2020, 62% of faculty used e-books for their courses, up from 53% the previous year.

LMS usage increased. The use of learning management systems (LMS) also rose this year with 84% of faculty using an LMS to provide course content to students. In 2020, faculty used an LMS more widely than traditional print materials, the first year this has occurred.

Inclusive access usage increased. The percent of faculty who have used inclusive access has nearly doubled each year since the 2016-17 academic year. In 2020, 21% of faculty members had used inclusive access at least once before, up from 12% the year before. (Inclusive access programs enable students to access digital course materials by the first day of class at a reduced cost, usually through an optional fee or charge.)

Format changes aren’t temporary. The majority of faculty (73%) believe more frequent use of technology or digital content will continue in higher education long-term. And 73% also reported they personally had been exposed to new technology or courseware this year that they plan to continue using for the long run.

Course changes also aren’t temporary. The majority of faculty think some of the changes seen in 2020 will remain in higher education even after COVID-19 is no longer an issue. More than 70% of faculty believe more hybrid/HyFlex models (mixed online and in-person course structures) will continue long-term and more than half also believe more online-only courses will stick around.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

Faculty Watch Infographic

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Try Something New and Different (to You)

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 19:32:11 GMT

These days, campus stores may be on the prowl for new products and services to bolster their revenues. Even more, to minimize their investment, stores are looking for ideas that have already been tested out by industry colleagues.

So here’s a list of possibilities. At CAMEX 2020 in New Orleans, the educational session Unexpected Retail Strategies to Capture New Revenue offered a host of successful promotions, merchandise, and services that speakers Shannon Blackwell and Kara Bunde-Dunn had spotted at campus stores. Blackwell is vice president sales, Prism RBS, Nebraska Book, and Bunde-Dunn was then a senior vice president with Nebraska and is now executive vice president of sales and marketing for Tree of Life Bookstores.

Some of the strategies highlighted in the session have been around for a while, but if your store hasn’t considered them before, now might be the time to see if they’re a fit for your new normal.

Concierge Services for Books

Even before the pandemic upended the traditional ways that stores sold textbooks, some campus stores were already offering special delivery and pickup options:

• UNO Bookstore, University of Nebraska-Omaha, was delivering books in less than 24 hours, utilizing a fulfillment center staffed by student workers in three eight-hour shifts. They delivered to apartments as well as dorms. Pickup within 24 hours was also available.

• The Alvin Community College Store, Alvin, TX, reserves a parking spot during rush to enable students to quickly run in just to pick up a textbook order. “They worked with security to ensure kids don’t get ticketed,” Bunde-Dunn said.

• The Book Mark, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN, takes orders online, boxes up the books, and delivers them to dorm rooms before students arrive.

• To help out upperclassmen who tend to live off-campus, several stores provide a concierge service for ordering materials and then picking them up at the student center on campus at a convenient time. To keep orders straight, the stores provide a confirmation number that’s emailed to purchasers.

Unique Revenue Streams

• In a partnership with Coca-Cola, the USD Torero Store, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, sells a branded refill cup with an RFID chip embedded in the bottom. The chip allows the institution to gather information on where students go on campus and their beverage preferences. The store also rents portable phone chargers, either for a one-time charge or with a monthly subscription. Students can pick up a charger at one retail location and drop off at another.

• Having an onsite screen-printing operation allowed the University of Toronto Bookstore, Toronto, ON, Canada, to offer custom-printed shirts to departments and individuals, bringing a lot of foot traffic into the store. “A lot of academic departments like having that resource,” Blackwell noted. Other stores with in-house printing capabilities have expanded into posters and stickers.

• Some stores have found success with web-based registries where students (or alumni) can set up wish lists for branded gifts, not just for birthdays, but also weddings and baby showers.

• Subscription boxes are a growing service. At several large universities, the quarterly boxes are geared to spirit merchandise, but subscription programs can follow other themes, too. “Imagine doing this with bundles as well,” said Blackwell. “Think about a holiday perspective, or for major games during the year.” She also suggested promoting the program in the local community.

• The Campus Computer Store, University of Texas, Austin, provides a repair service for computers and phones.

• Vending machines that accept student ID cards for payment are also becoming more popular.

• “Students like those things that impact the world in some way,” Blackwell said. Some stores offer cause-based products that are inherently beneficial (free-trade items or made with sustainable materials) or that support certain causes or groups with a percentage of profits. Campus stores may also be able to donate to campus and community causes with designated sales of regular merchandise. Blackwell recommended choosing multiple causes to help, rather than focusing on one.

Campus Relationships

• The 49er Shops, California State University-Long Beach, host a special annual event for alumni, faculty, and staff, featuring food, wine, music—and a showcase of the store’s general merchandise. “It’s an appreciation night, but they also sell a ton of merchandise,” said Bunde-Dunn.

• Try selling tech products to faculty and staff. “They’ve got to get this from someone, why not you?” said Bunde-Dunn. Also offer bulk purchasing to departments and provide delivery service, using student workers.

Unique Retail Space

• Keep your eyes open for opportunities. The Ragin’ Cajun Store, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, noticed the trash can near a campus bus stop was always full of empty coffee cups. So the store set up a small branch shop at the stop to sell coffee. “It was a huge success,” Blackwell said.

• The Campus Store, Pensacola Christian College, Pensacola, FL, installed a grab-and-go convenience store in a dormitory by renovating two rooms.

• Some stores have set up spaces to showcase specific brands of merchandise, similar to what you see at big-box stores. Vendors are often willing to work with stores on merchandising.

Creating Community

• Partner with an art supplies vendor to host an art night where customers can try their hand at a creative project, plus some snacks. Supplies can be offered at a discount.

• Open up a space for musicians to jam and offer special pricing on music supplies.

• Hold regular game nights with board games or electronic games. Offer rental of games for students to enjoy back at the dorm.

• Set up coffee or hot chocolate stations to offer free beverages at select times.

• Show off new apparel arrivals with a “reveal night” at the store. At some schools, what the coaches will be wearing each season is a big deal (if the same gear will be offered in the store), so play it up with a reveal event.

The Evolution of Inclusive Access

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 15:32:25 GMT

Originally posted May 8, 2020. Updated Dec. 22, 2020.

An employee’s experience as a student helps illustrate why the UC Davis Stores decided to put two years of effort into developing an expanded version of inclusive access called “equitable access.”

The employee had grown up in a single-parent household and was the first in his family to attend college. As he hugged his mom goodbye at the end of move-in weekend at the University of California, Davis, she handed him an envelope. She had managed to save up to pay for his course materials.

The envelope contained $100.

But the young man had planned on majoring in aeronautical engineering. For that major, the first textbook alone would cost $215. So, he looked at the other textbooks in the store and switched to a major that used much cheaper titles.

“All the money his mom had saved for him couldn’t buy him one book,” Aaron Ochoa, store director, told the audience at the CAMEX 2020 educational session From Inclusive to Equitable Access: The How and Why Behind the UC Davis Stores Pilot.

“No students ever should have to make that choice,” he said. “You should be able to follow your dreams.”

Equitable access is designed to bring down the total cost of course materials for all students across the board, provide pricing stability from term to term, ensure financial aid will cover materials regardless of the student’s major, and guarantee access to materials from the start, Ochoa explained. In addition, with the plethora of options now on the market, equitable access allows the store to eliminate confusion for students and simplify the process of acquiring course materials.

“We’re bringing this back to our roots, everything in one place,” he said.

While most inclusive access programs are established course by course, UC Davis Stores envisioned equitable access encompassing nearly all courses—what session co-presenter Ryan Peterson, vice president general administration for Verba at VitalSource, dubbed “inclusive access to the max.” He explained full-time students would pay a flat fee of $199 per quarter (excluding the shorter summer term) to receive all of their materials by the first day of class, starting with the fall 2020 term.

“By default, materials are all digital-first,” Peterson said. Faculty still retain the right to select the materials they want for their courses, including materials they created or open resources. Materials that aren’t available in digital at all can be picked up at the bookstore, but otherwise digital is the only format used.

“We are pushing digital,” Ochoa admitted, but noted that his grade-school daughter only does homework on a Chromebook, not with a bound textbook and sheets of paper. “When her class gets to college, they won’t know what to do with a print book,” he said.

How does the store justify the same price for everybody, given that the number and type of course materials can vary widely for different classes and majors?

The answer is that equitable access is treated the same as other fees charged by the institution. Not every student uses every service to the same extent. For example, Ochoa noted, although all UC Davis students ride the bus but they all pay a fee to support the bus service.

“Just as everything else for the course is included in the tuition” that all students pay, added Peterson.

If students really don’t want to shell out for the equitable access fee, they have the choice (as required by state law) to opt out. “But students can opt out only at the program level, not the course level,” Ochoa said.

It took two years for UC Davis to reach this point because much of the work involved negotiations with the 12 largest textbook publishers, all of whom are now on board with the program. The store worked with Milliman, the world’s largest actuarial sciences firm, to crunch numbers to come up with a fee rate that would save students money overall, yet allow a reasonable profit to publishers.

Gaining student buy-in upfront was also important. The store set up a steering committee with 24 students to get their feedback. There was a lot of communication back and forth, but once students saw examples of how they would benefit from equitable access, they were fine with it.

Milliman also helped set up a means for the store and institution to account for revenue from the EA fee, since they weren’t selling an actual product.

It’s a good thing UC Davis Stores managed to get most of this in place before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, because they got an unexpected opportunity for a trial run of equitable access when the university decided to move instruction online. Suddenly the store had to get course materials to students scattered all over.

Many more details about UC Davis Stores’ equitable access program—including more background information on getting the program set up, what’s happened with the program since the CAMEX presentation, and the fast turnaround for the trial run—will be explored in an in-depth feature article in the May/June issue of The College Store magazine.

Openness to Opportunity Can Fill Revenue Gap

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 20:00:37 GMT

Even before the pandemic, course materials revenues were dwindling for many college bookstores, the result of rising competition and shifts to lower-cost formats. Stores are looking for ways to replace that revenue, especially now.

Three campus stores described some of the ways they unearthed more revenue in an educational session at CAMEX 2020 in New Orleans: Redefining Profit in the Age of Affordability. Although the session predates the pandemic, all three stores had previously faced revenue challenges from declining textbook sales.

For Matt Portner, Jared Ceja, and Julie Banks, CCR, the key has often been the willingness to take a risk on new things, capitalizing on opportunities as they arise, and developing campus relationships.

“One strategy is just trying everything and it’s been effective,” said Banks, director, University of Dayton Bookstore, Dayton, OH. She gets ideas from talking to industry colleagues and attending conferences and webinars.

The 49er Shops, California State University, Long Beach, positioned general merchandise more prominently by rearranging departments within the building. For instance, computers and tech products (a destination department) moved from the bottom floor to the second, freeing up room on the first floor for GM items. GM sales are growing with “the last five years better than the previous seven,” said Ceja, formerly director of bookstore services at the 49er Shops and now executive director of the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation.

The store also brought in a credit union to provide financing for laptop purchases, providing an added revenue boost. Departmental computer purchases also go through the store.

Portner, auxiliary services director at Ashland University, Ashland, OH, found himself with a very special opportunity when his university became the education provider for 67 correctional facilities in 10 states. The students in these programs don’t have access to Wi-Fi, so they all need print textbooks. Portner jumped at the chance to supply the books, even though it was overwhelming for the Ashland University Bookstore at first. Ashland enrolls about 2,200 undergraduates a year, but the correctional programs totaled more than 3,000 students.

“We struggled for a while, but I was adamant our campus store be the provider for these programs,” Portner said. Instead of the institution hiring a procurement officer to handle textbooks for the program, the store was able to add a full-time textbook manager.

Banks was also able to grab onto a similar opportunity at Dayton. “It always dumbfounded me that they outsourced our stadium shop to a third party,” she said. But when the stadium underwent a major renovation, she saw a chance for the bookstore to take over the retail space in the stadium.

The move paid off. “We’ve seen our GM sales skyrocket,” Banks said.

How can the campus store find out about opportunities? One way is by maintaining close relationships with other entities on campus, which increases the chances the store will hear about something going on and also make others more aware of the store’s capabilities.

At the 49er Shops, connecting with the campus is important. “All of our management team is involved in volunteering at campus events,” Ceja said. Over time, a number of functions have come under the store’s umbrella, including department purchasing, warehouse, property management, and lost and found. The store stepped up to handle these services when the previous managers resigned or retired.

Portner’s store at Ashland also manages services such as procurement for office supplies, paper, and water, adding on a small margin for these purchases. The store is responsible for trademarks and licensing as well. “That allows us to stay in the game with custom printing,” he said, along with engraving services for nametags, nameplates, trophies, and award plaques.

“We’re setting ourselves up to be the source,” he noted.

However, while he’s prepared to tackle new opportunities when they show up, Portner also realizes he needs to take some precautions on the institution’s behalf. “I like to be pretty careful. We look at things. Can I break even this year? That means I miss a lot of things,” he said. He keeps his eye out for procurement or business activities that already align with what the store is doing.

Ceja did the same thing. “We try to capture everything that’s not value-added,” he said.

The University of Dayton Bookstore handles mailing services and has become the campus shipping center.

Despite searching out general merchandise and services to bump their bottom lines, none of the three had given up on course materials sales, though.

Banks pointed to a “robust rental program,” a growing inclusive access program, and “sourcing lots of used books more strategically” as efforts that have succeeded at the Dayton campus, although she recognized that each school’s needs may be different. “You have to find programs that work for your store,” she said.

She makes a habit of sitting down with instructors to explain the services available at the store and how they can be customized to suit.

Rentals and used books have declined somewhat at the 49er Shops, but the store reclaimed market share with the Day One Digital Access program, which has saved students a lot of money. The store also functions as a gatekeeper for content accessed through the school’s learning management system.

Inclusive access also permitted the Ashland store to regain market share despite a lower margin.

“Inclusive access allowed us to transition the discussion from ‘We just sell books’ to ‘We offer a level of efficiency and expertise,’” Portner said.

Stores and Libraries Team Up for Affordability

cruckman@nacs.org (Cindy Ruckman) — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 21:49:24 GMT

Some campus bookstores have built successful relationships with their campus libraries. Rather than butting heads over open educational resources, they’re working together to advance OER initiatives at their institutions.

Store/library partnerships at Bloomsburg University, Kutztown University, Franklin and Marshall College, University of Pittsburgh, and Villanova University were spotlighted in an Oct. 13 webinar sponsored by Affordable Learning PA, a grant-funded project of the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium Inc. ALPA supports an active community of practice on OER at colleges and universities in the region.

One of the ways in which the partnerships have been most fruitful is in working together to assist faculty in understanding all their options with course materials, including what’s available in open resources. Campus libraries were also able to help back up the store’s adoption requests to faculty.

At the University Stores at Pitt, for instance, Executive Director Monica Rattigan said she’d had trouble getting faculty who had adopted OER materials to submit those titles along with their book orders. Many instructors didn’t see why the store would need that information. But the campus library helped in getting professors to realize the value to students of showing OERs on the course booklists.

At both Villanova and Franklin and Marshall, the library encouraged faculty to get all book orders in on time, so the store could shop around for best pricing for students.

Since campus libraries are in the business of lending materials to as many patrons as possible, it’s easy to see why libraries are enthusiastic about OER adoptions. But it may seem counterintuitive to some for the campus store to share that enthusiasm and work with the library. That cooperative support for OER has paid off for the Bloomsburg University Store.

“Our OER efforts have helped us not be the bad guy any more,” said Manager Laura Heger. Students are now coming around to see that the store is on their side.

“OER and the bookstore are not mutually exclusive,” said Jackie Downing, faculty liaison for the Kutztown Campus Store. She noted the importance of making “the campus aware of (the store’s) high-minded goals” with affordable solutions such as OER.

None of the store panelists participating in the webinar felt that their bottom lines had been impacted much by faculty using OER. “We’ve not seen significant losses in the store,” Rattigan said.

For the stores with inclusive access programs, the close relationship with the library also means librarians are more aware of the program’s scope and can promote it to faculty when OER is not an option. “If I’m working with faculty and can’t get them OER but I’m pretty sure it’s available in inclusive access, I can refer them to that,” said Katie Yelinek, government documents and reference librarian at Bloomsburg.

The store/library partnerships work, in large measure, because both parties communicate often and share information. For the campus store, that means making faculty adoptions available to the library.

“Fortunately, this panel of bookstores is very collaborative, but I have spoken to libraries in other states that have not had that experience,” said Dan Stafford, OER and emerging tech librarian at Kutztown. Linda Hauck, business librarian at Villanova, suggested that institutions could include sharing adoption information in their contracts or agreements with stores operated by third parties.

Breakwater Tech to Acquire resero Assets from NACS

Sat, 26 Sep 2020 02:09:01 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Breakwater Tech to Acquire resero Assets from NACS

The retail management solution will continue to serve the higher education retail market.

OBERLIN, OHIO (Sept. 25, 2020) —The National Association of College Stores (NACS) and Breakwater Tech announced today, through a signed letter of intent, mutual intentions for Breakwater Tech to acquire the assets related to the resero retail management solution from NACS. Breakwater Tech is led by founder and COO Chris Przybylski and CEO Russell McDonald. Together they will manage the resero portfolio and lead new initiatives in the higher education retail market.

“We see the spinoff from NACS as the next logical step in the success of resero. The association has served as a great steward of the business for the past two years and made a long-term investment in the success of the independent campus store; but the time has come for a new era to begin,” said Przybylski. “I can’t thank NACS CEO Ed Schlichenmayer enough for the opportunity that he provided me working under the association and we will continue to serve the NACS membership and mission.”

“NACS has provided a successful incubator space for the resero business line and we think now is the right time for it to graduate to the next phase. We’re pleased Chris is able to acquire the solution and have the utmost confidence that he’ll continue to grow the business and commit to the long-term success of the industry,” said Schlichenmayer.

“We’re excited to take the resero business to the next level,” said McDonald, “and given the successful incubation of resero by NACS, we start day one with a fully operational product that can serve the needs of a wide spectrum of campuses. Because of the head start NACS has provided, we can focus on implementations and customer success rather than the usual approach of selling first, developing later. Breakwater’s commitment to the educational market is one I share wholeheartedly. Without ties to book deals, resero truly aligns the campus bookstore with the higher ed mission: the best educational experience at the lowest cost.”

The Breakwater team will be assuming immediate management of resero operation and the transaction is expected to be finalized within 60 days.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

About Breakwater Tech: Breakwater Tech is a technology and consulting company dedicated to designing, developing, and implementing top-tier solutions for campus commerce, in-person and online. At its core, the Breakwater mission is inspired by a belief in the power of higher education to enhance the lives of individuals and society. Breakwater offers state-of-the-art SaaS software and expert guidance to make our partner institutions optimally efficient, user-friendly, and effective, all supported by people who share a deep commitment to higher education. With Breakwater Tech’s innovative software and expert human resources, institutions are meeting the growing need for affordable and broadly available education.

Check Out New Distributors, While They Check You

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 19:52:58 GMT

In this new normal, perhaps your store is thinking of shaking up its merchandise mix, adding something new or carrying different items to serve the at-home customer. Maybe you need to find a new distributor.

Before signing up a new distributor, check their credentials against a list of eight factors recommended in the CAMEX 2020 educational session, What to Expect from Distributors (and What They Expect from You). And, as the session title promises, there are also a few things an experienced distributor wants to see in a prospective client store.

Session presenter Dave Harris, president of Pens, Etc., has been in the distribution business a long time and witnessed a lot of consolidation in the collegiate retail industry. There are fewer independent college stores as well. “We’re survivors,” he told the CAMEX audience.

It’s important for campus stores to find distributors who can be a partner, not just a provider of certain products. Harris put together a list of attributes, grouped into eight categories that store managers and buyers should review when considering a new distributor or supplier (or use the list to evaluate how well existing vendors stack up).

Reliability, experience, and knowledge

“If you’re looking at picking a general merchandise category, how long have they been in business?” Harris said. Consider whether the company takes a “shotgun approach” to certain products (offering them only for a set period of time) or a “rifle approach” (products are available year-round).

Operational excellence

“How many times have you spent time fixing invoices, when freight was added when it shouldn’t have?” Harris asked. Look at the distributor’s track record with billing, shipping, packing mixed cartons, packing slips, and credits for returned or damaged items. The ability to accept online orders reduces the chance of human error.

Do they offer same-day shipping? “That’s not very hard to do. You’re trying to keep your inventory turning at a proper rate,” Harris said. “If you can’t ship same day, it’s probably time to look for a different distributor.”

Using environmentally responsible packing materials is another plus. “Students care about that,” he noted.

Involvement in the industry

Vendors who proactively participate in organizations in the college store industry and are aware of trends and events are in a better position to understand the needs of campus stores, in Harris’ view.

Open communication

“I think you should be able to talk to a real person” when the store needs information or has a problem, Harris said. Representatives should have the authority to make decisions or put the store in touch with management. The company should also be willing to hear feedback from the store.

On the flip side, a good distributor will keep stores informed. “If we hear somebody’s got something that’s selling like crazy, we’ll let the reps know and they can share it with stores,” Harris said.

Helpful website

A fully functioning web operation is where some suppliers may not come up to snuff. Vendors are still struggling with getting all the online tools in place, but it’s something that stores should take into consideration.

“Can you get order history, how many open orders you have, credits?” he asked. Stores should be able to view all of the company’s policies (such as freight and payment terms) on the website, along with full product catalogs, current promotions, and especially real-time pricing. If the vendor offers displays, a detailed description with a breakdown of the items and price points should be included.

Experienced customer service

Ask how much turnover there’s been with the customer service staff and how much experience they represent on average. “Does the customer service person make you feel like the most important person in the world?” Harris said.

Capable field sales staff

Again, turnover rates and experience can tell a lot about whether the reps will be able to service your store effectively. Other things to look for, according to Harris: extensive product knowledge, honesty and integrity, prompt return of calls or emails, and respect for all employees at the store. They can also “point out what’s hot and what’s not” to assist stores in product selection, Harris added. And if they recommend a product, will they take it back if it simply doesn’t sell on your campus?

Tools to compete at the retail level

An effective distributor will be aware of industry best practices, seek out new products to differentiate their selection, and offer opportunities for all retailers to make some money with specials and pricing integrity.

On the other hand, what characteristics does a distributor look for in an independent campus store partner? Number one on Harris’ list is that store managers are actively engaged with the school administrators and demonstrate the value of institutional operation.

Financial literacy and responsibility come next. “Are we going to be paid and on time?” he said. The store should comprehend the true cost of ownership (such as factoring in personnel and freight), know how to manage inventory turns, and understand how to take advantage of incentive and promotional programs.

Being open to new products (with realistic expectations), willingness to hear advice and recommendations, and not being afraid to try new technical tools are also important to suppliers, Harris said. Those qualities enable the distributor to provide more help and support to the campus store.

Ways to Max Reduced Display Space

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 20:31:12 GMT

Once rush is over, most campus stores turn their focus to general merchandise. This year, it’s especially important to make the most of those GM sales. However, the physical store has a new challenge: ensuring customers maintain social distancing.

You may have had to remove some fixtures to create wider aisles and expand the open area by checkouts. Protective plexiglass barriers, signage, and sanitizer stations may also be eating up square footage. The end result is less room to show off products.

The CAMEX 2020 session, Do More with Less: Maximizing Your Merchandising Space, offers some tips that may help. Although the session was aimed at stores that have downsized their overall footprint, the suggestions can also apply to stores that have less net footage to work with. Session presenters were Randy Stejskal from Nebraska Book’s Campus Store Design and Mark Palmore, now retired from Nebraska’s Campus Advisory Services.

Here are some of their tips for boosting your sales and merchandising when you have less room. Some may seem like basic practices, but these often get overlooked when operations and staffing are disrupted:

Check your sales figures by department, both recent numbers as well as the same period last year. This is to gauge the return of each department and allot available space accordingly. For your top sellers, you may want to retain the same space or even increase it, while reducing or eliminating space for items that bring in less net revenue. (If you decide to benchmark with other stores, be sure to measure your floor space accurately, Palmore advised. Exclude storage, offices, or anything that’s not retail selling space.)

Track and measure your basic and seasonal assortments within each department to determine your turn rate, which may be different now. “Watch for holes on the sales floor” where products have run out, Stejskal cautioned. “Get them out of the stockrooms and onto the floor” or place an order to arrive before the shelf is bare. Palmore advised avoiding stockouts on key items and know which vendors can ship merch the fastest. If you’re out, students probably won’t check back later.

Place seasonal products at the front of the store but not necessarily right by the entrance. Especially right now, customers need a buffer area when they enter and they might miss seasonal items if positioned just inside. Also, if you have one-way entrances and exits, customers may feel awkward about lingering around the entrance to look at items.

Avoid the urge to stuff a lot of product onto fixtures in a pared-down selling space. That creates a visual jumble; the eye can’t pick out products. Stejskal recommended organizing merchandise by category first, then product. On a tall shelf unit, he said it’s usually best not to put items on the top or bottom shelves. Keep it clean and simple.

Utilize your wall space for merchandise. Hat walls are becoming popular, but the same concept could work for other items.

Let your student workers come up with merchandising ideas, Stejskal said. Visit other stores that students frequent to see what they’re doing. “Field trips are always good, whether looking for the good or for the bad,” he said.

If you use mannequins to display apparel or accessories, make sure those products are placed right there where customers can easily find them. “Remember you’re not trying to make the mannequin look good, you’re trying to sell the products,” Palmore noted.

Look for high-capacity fixtures that offer more shelf space with a smaller footprint.

Customer appreciation events featuring food, music, and vendor samples have always been a great promotion—even in a pandemic. An in-store event might not be a good idea right now, but consider an outdoor venue. Or try streaming video or social media to hold contests and offer limited-time specials.

Store Plans Dorm Delivery to Curtail Crowding

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 20:32:13 GMT

In a normal fall rush, the Luther College Campus Shop, Decorah, IA, would be packed with students shopping for course materials and supplies. But this is not a normal year.

In an effort to reduce the throng of shoppers and avoid the risk of the coronavirus, the bookstore is taking a different approach.

“We’re coordinating delivery to students’ dorm rooms, so less contact,” explained Deanna Casterton, store director.

If students go online to order their textbooks—and anything else they want from the Campus Shop—by Aug. 25, their order will be delivered directly to their dorm room, probably before they even move in.

The store is getting some help from a couple of other campus departments for this new endeavor.

“Naturally we had to speak with Residence Life to get the logistics, who’s on campus when,” Casterton said. “They’re helping us work around dorm assignments.”

Student athletes come in early. First-year students move in the last weekend in August, with returning students arriving immediately after that. Residence Life agreed to provide all room assignments and the scheduled arrival time for each occupant.

“In a normal case, they’d probably say no to us to protect students’ privacy,” Casterton acknowledged. “But in this case, they were absolutely willing to help us.”

Casterton said the store plans to organize deliveries by residence hall, checking not only when each customer is due to arrive but also their roommate. The idea is to drop off the order when no one’s there to minimize contact.

“We’ll still knock and announce ourselves,” she said. “We won’t put a foot in the room, just open the door, put the bag of books on the floor, and then lock it up.”

As an added precaution, a photo will be taken of each labeled delivery bag next to the number on the dorm door.

The store is working with the Facilities office to get a master key to open the dorm rooms. While student employees will be assisting with deliveries, only a regular full-time staffer will have a master key and will be responsible for actually placing the bag in the room.

Casterton also asked Facilities for their recommendations on how to transport the bags. They suggested a rolling laundry cart. “I said, ‘You mean the kind you hide people in during escapes?’” she laughed. Nonetheless, she’s doing a dry run this week to test it out before the actual delivery.

Since this is the first time for the delivery service, she has no idea how long it will take. Usually the Luther College Book Shop gets some 1,300 orders (from an enrollment of 1,600), but there’s no way to predict how many orders might come in this year. Although the store is still renting textbooks, not as many titles are offered. There are also fewer student workers to help with rush this year.

The plan is to get all orders delivered before the customer moves in. If that doesn’t happen, or if students order after the cutoff date, then they can pick up their purchase at the store. In the email sent to students with their scheduled one-hour move-in time, Residence Life also let them know they had one hour after that to collect their orders from the Campus Shop. That will also help to spread out traffic at the store.

For students who will be doing remote instruction, orders will be shipped free to their home.

“I’m so thankful I have campus colleagues to work with us. There are times when people really shine. Who’s helping the students? Everything we do is for the students,” Casterton said. “This is a perfect example.”

The Digital Way to Personalized Store Service

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 20:34:44 GMT

Most incoming college students, or their parents, don’t know much about computer hardware. So when it’s time for first-years to head off to school, they need some help picking out the right machine for their class work.

That’s where the Hawk Shop and University Bookstore at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, comes in. The store provides an online questionnaire to help guide students to recommended computer models that meet their specific needs. The service tripled the store’s sales in the first year.

Ruby Bollinger, assistant director of retail operations at the Hawk Shop, described how the service came to be in her CAMEX 2020 session presentation, Using Technology to Provide Customer Value.

Not so long ago, like a number of campus stores, the Hawk Shop and University Bookstore was experiencing flat sales in its technology department. The store is a certified Apple Store and also offers Microsoft Surface, along with an array of accessories. But as Bollinger noted, “There was very little loyalty to the bookstore” when it came to buying a computer. Students, as well as faculty and staff, had lots of other options, and often cost was a deciding factor.

At the time the store relied on tried-and-true marketing tactics to sell computer hardware, with catalog-style images of each model and a bullet list of features and pricing posted on the store’s website. The site was easy to shop—if the customer knew exactly what they wanted.

When customers came into the store, though, they got the benefit of personal service attention from a sales associate who could ask questions to find out how they intended to use the computer and their budget.

Bollinger said she tried to get more prospective customers into the store to take advantage of that personal touch. She planned a special sales event and promoted it on the website and in email.

Food was brought in for the event and extra associates were scheduled to work in anticipation of a crowd. But on the day of the sale, Bollinger said, “We waited. And waited. People we thought would come in didn’t. We had a slight bump in sales, but it was the event that wasn’t.”

Clearly something had to change with marketing. A new supervisor encouraged Bollinger to try a different approach.

She decided to see if the personal in-store service could be replicated in an online format. Simply listing models and features wasn’t enough. “Do you give them the exact same experience as when they’re standing face-to-face with you?” she asked.

Using Qualtrics survey software, which the university had already licensed for other purposes, Bollinger developed an online form that led customers through a series of friendly questions about their computer needs.

“I had to learn the program as well, it took a bit,” she said. She opted for Qualtrics, rather than one of the popular quick-survey services such as SurveyMonkey, because it can create branching questions—depending on which answer the taker chooses, the follow-up questions will be different. “I created one with 157 questions on the back side,” although customers saw only about a dozen questions or so.

A link to the survey questionnaire was set up on the store’s website, but unbeknownst to Bollinger, her supervisor arranged to send out a promotional email with the link as well. Since Bollinger received an automated email every time a completed survey was submitted, suddenly her inbox blew up.

“My email went crazy,” Bollinger recalled. “It went on forever, all day.” In all, there were 700 emails from customers interested in buying a computer. Compare that to the 30 or so machines the store normally sells at a sales event.

It became plain the Hawk Shop had tapped into a lot of “people who want the convenience of in-store shopping but not necessarily the face-to-face of it,” she said. The questionnaire provides personal service, combined with speed and 24/7 convenience, with educational discounts as an added benefit.

The questionnaire was also handy for the twice-a-year faculty and staff sale. “Professors and staff want you to respect their time. They want it to be very easy to use,” Bollinger told the session audience. “They liked it. The next year we had amazing results.”

For freshman orientation, the store partnered with the admissions office to send out a special email with the survey link to incoming students. It took a couple years to get the admissions folks on board with the idea, but now they send the email after the welcome packet has been delivered. The email explains how the store can help alleviate stress by enabling the student to choose the right computer and have it waiting for them when they arrive on campus (or they can arrange for shipment).

The orientation pitch paid off. “Before the first day of the term, we had sold as many computers as the whole term before,” she said.

Bollinger said orders are tracked on a massive color-coded spreadsheet. The data also assists store buyers “so they know what they’re ordering for next year.”

Potential customers coming directly to the Hawk Shop’s website will find a “Buy Your Computer” promo right on the home page, with a link to “Find the Right Computer” immediately underneath. The link takes the customer to the orientation page and a bright yellow box with the “Get Your Computer Recommendation” survey link.

NACS Report: Student Spending on Course Materials Continues to Decline

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT

2019-20 Academic Year Shows Students Spend Less on Materials Per Course

OBERLIN, OHIO (June 25, 2020) —College student total spending on required course materials declined slightly from the previous academic year while the average spend per course dropped 6%, according to the Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2020 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college students. During the 2019-20 academic year, students spent an average of $413 on required materials, compared to $415 in 2018-19.

Since the 2007-08 academic year, student spending on course materials has dropped about 41%. With the exception of 2015-16, each year showed a significant decline in spending from the previous year.

“The Student Watch data also showed that students enrolled in more courses this year, which likely affected their overall spending on course materials,” said Brittany Conley, research analyst, NACS OnCampus Research. “Averaged out, students spent $47 per course on materials this year, compared to $50 per course last year.”

Funded by the NACS Foundation, Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from approximately 14,200 college students attending 35 two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S., include:

Use of digital materials continues to grow. One in every five paid materials was a digital unit this year, compared to one in seven paid materials last year, a sharp increase year over year. The percent of students downloading free materials online also rose, doubling from spring 2019 to 26% in spring 2020.
Students spent more on technology than course materials. Students spent $100+ more on technology for their courses this year than they did for course materials. Last year students spent about the same between the two categories, and the year before that technology spending was only around $20 higher than course materials spending.
Students wait to obtain course materials. The percentage of students who have the majority of their materials ready on the first day of class has been declining in recent years. In 2019-20, just 34% had the majority of their materials before classes started. Of those students who did not have most of their materials by the first day, 67% said they delayed in order to find out if the materials were really necessary.
Some students don’t obtain all materials. About 28% of students say they didn’t obtain at least one of their required materials in 2019-20, up from 25% last year. Although 57% of that group point to price as a reason for not obtaining their materials, they also cited other reasons, including not wanting or thinking the materials were needed (45%), other students said it was unnecessary (35%), or the professor said it was unnecessary (29%).
Students value course materials. Eighty percent of students say they learn at least a moderate amount from their course materials. The majority (69%) say they’re satisfied with their materials regardless of cost. Only one in 10 students say they’re dissatisfied with the quality of their course materials.
More than half are satisfied with inclusive access. Fifty-one percent of students participating in at least one inclusive access course indicated satisfaction with the delivery model, while 21% indicated dissatisfaction. The top reason for dissatisfaction among the 21% of students dissatisfied was not liking the digital format. Inclusive access programs deliver course materials, most often in digital formats, by the first day of class at a reduced cost, typically as a fee or included in tuition.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

About The NACS Foundation: In operation for almost four decades, the NACS Foundation is the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals.

Inclusiveness and Six Principles of Engagement for Excellence—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Practice

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 20:35:58 GMT

From the NACS Policy Manual:

NACS is committed to an inclusive environment, which welcomes values and uses the unique qualities of its diverse membership to achieve common goals and encourages the incorporation of a wide variety of members’ experiences and perspectives as the organization faces the challenges of an ever-changing business environment. (12/96)

Principles of Engagement for Excellence—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Practice

Principle One—Understand the Value of Diversity, the Integrity of Equity, and the Benefit of Inclusive Practice

Recognize that this work is more than doing the right thing; it is also about valuing the knowledge and perspectives that people from diverse backgrounds and affiliations contribute to productively responding to the challenges faced by higher education.

Principle Two—Identify the Elements of Association Members’ Work That Can Be Leveraged to Make a Difference

Focus on offering guidance that is consistent with members’ roles as well as important and relevant to their responsibilities. Find ways to share information and 3 expertise and foster understanding.

Principle Three—Model Inclusive Practices in all of the Association’s Work

Focus the Association’s work on demonstrating what inclusive practice looks like at the Association’s national office.

Principle Four—Connect Cultural Competence to Performance Outcomes

Emphasize personal responsibility and accountability for diversifying the development of the student body and the workforce, understanding the role of cultural competence in high performing teams, and realizing that conflict around differences has the impact of weakening team performance.

Principle Five—Build Association’s Capacity to Assist its Organizational Members by Offering Relevant Education and Professional Development

Teach association staff, volunteer leaders and members how to build consensus around their organization’s goals for diversity, develop partnerships, identify resources to do the work, develop leadership at all levels to implement consensus goals, and communicate the centrality of this work to the vitality of higher education.

Principle Six—Assess Progress Toward Achieving Goals for Diversity

Foster a culture of experimentation with diversity efforts and engagement with difference, establish and use assessment results for organizational learning and develop/adopt assessment metrics for the Associations to monitor their progress over time. (11/11)

The Evolution of Inclusive Access

Fri, 08 May 2020 20:37:14 GMT

The envelope contained $100.

“No students ever should have to make that choice,” he said. “You should be able to follow your dreams.”

“We’re bringing this back to our roots, everything in one place,” he said.

How does the store justify the same price for everybody, given that the number and type of course materials can vary widely for different classes and majors?

The answer is that equitable access is treated the same as other fees charged by the institution. Not every student uses every service to the same extent. For example, Ochoa noted, "not all students ride the bus, but they all pay a fee to support the bus service."

“Just as everything else for the course is included in the tuition” that all students pay, added Peterson.

Milliman also helped set up a means for the store and institution to account for revenue from the EA fee, since they weren’t selling an actual product.

Note: This article has been edited since publication to reflect student use of fee services.

Rising to the Challenge: Carnegie Mellon University Bookstore and Harvard Coop

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:38:41 GMT

Campus stores are scrambling to help their colleges and universities deal with the threat of coronavirus. Among them, the Carnegie Mellon University Bookstore, Pittsburgh, PA, and the Harvard Coop, Cambridge, MA, which serves both Harvard University and MIT, have been taking a number of steps.

All three institutions have shut down in-person classes and are moving instruction online for the rest of the academic year.

“Things are changing here on a daily—even hourly—basis, just like everywhere else,” said Kathleen K. Grace, CCR, director of university stores at CMU. “The main concern is the health of our people, of course. We want everyone to be safe.” To that end the bookstore has been extra-diligent about sanitation, such as wiping keyboards and credit-card terminals and reminding staff to wash and sanitize their hands.

Keeping the lines of communication open with employees has also been important. Grace said that at staff meetings employees have been encouraged to air their concerns and questions, and she is passing those along to the administration. “I think it helps just to know that we all have a lot of mutual concerns and we’re not in this alone,” she said.

One big concern is employee hours. “Our managers have talked about work for people to do even if we don’t have customers, like taking inventories, creating website videos, etc.,” Grace said. “We’ve done a lot of cross-training but still have opportunities to do more.” Some staffers are now able to catch up on special projects they didn’t have time for before.

The CMU Bookstore is carefully weighing its merchandise needs for now and over the next few months. The store slowed down its markdown schedule in case there were issues with receiving product down the road. But the uncertainty of campus events is making it difficult to plan ahead. The store will need merchandise for the summer session as well as its annual summer residential program for high schoolers—assuming they aren’t cancelled or conducted online.

“We don’t want to be overstocked if those don’t happen,” Grace said. “We’re also hedging our bets for fall. We’re concentrating on the basics, making sure we have them in stock. We’re working with our vendors to monitor the status of our orders. If things aren’t going to arrive as expected, we need to know and then make decisions about our plan for that product.”

The store has already cancelled some orders and postponed others. But, unexpectedly, the store has also placed some rush orders.

“The rush orders are mostly technology product,” she explained. “Our Technology Store has been inundated with orders as faculty and staff who can are transitioning to working from home. In some cases, that means laptops. In other cases, it means monitors and mice.”

Store staff have discussed what type of core products might be needed and how to continue delivery. “We’re also thinking about students who need to stay on campus, what needs they may have, and how we might be able to help them,” Grace said.

The physical store is closing for at least two weeks, in response to a plea from the governor that all retail shops shutter for now (except groceries and pharmacies), but online sales will still be processed. Even before the governor’s directive, the store staff had already started putting together an action plan in case the bricks-and-mortar location had to close.

“We’ve talked about the possibility of moving our technology product operation to our shared warehouse a couple miles away. We could order, receive, and process computer orders there. We could deliver with our truck locally and ship other units,” Grace said.

At the Harvard Coop, similar strategies are underway now that students living on the Harvard campus have moved back home for the rest of the term. “The spring semester had already begun, so our issue is more on how to deal with rentals that students have,” said Jerry Murphy, Coop president.

Traffic and sales immediately dropped, not surprisingly, and the store—which normally hosts numerous events throughout the year—cancelled everything on the schedule for the next two months. The Coop responded at first by shortening hours, Murphy said, particularly at the on-campus locations. “Our priority is being sensitive to employee needs and concerns and adjusting schedules, etc., as needed,” he said.

With many students no longer on campus, “we are focusing more on our online platform to reach our students and members and fill their needs through that channel,” he explained. On Monday, it was decided to shut down all five Coop locations until at least April 7.

Like the CMU Bookstore, though, the Harvard Coop plans to operate through its website and email. Since many employees will be working remotely, customer phone inquiries have been suspended.

“It’s a fluid situation with decisions needed to be made daily,” Murphy added. “The other major decision we are waiting on is how Harvard and MIT will handle commencement and reunions.”

Rising to the Challenge: One Store’s Response

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 20:40:05 GMT

Many campus stores are considering how to respond if their institution moves classes online or makes other changes that affect normal campus life.

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, has not yet decided about classes, but the Syracuse University Bookstore has already taken some steps, according to Director Roger Hailstork:

How will the store operate?

We as a store are operating on spring break hours for the rest of the month. Syracuse University has not announced as of yet if they will close for the entire spring so we are still uncertain if there will be classes hosted back on campus.

Is your store closing or cutting hours? Any planned changes in staffing?

We are closing one hour earlier each day and will not be open on weekends. We will determine in a week or so (dependent on traffic) how we will handle student and temporary employees. Our university has asked us all to not make drastic cuts to student hours if they are available to work. We will have local students still here that we will still need during the reduction. We will try to be as considerate as possible for all employees because this is an action that can have real negative effects on people’s lives and we want to be sensitive to that.

How will you deal with the start of spring term? Textbooks?

We are in the spring term now and we end the semester the third week of April. We have begun to return textbooks to the publishers. We have an increasing larger number of digital options which goes hand in hand with the university’s decision.

Any plans to use online or social media to reach out to students?

Right now, our students can remain and are simply on spring break. It depends on the final university announcement on the status of the remainder of the semester but what we will do is make sure students know the availability of digital books if they have not received them yet and try to facilitate possibly a discounted purchase for them wherever they are residing. We also oversee the student summer storage services. We have asked our partner vendor to remain on high alert just in case we have many students wanting to just leave and place their belongings in storage now.

Any plans to expand e-commerce service in some way?

No, however what we are doing is looking to waive any fees associated (local delivery fees) with things that happen to students related to the university actions. It’s important that in no way we look like we are profiting from anything occurring. For instance, we do not deliver to nonuniversity housing (apartments), however, we have waived that prohibition and will not charge a delivery fee. We must remember a lot of students are not going anywhere because they have 12-month leases and may not have the means to travel. So, they will be here and possibly need our services.

Five Steps to Build Your Micro-Resilience

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 21:41:11 GMT

Paralympics medalist Bonnie St. John has shopped in a lot of campus stores.

In addition to the ones at her own alma maters, the keynote speaker at the CAMEX 2020 Closing Session has also browsed the stores at five different institutions attended by her three daughters. “I love campus stores and being on a campus,” she told the audience in New Orleans.

She also views college stores as crucial to the student experience on campus. “You’re serving education, helping young people grow up and enter the world,” St. John said, but also acknowledged that the intensive day-to-day work of campus store professionals can be draining.

That’s where evidence-based resilience comes in. “Resilience” is how St. John sums up the ability to keep going even when problems arise, to push yourself to do your best when it counts most, and to power through adversity with a positive attitude.

Like Cassandra Worthy in the Opening Session and Keynote (see the Feb. 21 issue of CM), St. John believes that turning around negative thoughts is critical to dealing with disruption and change, whether in meeting the challenges of routine work responsibilities or major setbacks. “There are many practical things you can do to be less exhausted mentally, emotionally, and even physically,” she said.

St. John developed the concept of resilience through a lifetime of facing extraordinary challenges. At age five, her right leg had to be amputated due to a medical disorder. “When I got my first artificial leg, I had to learn how to walk all over again,” she recalled. She endured abuse from her stepfather, “which later affected my ability to ask for help.”

She had to figure out how to do sports and became intrigued by downhill skiing, despite the fact she lived in San Diego, CA—not exactly ski country. When it became apparent in her teens that she had the talent to compete in skiing, she had to move (by herself) to the opposite coast to attend a Vermont prep school and ski academy.

Through resilience, St. John was able to slalom her way to a bronze medal in the 1984 Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria, becoming the first African-American to medal in Winter Olympics history. As only the third-ranked female skier on the U.S. team, she wasn’t expected to get a medal. “Just getting to be on the team was so exciting,” she said.

In slalom competitions, skiers must finish two courses and the best combined time wins. On her first course, St. John’s time was the best in the world. The second course, however, had a slick spot that caused most of the competitors to fall—including St. John. “The person who won also crashed,” she said. “But she got up faster.”

The lesson she took away from that: “You’re at the top of the game and resilience still matters,” she said. “When you’re doing well, how can you help your team be more resilient?”

Building resilience doesn’t necessarily require a lot of effort or a complicated system, according to St. John. In fact, small steps may be more effective.

She cited research that tried to identify why the top 10 tennis players won more often than the next tier of players. Researchers couldn’t find any common denominator in the way they played—then noticed something interesting in between points. The very best players were observed using these brief moments to rest their serving hand by holding the racket in the other hand or to give themselves quiet pep talks; they remained focused on the game and didn’t get distracted by their surroundings. Those little actions gave them an edge when play resumed.

“So what does that look like if you’re not playing tennis?” asked St. John. Her own research over six years discovered five areas where people can take small “micro-resilience” steps to keep them on track toward their goals and peak performance. She calls them the Five Frameworks:

Refocus your brain.

Reset your primitive alarms.

Reframe your attitude.

Refresh your body.

Renew your spirit.

It’s not possible to maintain a laserlike focus all the time, but you can create “islands of focus” during your day in order to prioritize your attention on things that matter. St. John suggested that might involve finding a quieter place to work or at least to take a moment to gather your thoughts.

She recommended having a conversation with friends, family, and co-workers on the best ways to communicate with you (phone, text, email, in person) during the day, times when they should avoid interrupting you, and the threshold criteria for interruptions. That leads into resetting your alarms: Recognizing the kind of things that may be distracting or annoying, and avoiding them.

Reframing your attitude can help guard against the erosion caused by negative thinking. By nature, St. John noted, humans tend toward the negative, even though positivity produces better results. Her tip was to create “a first-aid kit for your attitude,” items that you can keep close at hand (at your workspace, on your phone) that will lift your spirits. It might be a vacation memento, photos of your kids, inspirational quotes.

“What can help you turn your attitude around quickly?” she asked. “Did you have a bad day or just a bad 20 minutes that you let ruin the rest of the day?” She suggested holding a team-building activity with your staff to encourage them to share their first-aid kits with each other. When someone sees a co-worker is having a bad day, they can be reminded to seek out their kit.

The same idea encompasses renewing your spirit. “Having a touchstone that pulls you back to your values can renew your energy and bring you back to what inspires you,” St. John said.

Refreshing your body may be the easiest step, but is often overlooked at busy times. Even just making sure you’re properly hydrated and your blood sugar is balanced can make a difference.

These five steps can help campus store professionals navigate an increasingly stressful environment. “You can use resilience to be more energized and focused,” St. John concluded.

National Association of College Stores Supports Nationwide #taxbreaks4students Campaign

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH (Feb. 25, 2020) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is supporting the #TaxBreaks4Students campaign. Led by Illinois Congressman Danny K. Davis , the campaign aims to create an awareness of and encourage the nation’s 21 million college students to find out if they qualify for educational tax breaks such as the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC).

“Millions of students and their families who are struggling to pay for college may not realize that they’re eligible to take advantage of education tax benefits,” said Richard Hershman, NACS’ vice president of government relations. “The AOTC provides up to $2,500 a year of the out-of-pocket cost of tuition and qualified education expenses including books, supplies, and equipment needed for a course of study, paid during the taxable year for the first four years of college. Forty percent of the credit is refundable, with the maximum refundable amount of $1,000 allowing taxpayers with zero tax liability to receive a refund.”

Key features of the AOTC include:

Up to $2,500 per student a year for tuition, fees and course materials
Don’t make enough to owe taxes? You STILL may qualify for up to $1,000
For students who are at least half-time in a degree or certificate program, or a program leading to recognized education credential and have no felony drug convictions
Can be used for four years of higher education as long as the school is eligible to participate in a federal student aid program administered by the U.S. Education Department
Available to individuals with less than $90,000 or joint return filers with less than $180,000 in income
Are you an undergraduate? Job training student? Apprentice? See if you qualify https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-eligible-to-claim-an-education-credit

Students not qualifying for the AOTC may qualify instead for up to $2,000 per year for out of pocket tuition and fees, per return, through the Lifetime Learning Credit. The campaign urges students to check out IRS resources to see whether they qualify for these important benefits.

“We applaud Congressman Davis and his staff and appreciate their leadership to create awareness around the important issue of college affordability,” Hershman said. “Combined with proactive campus-based efforts underway to make course materials more affordable for students, that has helped reduce spending on course materials by 41% since 2008, the tax credits go a long way to help students succeed in their academic careers and beyond.”

Students and their families can find out if they qualify for these benefits by visiting http://go.usa.gov/Jvej . Or, check out information from the following tweets from the IRS:

IRSTaxTip – See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #American_Opportunity_Tax_Credit #IRS

#IRSTaxTip – See if you qualify for college tax credits http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #Lifetime_Learning_Credit #IRS

#Education Tax Credits Help Pay Higher Education Costs http://go.usa.gov/Jvej #AOTC

Do you qualify for an #education credit? Check out IRS #Interactive_Tax_Assistant On-line Tool at https://www.irs.gov/help/ita #IRS

#Lifetime Learning Credit can help with #education costs to improve job skills. Get the facts at http://go.usa.gov/Jvej

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About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

Change Happens; How You Respond Matters

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 21:46:23 GMT

Some days, campus store professionals may feel they’re running head-first into a wall of frustration.

An entire department is balking at inclusive access. The campus library wants to set up its own print-on-demand facility for open resources. A general merchandise order timed for rush arrives three weeks late, again.

Cassandra Worthy knows that feeling. As she told CAMEX 2020 attendees during the Opening Session and Keynote in New Orleans, she’s been there many times. But she has discovered a strategy to convert those feelings into productive action in a process she calls Change Enthusiasm. It involves just three simple steps:

Signal —Acknowledge the negative feelings (fear, anxiety, anger, grief, frustration) that arise from a circumstance or situation.
Opportunity —Recognize the alternatives that are available to you.
Choice —Make a proactive decision to pursue a positive, productive option.

College stores can apply these steps to just about any scenario. “Change is here to stay and no one is immune to it,” Worthy noted. She described a couple of personal experiences that led her to come up with the Change Enthusiasm process.

With a degree in chemical engineering, she went to work for Proctor & Gamble. After a few years of working in one line of business, P&G moved her to a different line. “Day one, I walked into a completely different world,” she recalled. These employees used different terminology and tools, followed different procedures, and embraced a different work culture. Right away she had a difficult time fitting in.

“I felt lost and frustrated, like a fish out of water,” she said. Things came to a head one day after she’d spent considerable time compiling a detailed report. Worthy found out that a colleague discussed her data and conclusions with senior management—without her. When she complained to her manager, she was brushed off.

Her feelings of anger continued to build, fueled by lunchtime commiserations with other co-workers who had been transferred to the unit and were experiencing similar problems. Those feelings were the signal, she later realized.

Eventually, Worthy met with a company advisor about her situation, who bluntly told her she could “get bitter or get better.” She admitted she fumed about the advisor’s comment for a time, but then understood it was true. That recognition opened an opportunity.

“I could either quit or remain in a state of misery. Or, I could make a decision to trust P&G had my best interests at heart,” she said.

“I made a conscious, productive choice to bring about better choices,” she added. “Ultimately, it resulted in my writing a series of internal articles on what was working well and where we could make improvements.” She talked with many employees—and listened—“and I discovered why the culture was doing what it was.”

The move paid off. “I was taking responsibility for my own work environment,” Worthy said. “I had people stopping me in the halls and thanking me for the articles. They had opened up conversations with their work teams.” A manager told her the articles helped him understand problems he’d had in trying to integrate teams.

A few years later, her business unit was acquired by another company and, as often happens in mergers, the senior leadership was reducing staff overlap. During a budget review, Worthy’s new manager told her that he didn’t see any value in her position beyond the next two years.

“I was feeling panicked, worthless, and angry,” she said. It took months before she realized that was a signal. Then she saw the opportunity: “My manager gave me two years with pay to explore a new position, either inside or outside.” She chose to work with a senior manager to identify the organization’s needs and within four months she moved into a newly created position.

"All these changes aren’t happening to you, they’re happening for you,” she stressed.

The two experiences Worthy described involved major moments in her early professional career, but Change Enthusiasm can also help with day-to-day situations in the store as well. However, getting past negative feelings (the signal) in order to recognize opportunities and make choices can take some practice.

Worthy suggested thinking of failures and problems as gifts; find something from each situation to celebrate or to learn from. Take steps to shake yourself out of the negativity, such as going for a walk or listening to music, and allow some time to pass before reacting. With practice, you’ll get from signal to opportunity more quickly, she said.

And then you can move on to making productive choices.

NACS Foundation Installs New President and Directors

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (February 19, 2020) – The NACS Foundation , the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry, recently installed a new president and four new board of directors at CAMEX 2020, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual convention and trade show held this year in New Orleans, LA.

Loreen Maxfield , director of retail operations at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), was installed as the president of the NACS Foundation Board of Directors. Maxfield has supported the collegiate retail industry in a variety of volunteer leadership roles. She served on the NACS Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2016 and the executive committee from 2016 to 2019. She served as president of the NACS board in 2017. In addition to her contributions to NACS, she was a board member of the Illinois Association of College Stores from 2002 to 2005.

Maxfield was a district manager for Express, a division of Limited Brands, for 13 years. She made the transition into the bookstore business when she accepted a regional director’s position for Borders Books and Music followed by store manager positions for The Container Store and The Disney Store. Maxfield began her collegiate industry career at UIC in 2001. She started her professional career as a teacher in Wichita Public Schools.

In addition, the following new directors were installed to serve three-year terms:

Beth Christian of Verba/VitalSource, Scranton, PA. Christian, who works in sales operations for the bookstore channel at Verba/VitalSource, began her collegiate retail career in 1997 at Bloomsburg University Store. She has served in several university store management positions before moving to Sidewalk in 2014, and then Verba/VitalSource in 2018. Over the years, she has been very active in NACS where she previously served as chair of NACS Leadership and Store Operations Council.

T.J. Cochran, store director of the Brown University Bookstore, Providence, RI. Cochran has over 24 years of experience in operations management in academic retail and was previously employed by the Follett Higher Education Group. Cochran supports a program at Brown to help pay for course materials for more than 1,100 students, as well as offering inclusive access materials to lower textbook costs.

Sara Ellenberger, director of sales and account operations, RedShelf, Chicago. IL. In 2018, Ellenberger joined RedShelf, a Chicago-based education technology company that offers digital instructional resources. Before joining the team at RedShelf, she was the academic materials manager at The Cornell Store and the textbook director at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Ellenberger has been an active volunteer in support of the collegiate retail industry including which led to volunteer leadership roles with the Middle Atlantic College Stores Association and the NACS Leadership Institute.

Tammy Slone, manager of retail services at Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH. In her 26-year tenure at Cedarville, Slone has led three essential campus operations including the bookstore, postal, and print services. In her tenure, the store has adopted best-pricing strategies, added a robust rental program, improved the student course materials experience with comparison shopping, utilized alternative course materials sourcing, and implemented a variety of other innovations. She has been very active in NACS and is serving a second term as board president of the Ohio Association of College Stores.

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About The NACS Foundation: Operating for 38 years, the NACS Foundation has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio.

Anthony Martin Honored With the Order of the NACS Eagle Award

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (February 19, 2020) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) has recognized Anthony Martin posthumously with its highest honor, the Order of the NACS Eagle Award. Martin had served as the president of the NACS Board of Trustees and president of the NACS Foundation, and participated in numerous association committees, task forces, and councils over the years.

Martin, 63, died Nov. 10 in Fort Myers, FL, after hitting a double in the World Series Adult Baseball Tournament and collapsing on second base. At the time he was working as a collaboration advocate for NACS from his home in Houston, TX. Previously, he had served as director of the Houston Baptist University Bookstore for more than 20 years. Prior to that, he had worked in vendor sales.

Martin is only the 17th person honored with the Order of the NACS Eagle Award since the inception of the honor in 1991. NACS President Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR, presented the award on Feb. 9 to Martin’s wife Mary and their two daughters, Amber and Amy, during the closing keynote session of CAMEX 2020, which is NACS’ annual convention and trade show.

“Anthony was always ready to lend a hand to his industry,” Schreier said. “He served on numerous NACS boards and committees, presented educational sessions at CAMEX, raised funds for the foundation, and always took time to share his knowledge and experience with campus store colleagues. We will miss Anthony very much.”

Martin served as NACS’ president from 2015 to 2016 and NACS Foundation president from 2012 to 2013. He also served as president of the Southwest College Bookstore Association (SWCBA). He received the foundation’s Distinguished Service Award in 2016 and SWCBA’s lifetime achievement award.

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About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

National Association of College Stores Announces New Officers and Trustees

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (February 19, 2020) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing the campus store industry, installed two new officers and three new trustees to its board of trustees during CAMEX, the association’s annual convention and trade show held this year in New Orleans, LA.

Steven Westenbroek, store director, College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, NE, was installed as president/treasurer through CAMEX 2021. Westenbroek has a bachelor’s degree from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI. He has more than 20 years of experience in the college store industry. Westenbroek joined the College of Saint Mary in 2010 as the store manager and was promoted to director in 2012. He has volunteered extensively in the industry, presenting and facilitating sessions at CAMEX and the Mid-States Association of College Stores (MSACS) Annual Meeting.

Adam Hustwitt, MBA , chair, School of Business, Conestoga College-Kitchener, ON, Canada, was installed as president-elect/secretary.

“We congratulate and welcome our new officers and trustees,” said Ed Schlichenmayer, NACS’ CEO. “A hallmark of NACS is the deep commitment our volunteer leadership makes to the long-term success of our association. We very much appreciate their hard work and dedication to NACS and the campus store industry.”

The terms for president and president-elect are for one year. The terms for store trustees are three years.

Newly-elected trustees-at-large include: Allison Hartel , assistant director for marketing and outreach, CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder; Jahan Jamshidi, MBA , IT director, Aztec Shops Ltd., San Diego State University, San Diego, CA; and Gavin Jensen, MBA, CCR , manager-Wildcat Tech, Wildcat Store, Weber State University, Ogden, UT.

Trustees remaining on the board include: Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR , chief executive officer, MSU Bookstore Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, as immediate past president; Andy Dunn, MBA , director, campus retail and licensing, Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ; Polly Grapes , director, State Fair Community College Campus Store, Sedalia, MO; Ella Van Nort, director of retail operations, FIDM Bookstore, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Los Angeles, CA; Steve Wenger , director, Wildcat Shop, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA; and Cassie A. Wherry, manager, Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA.

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About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

College Faculty Remain In the Driver Seat in Selecting Effective Course Materials, But Need More Help Navigating Affordable Options

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, (Jan. 27, 2020) – The number one challenge keeping college faculty from playing a larger role in lowering the cost of course materials and participating in affordability initiatives is not knowing where to start or what to do, according to a new survey conducted by the National Association of College Stores .

Faculty Watch: Attitudes & Behaviors Toward Course Materials, 2018-2019 is based on responses from 1,513 faculty at 21 higher education institutions. The study was conducted by OnCampus® Research, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. The report gives insights into faculty opinions on course materials, including selection considerations, format preferences, affordability, and more. Other key findings of the report include:

Hurdles to Affordability. While a growing number of post-secondary institutions are implementing campus affordability initiatives to reduce the cost of course materials, 35% of faculty still reported that they do not know where to start or what to do. Faculty also reported lacking the time and cited bureaucracy/red tape as an obstacle in participating in campus affordability efforts.

Faculty Select Course Materials. Eighty-two percent of faculty members select materials for at least one of their courses. Faculty assign roughly 1.4 required materials per course. One out of every five courses required no purchasing of materials at all.

Faculty Use of Open Education Resources (OER) Remains Unchanged, while the use of free content increases. Open Education Resources are openly licensed materials usually available for free that can be openly used, changed, or shared. One-third of faculty members reported that they used OER in the past 12 months – the same percentage reported in the Faculty Watch 2017-2018 report. Seventy-four percent of faculty say they have some awareness of OER, though many (21%) report they have only heard the term and don't know much about it.

Faculty Preference for Digital Course Materials is Slowly Increasing, But Still Low. For the 2018-2019 academic year, only 16% of faculty preferred a digital e-book or digital book with additional digital components such as adaptive learning and quizzes. Nearly half of all faculty members – 49% – prefer print materials. However, this is a decrease of 11 percentage points from the previous year.
An Increasing Number of Faculty Prefer Print + Digital. An increasing number of faculty members prefer print textbooks with added digital components. This year, 39% of those who preferred some type of print, preferred a print textbook with added digital, interactive elements, and quizzes. Compare that to the 23% who preferred print with digital elements just two years ago.

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

Faculty Stick with Print, But Doing Digital, Too

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 21:47:42 GMT

Higher education faculty are warming up to digital course materials, although print materials are by no means disappearing from the college classroom. The new Faculty Watch survey, conducted by NACS OnCampus Research, revealed some significant shifts in textbook adoptions for the 2018-19 academic year.

For the first time, more than half of faculty (56%) said they were very to extremely comfortable with using digital content for their courses. Even so, 19% rated their comfort level with digital materials at “slightly” to “not at all.” Not surprisingly, professors who teach online-only courses or who are in an inclusive access program were more likely to be at ease with digital course materials.

Comfort, however, is not the same as preference or actual usage. Faculty Watch turned up some interesting disparities.

When it comes to preference, despite their growing comfort, just 16% of faculty would rather adopt digital-only materials for their classes. But that figure is up from 10% a year ago, and 8% three years ago. A more telling statistic is the 49% of instructors who said they preferred some version of print materials (print only or print plus digital components). That’s a big drop from 60% last year and 70% the year before that.

So if a slight majority of faculty are comfy with digital, but not quite half still hanker for some kind of print, which format are they actually using in their courses? Both, as it turns out.

Some 86% of instructors used print materials for at least one class in 2018-19, compared to 88% last year and 93% for the 2015-16 academic year. At the same time, 53% of professors used digital e-books for at least one course, compared to 45% last year and 37% in 2015-16. Many faculty used both formats for the same course. Digital is clearly growing, but print isn’t fading away.

Instructors seem to be more aware of affordability in choosing course materials, with 80% assigning some kind of materials that students didn’t have to pay for directly. Of those, 31% (up from 25% the previous year) said the free materials replaced paid materials. Reducing costs for students was the primary reason for faculty who opted to utilize open educational resources (OER) for their classes.

Yet 35% of faculty also said they hadn’t participated in any affordability initiatives on their campus, and the No. 1 reason was that they didn’t know where to start or what to do. That might offer an opportunity for campus stores to build closer relationships with faculty by working together on affordability. About 55% of faculty described their relationship with the campus store as “transactional” and only 20% called it “supportive.”

The full survey report, Faculty Watch: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials 2018-19, provides data and analysis of professors’ preference and usage of print and digital formats, OER and other free materials, and inclusive access in the past year, along with trends over several years. The report also covers how faculty view their campus stores and whether they recommend the store to students.

Included with the report are data tables with cross-tabulations of responses showing breakouts by school size and type, professors’ years of experience, and other criteria. A digital copy of the report is $499, but it’s available for $199 to any NACS store/institutional member and $399 to any NACS affiliate. Go to OnCampus Research to order a copy. For details, contact Brittany Conley, research analyst, at bconley@nacs.org.

Textbook Affordability Conference Scheduled for April 26-28, 2020 at San Diego State University

Mon, 30 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (Dec. 20, 2019) – Creating affordable, accessible, and effective course materials will be the focus of the annual Textbook Affordability Conference (TAC) on April 26-28, 2020. The conference, which is organized by the National Association of College Stores (NACS) and its program partners, will bring together university leaders, faculty, publishers, librarians, students, and campus store directors to develop content models to support student success.

The conference is scheduled for April 26-28 at San Diego State University (SDSU). Collaborating with NACS on TAC 2020 are the SDSU Bookstore, the SDSU Library, the university’s Instructional Technology Services Department, Affordable Learning Solutions of the California State University System, Campus Stores Canada, the National Association of College Auxiliary Services, and NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

“The goal of the conference is to support teams of campus professionals and industry service providers as they develop new course content models for their campuses,” said Ed Schlichenmayer, NACS chief executive officer. “TAC is instrumental in advancing new affordability strategies that create student success.”

At TAC 2020, participants will hear from campus practitioners, students, research/assessment experts, and higher education content creators and distributors. Attendees will also participate in guided workshops as they form action plans for developing affordable, accessible, and effective content options.

“Solutions to textbook affordability happen when all stakeholders are engaged in the conversation,” said Ashley Gordon, NACS digital strategist. “We must build collaborative processes that will produce more affordable course material options, which are critical to student learning, retention, and completion.”

Visit TAC 2020 for more information regarding speakers, registration, and hotel information. Early-bird registration pricing is available through February 28. Also, the NACS Foundation is offering a limited number of scholarships for campus store staff and students to attend the conference. For information contact TACteam@NACS.org

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About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

Students Beware: Scams to Avoid. NACS Urges Students To Guard Their Finances, Identities, and Privacy

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH (Dec. 3, 2019) — The nation’s college students have returned to campus this fall and unfortunately so have scammers who target students through a variety of schemes including credit card fraud, identity theft, and online scams.

“Students need to be careful in their use of credit and debit cards, and take steps to protect themselves against a variety of digital scams,” said Richard Hershman, vice president of government relations for the National Association of College Stores (NACS). “We urge students to guard their identities, their privacy, and their finances by taking common-sense steps.”

According to the Better Business Bureau's 2018 ScamTracker Risk Report , 41.6% of students reported a loss when exposed to a scam as compared to 28.3% of non-students.

NACS recommends students be aware of the following :

Online Textbook Cons. Don’t fall for prices that sound too good to be true. Before buying, validate the site and seller, check reviews including third-party consumer sites such as the Better Business Bureau and others, and look for a physical address and phone number. Also, be aware that some online sites sell stolen or fake textbooks. If purchased, buyers could be charged with receiving stolen goods or unable to sell the books at the end of the term.
Illegal or Stolen Online Access Codes. Digital course materials require access codes to sign on. Unfortunately, an increasing number of scammers have set up online sites that sell fake, stolen, and expired access codes. Students purchasing from such sites may find the codes don’t work. Meanwhile, within hours or days, the scammers shut down the site and begin using the student's credit card.
Viruses on Illegal Digital Files. Don’t download illegal, pirated files. They usually arrive with nasty computer viruses. Most illegal downloading is done through peer-to-peer software. But, since the real source of the files isn’t known, it is impossible to know if they are infected. Kaspersky , a global cybersecurity company, found that over the past academic year cybercriminals targeted the field of education and tried to attack users more than 356,000 times. Of these, 233,000 cases involved malicious essays downloaded to computers owned by more than 74,000 people and 122,000 attacks by malware disguised as textbooks. More than 30,000 users tried to open those files.
Credit Card Scams Targeting Students. According to the FBI, in recent years Good Samaritan students have unknowingly participated in credit card scams. Scammers claiming to have lost their student ID cards enlist students to vouch for them at the counter with their valid IDs. The perpetrators then make their purchases – in many cases, high-end computers and devices – with a bogus credit card. College stores have implemented prevention methods to thwart these crimes. The FBI advises students to not agree to facilitate a purchase for someone who does not have a valid student ID and to immediately report any fraudulent activity.
Digital Security . Students should protect their digital information and identities. Do not lend passwords or access codes and do not use school usernames and passwords on commercial sites. For example, several universities across the nation have recently reported malicious use of leaked email addresses and passwords that were contained in a data breach last year of 40 million student customer records. When using public Wi-Fi, do not transmit personal or financial information. Also, be aware of fake Wi-Fi sites that steal personal information. For additional tips and guidance visit Panda Security’s The College Student's Complete Guide to Cybersecurity .

Finally, always report fraudulent activity as soon as it occurs. Use reliable trusted sources for purchases and use resources such as the Better Business Bureau to make smart decisions regarding retail transactions.

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About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the missions of higher education institutions.

indiCo Announces Transition of Book Distribution Business to Ingram Content Group

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH - indiCo LLC announced today that it has reached an agreement to transition its wholesale book distribution business to long-time partner, Ingram Content Group (Ingram) as part of its strategy for winding down that line of business. Through this transition, customers will continue having access to an expansive list of titles, consolidated ordering options, and a dedicated customer care team with Ingram.

“As we make this change, our goal is to assist stores in transitioning their book purchasing activity with the least amount of disruption possible, especially for the upcoming buying season,” said Ed Schlichenmayer, CEO of NACS. “Over the past fifteen years, Ingram has played an integral role in indiCo’s ability to deliver exceptional service and order fulfillment for college stores. They are the perfect partner for this transition as they already know our customers and our business, and have a shared commitment to supporting college stores.”

"Ingram has a long standing commitment to supporting independent booksellers. We also recognize the important role indie college stores play on their campuses and in their communities. The retail landscape has changed in many ways this year and Ingram continues to find ways to make sure stores don’t miss a beat when change happens. Our support team is dedicated to making this a seamless transition,” said Ingram’s Chief Commercial Officer, Shawn Everson.

Both companies are committed to making the transition as seamless as possible for customers, and the transition will be completed by the end of the year. The indiCo and Ingram teams are working closely together on account set-up, establishing credit limits, and with on-going order fulfillment, and are communicating next steps to customers and stakeholders.

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About indiCo LLC :

indiCo LLC (formerly NACSCORP) has served the college store industry for more than 50 years, helping higher education retailers operate more successfully in a competitive marketplace by providing wholesale distribution of course materials, products, and services. indiCo is a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores, the professional trade association for the collegiate retailing industry.

About Ingram | www.ingramcontent.com

The world is reading and Ingram Content Group (“Ingram”) connects people with content in all forms. Providing comprehensive services for publishers, retailers, libraries and educators, Ingram makes these services seamless and accessible through technology, innovation and creativity. With an expansive global network of offices and facilities, Ingram’s services include digital and physical book distribution, print-on-demand, and digital learning. Ingram Content Group is a part of Ingram Industries Inc. and includes Ingram Book Group LLC, Ingram Publisher Services LLC, Lightning Source LLC, VitalSource Technologies LLC, Ingram Library Services LLC, and Tennessee Book Company LLC.

College Stores Offer Students Textbook Lessons on Savings

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH (Aug. 20, 2019) – When college students return to campus this fall semester, savvy shoppers will head to their campus stores to take advantage of various money-saving options offered on course materials such as rentals, used or electronic textbooks, custom content, and more.

Seventy-nine percent of students that purchased one or more course materials during the 2018-2019 academic year did so at the campus bookstore, according to Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Course Materials. Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores (NACS).

Since 2008 student spending on college course materials has declined by 41%. In the 2018-2019 academic year alone spending fell by 14%. These declines are due to a variety of innovations developed by college stores and their parent institutions. Stores now offer used and rental textbooks as well as digital course content at prices comparable to online vendors. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new textbook.

College stores were the first in higher education to embrace and innovate price comparison shopping. Also, many campus stores offer price matching, price guarantees, rebates, discounts for early reservations, free in-store pickup for online orders, and buy-now, pay-later options.

NACS offers the following tips to students on ways to save:

Shop early. It doesn’t pay to procrastinate. The sooner students shop, the more likely they are to find a good selection of used books and rentals.
Make sure to ask the store staff about the various savings programs offered. Staffs are eager to help.
Check the campus store’s website for a price-comparison marketplace tool.
Rent course materials. Renting materials from the campus store helps avoid the shipping hassles and returns students may experience with online companies and surprise charges.
Buy used or electronic textbooks and course materials. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new print textbook.
Inquire whether your college or university offers a discounted course material fee program. Some institutions use discounted fee programs to further reduce the cost of required course materials and allow students to try digital materials for free before being charged after the add-drop date.
Know the refund policy. If a student drops a class or the professor decides not to use the textbook, the student will need to return it before the deadline to get a full refund.
Students should not write in or unwrap books or course materials until they are certain they will keep them. Most sellers won’t give full credit for course materials that have been marked up or opened.
Keep receipts in a safe place. Most retailers require them for returns. Receipts can also be turned into cash through the American Opportunity Tax Credit. See www.textbookaid.org
Don’t forget about shipping costs if shopping online. Know the full price of buying online. If students need to return a book, they need to know the costs involved.
Use a credit card when buying from online sellers in case a charge needs to be disputed.

Most campus stores have flexible return policies that mirror campus deadlines. Students can avoid any hidden shipping and handling fees and the inconvenience of having to ship materials back to multiple online sellers (and remembering where they got each item).

About The National Association of College Stores: The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience and the missions of higher education institutions.

National Association of College Stores Announces New CEO

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

National Association of College Stores Announces Resignation of Current CEO, Robert Walton;
Elects Current COO, Ed Schlichenmayer, as Successor

OBERLIN, OHIO ( July 24, 2019) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) Board of Trustees is announcing today that Robert Walton, current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is resigning, and has unanimously elected Ed Schlichenmayer, NACS Chief Operating Officer (COO), to be his successor. This leadership announcement is part of a thoughtful planning process involving the CEO position as well as other changes at NACS.

“It’s been an honor to serve as NACS' CEO. However, now is the right time for a leadership change, and Ed is the right person to guide NACS as it looks to the future,” said Walton. “I look forward to working with Ed and the Board during the transition period as we continue to serve and deliver value for our members.”

Schlichenmayer is expected to assume the CEO role in the next few weeks, with Walton remaining in an advisory role through the year to work on one-to-two ongoing initiatives where he has unique expertise.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank Bob for his leadership. As the campus store industry continues to face changes in the business landscape, Bob’s ‘outside the box’ thinking was the start of a new foundation for NACS and its members,” said NACS President Chad M. Schreier. “Ed’s election as our incoming CEO enables us to ensure a seamless transition in this important leadership position for our association, and brings the right vision and values to lead NACS into the future.”

During his time at NACS, Schlichenmayer has held various senior-level positions, guided and executed NACS through complicated strategy initiatives, and developed expertise in the functions related to supporting academic enterprises and the independent store. Prior to NACS, Schlichenmayer managed stores and other auxiliary operations in higher education, and is a former NACS trustee.

“I am humbled and privileged to be the next CEO of NACS, and I appreciate the confidence that the Board of Trustees have placed in me. This is a critical time for NACS, and I look forward to working with our Board, professional staff, members and vendors to support the growth and development of the independent campus store,” concluded Schlichenmayer.

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About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

NACS Report Shows 14% Decrease in Spending on College Course Materials

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Student Spending on Course Materials Declines by 14% In 2018-2019 Academic Year

OBERLIN, OH (July 24, 2019) – During the 2018-19 academic year, college students spent an average of $415 on nine required course materials. That’s down from $484 on nine units the previous academic year, and a decrease from $701 since 2008, according to the Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2018-2019 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual survey of college students in the U.S. and Canada. Students also reported spending an additional $527 on technology and school supplies.

“Spending on course materials declined by 14% year over year, which is a significant decline,” said Richard Hershman, vice president of government relations. “Since 2008 spending has declined 41%. It is clear that many of the affordability solutions developed over the past 10 years by campus stores, the broader industry, and post-secondary institutions have led to substantial savings.”

Funded by the NACS Foundation, Student Watch™ is developed by OnCampus Research™, the research arm of the National Association of College Stores. Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from nearly 20,000 college students in 20 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, include:

Course material acquisition remains stable. The number of students who purchased, rented, and borrowed materials has remained stable since 2014. In spring 2019, 83% purchased course materials, 44% of students rented, and 15% borrowed.
The campus store remains the top source for purchasing and renting course materials. In 2018-2019 79% of students reported they purchased course materials from their campus store, 46% from Amazon, 18% from a publisher website, 10% from a peer/student, and 10% from Chegg.com. Rentals followed a similar pattern.
Purchasing continues to be the most common method of acquiring course materials. Eighty-three percent purchased materials in 2019. The number of students who purchase materials has remained relatively unchanged over the last four semesters.
Spending on technology decreased in the 2018-2019 academic year. Student spending on tech items totaled $419 this academic year – a 13% decrease from 2017-2018.
Eighty-nine percent of students reported using some type of free content. Students reported using a variety of free materials including class handouts, lecture notes, website articles, academic journals, and textbooks. Students acquire free content in a variety of ways. They borrow it, share it, receive it from faculty, and download it. In spring 2019 22% of students reported downloading free content – a 100% increase from the spring of 2016.
Students prefer print, but print preference is slowly declining. Preference for print over the past three years has been on the decline. As of 2019, one in four students – 26% – prefer a strictly print textbook, down 21 percentage points from it's highest point in fall 2016 but only down 6% from fall 2012 when the question was first asked. The second most preferred option among students is print with a digital component which that includes print books with online access or support. Twenty-one percent of students prefer this format combo which also saw a spike in 2016, but overall is down slightly from 2014. Combining both print-only textbooks and print with digital components, around half of students (47%) prefer print of some type.
Students are waiting longer to obtain course materials, but price is not the primary reason. In 2019 36% of students reported that they did not have materials on the first day of class. However, price is not the primary reason students wait to purchase. The number one reason is because they doubt if the required materials are really necessary for course work. Another reason students cited for not having materials the first day of class included not knowing what materials were required.
Students prefer convenience. The campus store continues to be the number one place students go to purchase materials. Overall, 79% of students who purchased a material did so from the campus store. In fact, one-third of those who purchase did so exclusively from the campus store. Campus store sales are made up of both in-store and online sales. More than half (57%) of students purchased from their campus store’s physical location while a lower number (46%) did so from the campus website. Many students do both, which explains why the total number who shop either online or in the store (79%) is less than what each would be if added together.

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org

About The National Association of College Stores : The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience and the missions of higher education institutions.

About The NACS Foundation: Operating for 36 years, the NACS Foundation is the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals.

NACS Supports Affordable College Textbook Act

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Proposed Federal Legislation Would Create a New Open Textbook Program
A nd Strengthen Requirements Regarding Textbook Pricing Information

OBERLIN, OH (April 4, 2109) - The National Association of College Stores (NACS) today endorsed the Affordable College Textbook Act of 2019, which was introduced by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). The bill, which was introduced Thursday, proposes a grant program to create and expand the use of open textbooks and strengthen course material affordability efforts on college campuses.

“NACS thanks Sen. Dick Durbin (IL) for his leadership and support for affordability programs that aim to reduce the cost of college course materials,” said Richard Hershman, NACS vice president of government relations. “This legislation will strengthen the Higher Education Opportunity Act and create greater actionable transparency for students and institutions.”

The Affordable College Textbook Act is co-sponsored by Sen. Angus King (I-ME), Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) has introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would:

Create a grant program to support pilot programs at higher education institutions to develop and expand the use of open textbooks with priority for programs that achieve the highest savings for students;
Openly license textbooks or materials developed with program funds;
Require grant recipients to complete a report on the effectiveness of the program in achieving savings;
Update and strengthen federal requirements regarding textbook pricing information; and
Require the Government Accountability Office to provide Congress with an updated report on the cost of higher education textbooks.

Open textbooks and other Open Education Resources (OERs) are released under an open copyright license that allows for their free use, reuse, modification, and sharing. College stores and their partners, including campus libraries and commercial and non-commercial providers, play important roles in helping with the discovery and acquisition of OERs for faculty, and the distribution of OERs in formats that meet academic and individual student needs, Hershman said.

Since passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, colleges, universities, and their bookstores have made significant progress in making course materials more affordable for students through innovations including rental programs, digital delivery, online price comparison marketplaces, price match guarantees, faculty lower-cost discovery and selection tools, and supporting OERs and other low cost or no additional cost student alternatives.

According to the most recent NACS Student Watch survey, the average college student spent $484 in 2017-2018 on required course materials, down from $576 the previous academic year. Student spending on materials has declined 31 percent over the past 10 years, according to NACS.

“NACS supports efforts to enhance affordable and equitable access to quality course materials for all students,” Hershman said. “NACS and its member stores will continue to support students through a wide range of affordability programs and innovations.”

Media Advisory – NACS Annual Textbook Affordability Conference, April 14-16

Creating affordable, accessible, and effective course materials will be the focus of the NACS annual Textbook Affordability Conference on April 14-16. The conference will bring together teams of university leaders, faculty, publishers, librarians, and campus store directors to develop new content models to support student success. Sponsored by NACS, the conference will take place April 14-16 at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Registration information is available at www.NACS.org/TAC . Groups of three or more from the same institution will receive a discount on the conference registration rate.

Collaborating with NACS on this year’s conference are the University of Minnesota Bookstores, University of Minnesota Libraries, NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, California State University, Campus Stores Canada, Minnesota State University, the Association of American Publishers-Higher Education, and the National Association of College Auxiliary Services.

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About The National Association of College Stores

Jason Lorgan of University of California-Davis Receives NACS’ Prestigious Aspen Award

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Lorgan Cited for His Pioneering of Affordability Solutions & Support for Other Stores

OBERLIN, OHIO, (March 14, 2019) – Jason Lorgan, executive director of campus recreation, student unions, and stores at the University of California-Davis, has received the National Association of College Stores ’ prestigious Aspen Award for his outstanding contributions to the collegiate retailing industry.

The Aspen Award, which is presented annually by the NACS Education Committee, salutes a leader who has raised the level of professional practice in the collegiate retailing industry and served as a mentor to staff and colleagues.

Lorgan is widely known in the industry as an innovator and pioneer of new solutions such as inclusive access initiatives, new models for achieving course materials affordability, and partnering with industry vendors to create new solutions. In recognition of his innovative spirit and support of other campus stores, he was honored at CAMEX 2019 with the Aspen Award. CAMEX, produced by NACS, is the largest education and trade show event in the collegiate retailing industry.

“Shortly after I arrived on the UC Davis campus and assumed oversight of the UC Davis Stores, I appointed Mr. Lorgan as the director and almost instantaneously he was able to transform UC Davis Stores into a vibrant, modern and service-oriented environment,” John Campbell, the retired associate vice chancellor of divisional resources at UC Davis, wrote in his nomination letter in support of Lorgan. “Having been one of the first professionals in the field to adopt a book rental program, Jason was driven to ensure that the stores were dedicated to enhance student learning on the UC Davis campus.”

Lorgan has served on a number of NACS committees, councils, and task forces; and has been a frequent session presenter at CAMEX and other industry conferences. UC Davis also served as the host location for the 2016 Textbook Affordability Conference. For its efforts to achieve greater affordability for UC Davis students, the store earned the 2014 Innovation Achievement Award from the NACS Foundation.

“I am highly honored to have been selected for the Aspen Award,” Lorgan said. “I consider it one of the highest honors of my professional career. The ideas I have received from my involvement with NACS have been a huge part of the success I have achieved for the amazing students of UC Davis.”

Prior recipients of the Aspen Award include:

2018 – Carol Miller Schaefer, CCR, VOLSHOP, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
2017 – Barbara Racine, University of Puget Sound Bookstore, Tacoma, WA
2016 – Gwen Gardner, CCR, Davidson College Store, Davidson, NC
2015 – Kay Farley, CCR, director, Ichabod Shop, Washburn University, Topeka, KS
2014 – Melanie Sparks, CCR, Executive Director, University of New Mexico Bookstores
2012 – James L. Williams, The Duck Store, Eugene, OR
2011 – Kathleen K. Grace, CCR, Swarthmore College Bookstore, Swarthmore, PA
2010 – Debbie Harvie, CCR, Director, UBC Bookstore, University of British Columbia
2009 – Randal H. Storm, CCR, Manager, Lincoln Christian College & Seminary Bookstore
2008 – Danny Key, CCR, Wingate University Bookstore, Wingate, NC
2007 – Dennis Mekelburg, CCR, Matthews Medical Bookstores, Maryland Heights, MO
2006 – Terence Murphy, Holyoke Community College Bookstore, Holyoke, MA
2005 – Maria Murtagh, Student Store University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA

EDITOR'S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer , is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About The National Association of College Stores

NACS Textbook Affordability Conference Scheduled for April 14-16 at the University of Minnesota

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 14, 2019) – Creating affordable, accessible, and effective course materials will be the focus of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) annual Textbook Affordability Conference on April 14-16. The conference will bring together teams of university leaders, faculty, publishers, librarians, and campus store directors to develop new content models to support student success.

Sponsored by NACS, the conference will take place April 14-16 at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Registration information is available at www.NACS.org/TAC . Groups of three or more from the same institution will receive a discount on the conference registration rate.

“The focus of the conference is on how campus professionals and industry service providers can successfully collaborate to create affordable, accessible, and effective course materials,” said Tony Ellis, NACS vice president of association services. “Conference attendees will participate in guided workshops to create new course content models which are critical to student learning, retention, and completion.”

The keynote session will feature Susan Basil King, executive director of Wallin Education Partners, who will discuss her work to make higher education more accessible and affordable. Market analyst and content expert Phil Hill will also speak in the keynote session. Additional conference speakers include:

Stacy J. Ackerlind, director of assessment, evaluation and research and special assistant to the vice president for student affairs at the University of Utah.

David Ernst, director of the Center for Open Education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and executive director of the Open Textbook Network.

Kristi Jensen, program development lead of the eLearning Support Initiative at the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Brian O’Leary, executive director of the Book Industry Study Group.

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About The National Association of College Stores

Vicki Morris Benion Honored With NACS Foundation’s Brian Cartier Distinguished Service Award

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Top Honor Given by Philanthropic Arm of National Association of College Stores (NACS)

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 14, 2019) – Vicki Morris Benion, retired executive director of the NACS Foundation and former director of the B&N Bucknell University Bookstore in Lewisburg, Pa., has been presented with the NACS Foundation ’s Brian Cartier Distinguished Service Award.

Introduced in 2002, the award is the NACS Foundation’s highest honor and recognizes devotion, service, and visionary leadership to the foundation, the philanthropic arm of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) . The award was recently presented at a ceremony during CAMEX 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. Produced by the National Association of College Stores, CAMEX is the largest education and trade show in the collegiate retailing industry.

Benion has a long history of involvement with NACS, the foundation, and the industry. Prior to joining the NACS Foundation as executive director in 2012, she was director of Bucknell’s campus store for 33 years. Benion served on the NACS Board of Trustees and was the board’s president in 2009-2010.

“It was an honor to present the foundation’s highest award to Vicki,” said former NACS Foundation President Carol Miller Schaefer, who presented the award. “Vicki’s passion and dedication to our industry and the foundation has truly made a real difference. We are very thankful for her leadership and tireless work on behalf of the collegiate retailing industry.”

As executive director of the NACS Foundation, Benion led the highly successful “Building A Better Tomorrow” campaign, which raised over $1.3 million.Those funds sponsored NACS education programs at industry events. She also led a significant strategic planning process that will position the foundation as the leader in creating college store standards.

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About The NACS Foundation

Operating for more than 30 years, the NACS Foundation is the philanthropic resource for the collegiate retailing industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store personnel. The foundation has touched the careers of thousands of collegiate retailing professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org

Hochheiser Installed as President of the NACS Foundation Board of Directors

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 14, 2019) – Stephen Hochheiser, a higher education consultant and longtime publishing executive now based in Northfield, Minn., has been installed as the president of the NACS Foundation Board of Directors, the philanthropic arm of the National Association of College Stores (NACS). In addition, the foundation installed Roger Hailstork and Pam Snow as new directors.

Hochheiser is a nationally known consultant in academic publishing and collegiate retailing. He worked in higher education publishing for 30 years, mainly for Cengage Learning and its precursors Thomson Learning, International Thomson Publishing, and Wadsworth. Prior to his work in publishing, he managed trade bookstores in the Mid-Atlantic region for 10 years.

Hochheiser, a NACS Honorary Member, has supported the collegiate retail industry in a variety of volunteer leadership roles. He served on the NACS Board of Trustees and NACS Foundation Board. He also chaired the Higher Education Executive Council of the Association of American Publishers (AAP) and served on the boards of the California Association of College Stores (CACS) and the Southwest College Bookstore Association (SWCBA). His recent projects include facilitating the CACS strategic planning process and developing the proposal for the Course Materials eXperience at CAMEX.

Roger Hailstork and Pam Snow were installed as new directors with three-years terms.

Hailstork is the director of the Syracuse University Bookstore in Syracuse, N.Y. He has served in various volunteer roles for NACS, CACS, the Collegiate Retail Alliance (CRA), and the Association of College Administrative Professionals (ACAP). Hailstork started his collegiate retailing career 20 years ago at Howard University Bookstore where he turned the trade book department into the premier African American bookstore in the region. He also has worked in bookstore management at the UC San Diego Bookstore and the Miramar College Store.

Snow, who has more than three decades of experience in working with higher education institutions and campus stores, is senior director of channel/partner relations for SAGE Publishing. Snow, a resident of Elkmont, Ala., has served as a member of the NACS Board of Trustees, board secretary for the BRAVO Foundation, and advisory board member for the Multicultural Resource Center for Children.

About The NACS Foundation

Operating for 36 years, the NACS Foundation is the only philanthropic resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents campus retailers and industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

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National Association of College Stores Announces New Officers and Trustees

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 11, 2019) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing the campus store industry, installed two new officers and three new trustees to its board during CAMEX, the association’s annual convention and trade show held in San Antonio, TX.

Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR , the chief executive officer of MSU Bookstore Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, was installed as president through CAMEX 2020. Steven Westenbroek, store director, College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, NE, was installed as president-elect.

Newly-elected trustees include: Adam Hustwitt, director, ancillary services, Conestoga College Bookstore, Kitchener, ON, Canada; Ella Van Nort, director of retail operations, FIDM Bookstore, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Los Angeles, CA; and Cassie A. Wherry, manager, Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA.

Trustees remaining on the board include: Steve Alb, MBA, CCR , director, Western Retail Services, The Book Store at Western University, London, ON, Canada as immediate past president; Andy Dunn, MBA , director, campus retail and licensing, Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ; Polly Grapes , director, State Fair Community College Campus Store, Sedalia, MO; Loreen J. Maxfield , director of retail services, The UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois at Chicago; Alex Parra , utech manager, University of Utah Campus Store, Salt Lake City, UT; and Steve Wenger , director of the Wildcat Shop, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA.

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About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS), headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, is the professional trade association of the campus store industry. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. The association represents all campus stores, which include nearly 4,000 campuses in the U.S. and Canada, and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores.

EDITOR’S NOTE : CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

Schreier Named Board President of the National Association of College Stores

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 11, 2019) – Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR , chief executive officer of the MSU Bookstore Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, was installed as president of the board of trustees of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) during CAMEX 2019, NACS’ annual convention and trade show for the nation’s campus store industry.

Schreier has a master of business administration and a bachelor of arts degree from Lebanon Valley College. He earned the Certified Collegiate Retailer designation, which is a professional credential awarded by NACS.

He was named CEO of the MSU Bookstore, Inc. in Bozeman, in 2016. Previously he served as campus store director at MSU Bookstore, Inc., Montana State University, Billings and as college store director at Lebanon Valley College Store, Annville, PA.

Schreier has been an active member in the industry. He served as president-elect of the NACS Board of Trustees and as an elected trustee from 2015-2018. He is a member of the indiCo Board of Directors and has also served on the NACS Foundation Board of Directors, where he was instrumental to the success of the Leadership Institute program.

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About The National Association of College Stores

EDITOR’S NOTE : CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

Spending on Higher Education Course Materials Declines Significantly

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Pennsylvania Advisory Committee Cites Innovations & Solutions in Reducing Costs

OBERLIN, OH (Oct. 11, 2018) – Average annual spending on higher education course materials has decreased significantly in recent years, and higher education institutions, bookstores and publishers are successfully addressing costs through a variety of innovations, according to a report recently released by Pennsylvania’s College Textbook Policies Advisory Committee and submitted to the legislature.

The committee, which was established by the College Textbook Affordability, Accountability and Accessibility Act of 2010 (Article XX-F of Act 104), is composed of state legislators, faculty, students, bookstore representatives and publishers.

According to the committee, “recent reports indicate a significant decrease in prices and the average annual spending on required course materials. The higher education community, publishers, and bookstores appear to be making progress in addressing high costs through a variety of innovations and strategies.”

The committee report follows the recent release of NACS’ Student Watch™ biannual survey, which shows a decrease in student spending on course materials. During the 2017-18 academic year, college students spent an average of $484 on nine required course materials. That’s down from $579 on 10 units the previous academic year, and a decrease from $701 in the past decade, according to the NACS survey.

“Pennsylvania has one of the most comprehensive textbook affordability laws in the nation combined with a highly popular sales tax exemption for course materials,” said Richard Hershman, NACS vice president of government relations. “Over the past decade, bookstores have successfully worked to make course materials more affordable for students.”

“Stores have developed an array of innovations such as rental programs, digital delivery, online price comparison marketplaces, price match guarantees, discovery and selection tools to find lower cost options, and support for low- or no-cost alternatives such as open education resources (OERs). However, work remains in enhancing the perceived value and use of the course materials and addressing underlying financial pressures on students,” Hershman added.

As part of the advisory committee’s effort to ascertain the progress made at higher education institutions, it surveyed schools to identify best and emerging practices for reducing textbook costs. Among the findings:

Some bookstores have implemented price comparison marketplace shopping. Students can shop from various online vendors and compare prices with the college’s or university’s price and/or price-matching guarantees to match the lowest price available elsewhere for the latest edition of a text.

Several bookstores have implemented efficient used-text buyback and rental programs.

Faculty are encouraged, and in some cases rewarded, to move from print versions of textbooks to OERs.

Textbook titles and ISBNs are provided to students at least two months before the start of the semester.

Students are encouraged to find used versions of texts on Amazon, take advantage of bookstore rental program, or use e-books.

Faculty are advised to adopt their textbooks early and communicate the information to their departmental secretary, who then relays it to the bookstore.

If feasible, university departments use the same textbooks across multiple sections of the same course and even for multiple courses.

In lieu of textbooks, faculty members may create customized reading packets, which are compilations of various open and closed source materials.

About The National Association of College Stores

Congress Approves Additional Funding for OER Pilot Program

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Funds Will Support Efforts to Increase the Affordability of Course Materials

OBERLIN, OH (Oct. 1, 2018) – The U.S. Congress has approved $5 million in additional funding for research, development, dissemination, and evaluation of Open Educational Resources (OERs). The funding, which is part of the fiscal year 2019 Labor HHS Education appropriations legislation, is designed to expand a federal OER pilot program established earlier this year. President Donald J. Trump has signed the legislation.

“We are pleased to see the federal government increase funding for the program,” said Richard Hershman, vice president of government relations at the National Association of College Stores (NACS). “Quality open educational resources expand the knowledge market and contribute to increased affordability of course materials for higher education.”

“NACS thanks Sen. Dick Durbin (IL) for his support of the pilot program and its funding,” Hershman said. “We also thank the leadership of the Labor HHS Education appropriation subcommittees: Chairs Roy Blunt (MO) and Tom Cole (OK), and Ranking Members Patty Murray (WA) and Rosa DeLauro (CT).”

OERs are course materials that may replace, be combined with or supplement other materials. The additional $5 million approved by Congress brings the total for the OER pilot program, which awards grants for the continued development and use of quality OERs, to $10 million. College stores and their partners, including campus libraries and commercial and non-commercial providers, play important roles in helping with the discovery and acquisition of OERs for faculty, and the distribution of OERs in formats that meet academic and individual student needs, Hershman said.

These annual spending figures are consistent with the most recent data collected by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). In the 2015-16 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study report, NCES found that undergraduate students in the 2015-2016 academic year spent an average of $555.60 on required course materials. NCES also found in May of this year that there were declines in the average books, supplies and equipment cost of attendance budgets across all sectors of higher education over the last two years -- the only cost of attendance category that saw such declines.

“NACS supports efforts to enhance affordable and equitable access to quality course materials for all students, and will continue to work as an ally in support of student interests,” Hershman said.

About The National Association of College Stores

Course Material Spending Declines for 2017-18 Academic Year

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

New report shows college students increased use of free and digital materials

OBERLIN, OH (August 15, 2018) – During the 2017-18 academic year, college students spent an average of $484 on nine required course materials. That’s down from $579 on 10 units the previous academic year, and a decrease from $701 in the past decade, according to the Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2017-2018 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) twice-yearly survey of college students in the U.S. and Canada. Students also reported spending an additional $612 on technology and school supplies, $106 more than the previous academic year.

“Students are still purchasing roughly the same amount of course materials, but are spending less due to increased use of free and lower-cost digital and rental materials,” said Estella McCollum, vice president research and consulting for NACS. “Despite availability of lower-cost options, students overwhelmingly, and somewhat surprisingly, continue to purchase materials, with more than 80% of students buying at least one course material and 65% buying new print.”

These annual spending figures are consistent with the most recent data collected by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). In the 2015-16 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study report, the NCES found that undergraduate students in the 2015-2016 academic year spent an average of $555.60 on required course materials. Student Watch reported students spent $602 for the same academic year.

Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from more than 34,000 college students, include:

Course material acquisition remains stable: The number of students who purchased, rented, and borrowed materials has remained stable since 2014. In spring 2018, 83% purchased course materials, 44% of students rented, and 12% borrowed. Those numbers
have remained relatively flat over the last four years.
Use of free materials is increasing: They’re borrowing, sharing, and downloading the materials needed for their classes. In spring 2018, 32% of students surveyed reported using a free method to obtain what they needed for class, up from 25% in spring 2017 and 19% in spring 2016.
Use of digital content on the rise: Digital textbooks and access codes continue to increase, from 75% in the fall of 2015, to 81% fall of 2017.
Students are waiting longer to get their course materials: In fall 2015, 34% of respondents had their materials at least two weeks before classes started. By spring 2018, that number had fallen to 21% with 25% waiting until after the first week of classes. Continued uncertainty over faculty use of the materials appears to be driving this trend.
Health professional majors spent the most on course materials: All majors saw declines in spending for the 2017-18 academic year, with students in health-related majors spending the most on course materials at $597. Business-related majors spent
$554, while education majors spent an average of $414. Those spending the least on course materials were fine arts majors, at $372, and mathematics majors, who spent $357.
The campus store remains the top source for purchasing and renting course materials: In Fall 2017 students report that 78% of course materials were purchased from the campus store, 41% from Amazon, 8% from a peer/student, 8% from a publisher website, and 6% from Chegg.com. Rentals followed a similar pattern.
Students prefer convenience: The reasons cited for using the campus bookstore in the fall of 2017 were convenient location (38%), the ability to buy all materials at once (33%), and it saves time (33%).

Members of the media interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org .

About The National Association of College Stores
The National Association of College Stores (NACS), headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, is the professional trade association of the $10 billion campus store industry. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. The association represents all campus stores, which include nearly 4,000 campuses in the U.S. and Canada, and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores.

About the Student Watch™ Survey
Student Watch™ is conducted online twice a year, in the fall and spring terms. It is designed to proportionately match the most recent figures of U.S. higher education published in The Chronicle of Higher Education: 2017/2018 Almanac. Institutions were selected to participate based on the following factors: public versus private schools, two-year versus four-year degree programs, enrollment size, and
geographic location.

Shopping for College Textbooks? Skipping the Campus Store is Outdated Advice

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH, July 27, 2018 – Today’s college stores provide students with a variety of options to save money on textbooks and course materials. Savvy students know that campus stores offer competitive prices on course materials and many options, such as rentals, used or electronic textbooks, custom course materials, and more.

According to the soon-to-be-released Student Watch: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials 2017-2018 Report, last fall 78% of students that purchased one or more course materials did so at the campus bookstore. This percentage is nearly twice as high as any other retailer.

Here’s why:

Nearly all campus stores offer used and rental textbooks as well as digital course content at prices that are comparable to online vendors. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new textbook.
Moreover, some stores offer price matching, price guarantees, rebates, discounts for early reservations, free in-store pickup for online orders, and buy-now, pay-later options. Options students won’t get with online vendors.

Campus stores work with faculty to develop custom content—such as special editions with only the assigned chapters—so that students pay for only the information they need to succeed academically.

More than 350 campus stores across the U.S. and Canada offer price-comparison apps or online software to help students make wise buying choices. These tools compare the store’s prices on course materials (new, used and rentals) to those of a variety of online sellers.

Most stores have flexible return policies that mirror campus deadlines. Students avoid any hidden shipping and handling fees and the inconvenience of having to ship materials back to multiple online sellers (and remember where they got each item).

Immediate access to course materials for last-minute shoppers. Some online sources can take up to three weeks to deliver.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS), headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, is the professional trade association of the $10 billion campus store industry. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. The association represents all campus stores, which include nearly 4,000 campuses in the U.S. and Canada, and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores.

Ten Ways to Shop Smart and Save on Textbooks; Skipping the Campus Bookstore Isn’t One of Them

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ten Ways to Shop Smart and Save... And Skipping the Campus Bookstore Isn’t One of Them

OBERLIN, OHIO, July 17, 2018 – According to the soon-to-be-released Student Watch: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials 2017-2018 Report, students, on average, spent $484 on textbooks and other course materials last year. That’s down 16% over the previous year, when spending averaged $576, and a 31% decrease in the past 10 years, when spending averaged $701. Students are comparing prices and taking advantage of a number of cost-saving options, including used books, rentals and free and electronic materials.

As students get ready to head back to campus, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) offers the following tips on how they can save on textbooks and course materials:

Buy used or electronic textbooks and course materials. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new print textbook.
Rent course materials. Renting course materials from the campus store helps avoid the shipping hassles and returns students may experience with online companies.
Shop early. The sooner students shop, the more likely they are to find a good selection of lower-cost used books and rentals.
Use price-comparison tools. Check the campus store’s website for a price-comparison tool. Students can save time and money by finding the best option at the best price.
Know the return policy. If a student drops a class or the professor decides not to use the material, they’ll need to return it before the deadline to get a full refund.
Don’t write in or unwrap books or course materials until they’re certain they’ll be keeping them. Most stores won’t give full credit for course materials that have been marked in or opened.
Keep receipts in a safe place. Most retailers require them for returns. Also, textbook receipts are needed during income tax season when filing for the American Opportunity Tax Credit. For details on how to apply for the credit, go to textbookaid.org .
When shopping online, check the shipping costs – both ways. Know the full price of buying online. If students need to return a book, they need to find out the costs involved.
Know how long it will take materials to arrive. If students buy online at the last minute, they could be without materials for the first two-three weeks of class.
Know the difference between editions. Students should use the book’s ISBN and edition when comparing costs to ensure they’re comparing apples to apples. The campus store will carry the correct one, but it’s easy to purchase an outdated version online as they often have the same title and cover. In some cases, the changes are minor and it won’t matter, but it pays to be sure in advance.

Check out the campus bookstore for special deals and incentives. Stores offer reservation discounts, price match guarantees and other incentives. It’s convenient, and most campus stores offer students a range of options, including used, rental, and electronic. Many also have more flexible return policies that mirror campus deadlines. In addition, students can avoid any hidden shipping and handling fees and the inconvenience of having to ship materials back to multiple online sellers (and remembering where they got each item).

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores Applauds Supreme Court Ruling in Favor of Fair Sales Tax Policy for all Retailers

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

National Association of College Stores (NACS) actively supports South Dakota v. Wayfair decision, which aligns with the Association’s long-held position.

OBERLIN, OHIO – June 21, 2018 – In a substantial victory for higher education and college stores, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled Thursday that states have the authority to require online retailers to collect sales taxes. This policy shift eliminates an unfair advantage that online-only retailers have had over brick-and-mortar retailers since the 1992 SCOTUS Quill decision.

“For nearly 20 years, NACS has maintained its position that sound public policy requires a tax system that does not unfairly favor one type of sale over another,” said Richard Hershman, Vice President of Government Relations for NACS. “This decision overturns a critical disadvantage that brick-and-mortar retailers, such as college and K-12 stores, have faced for decades.”

The South Dakota v. Wayfair ruling directly benefits education overall. As a consequence of the Quill decision, revenue loss from the lack of sales tax collection hampered investments in education at both state and local levels.

Prior to Thursday’s decision, more than 40 states had voiced their desire for the removal of the sales tax exemptions allowed following Quill . For more than a decade, NACS has actively shared and supported that same position, contributing to an Amicus brief in 2017 that petitioned for fair tax policy for both online-only and brick-and-mortar retailers.

As NACS explained in the brief, more than 1,200 college stores have implemented price comparison tools on their own online sites, providing transparency to students on textbook purchases and making it easy for them to buy from the lowest-priced source, be it at a given bookstore or elsewhere. Yet bookstores still faced a drain from “showrooming,” because an estimated one in four students used the sales staff to research and gather all of the books that they need, with no intention of purchasing them at the store. Because stores price match and offer an online engine permitting students to purchase from the lowest-priced source, the sales-tax differential was plainly driving this conduct. Effectively, the Quill advantage for out-of-state sellers meant campus stores were forced to pay the overhead for tax-advantaged out-of-state sellers, despite offering identical prices. South Dakota v. Wayfair eradicates that severe disadvantage, levels the playing field, and eliminates further harm from being done.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) , headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, is the professional trade association of the campus store industry. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. The association represents all campus stores, which include nearly 4,000 campuses in the U.S. and Canada, and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores.

Fort Hays State University to Launch New Hybrid Bookstore with Akademos and indiCo

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Akademos virtual course material store will provide students with lower cost course materials and indiCo will provide an innovative retail environment on campus

NORWALK, Conn. and OBERLIN, Ohio - June 19, 2018 - Fort Hays State University (FHSU) has announced a partnership with Akademos , to provide a full-service, virtual course materials store and indiCo , to provide the institution with a best-in-class on campus store for all general merchandise such as FHSU clothing and gifts, school supplies, tech accessories and more. The hybrid partnership will dramatically lower textbook prices and provide an innovative and customized retail environment on campus.

With over 15,000 students and certificate and degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s and master’s level, Fort Hays State attracts goal-oriented students who want premier learning opportunities – inside and outside of the classroom. The institution, located in Kansas, will launch its new bookstore model for Fall Term 2018. Via Akademos, a wide selection of course material format options, including new, used, rental, marketplace and eBooks, will provide students with access to over 100 million unique titles at deeply discounted prices. Additionally, students will have the freedom to use financial aid on all textbook purchases, including marketplace items, which offer savings on average of 60% off publisher list prices. Seamless integration between the University’s student information system and the Akademos Course Materials Platform (CMP)TM will allow students to see a personalized listing of the textbooks required for each of their courses, and to order materials for an entire term, in less than five minutes.

Using a unique collaborative approach, indiCo, a subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores, will manage all general merchandise for the Tiger Spirit Shop, the University’s on-campus store and its online ecommerce site. Fort Hays State will benefit from the company’s expertise in retail management, product and apparel sourcing, store design, merchandising, and staffing as well as the organization’s customized approach that will emphasize the culture and brand of the university.

“We’re so pleased to be partnering with Akademos and indiCo to launch such an innovative bookstore solution,” said Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Joey Linn. “This decision contributes to our overall strategy to provide our students with all of the tools they need to succeed, by expanding our offering of course material formats, lowering the costs associated with them, and providing our students with general merchandise and fan shop items that contribute to a complete and successful college experience.”

Akademos’ virtual course materials store will support the University’s faculty and administrators, who will benefit from an easy-to-use and powerful Adoption & Analytics Portal. This platform offers a step-by-step guide for course material adoptions, recommendations and adoption history, and the ability to compare realtime prices for course materials. Real-time reporting and analytics will also enable faculty, academic leadership and administration to track critical bookstore utilization data (in aggregate for the entire institution and down to the individual class level) that can be easily merged with the institution’s student success database.

“Through this strategic partnership, Fort Hays State’s virtual and physical stores will collaborate to share connection points such as cross promotion and general support to optimize and enhance the user experience for students, faculty and administrators,” said John Squires, CEO, Akademos. “We’re pleased to help Fort Hays State University address textbook affordability, service and selection through an innovative new hybrid model."

“Every campus store is different, which is why we take a customized approach,” said Ed Schlichenmayer, president of indiCo. “Our team will partner with the store and the administration to ensure that the Tiger Spirit Shop reflects the campus culture and meets the needs of its students, faculty, alumni, and campus community.”

About Akademos
Akademos offers customized, online bookstore services and solutions that support what's most important to institutions - from full-service virtual bookstores to unique partnerships and products supporting on-campus shops. Akademos delivers cost savings on course materials for students while providing administrators and faculty with critical control over the textbook delivery process.

Akademos offers an innovative textbook marketplace, best-in-class eCommerce platform, eLearning solutions, and a unique adoption and analytics portal. The company’s comprehensive supply-chain solution and commitment to responsive personal service makes it the choice of leading institutions throughout the country.

Akademos helps institutions deliver the right course materials, at affordable prices, on time. Learn more at akademos.com.

About indiCo
indiCo is a collaborative business model for operating campus stores that lowers the cost of higher education and improves student success. We offer campus administrators and store directors an alternative to leasing or self-operating their campus bookstores. indiCo combines the efficiency, buying power, and guidance promised by corporate lease operators with the flexibility and brand autonomy of an institutionally operated university store. Backed by its parent company, The National Association of College Stores (NACS), indiCo is a trusted partner with deep knowledge of campus stores and an established network of the industry’s leading vendors.

Contact Information

Jonathan Shar
Akademos
http://www.akademos.com/
+1 203.852.3936

Jenny Febbo
indiCo
http://www.goindico.com/
800.622.7498

South Dakota v. Wayfair Decision will have Major Implications for Main Street Retailers

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (April, 17, 2018) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS), today issued the following statement following oral arguments heard by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in the case of South Dakota v Wayfair, et al. The case, which could be decided by June, will either result in equitable rules for remote sales tax collection, or continue to give out-of-state internet retailers an unfair advantage over local brick-and-mortar retailers.

“As a trade association representing non-profit and small independent businesses, we believe sales tax policy should not favor one segment of an industry over another,” said Richard Hershman, Vice President of Government Relations for NACS. “This case could level the playing field by giving states the ability to enforce their existing state and local sales tax laws. For too long the tax collection avoidance being practiced by online-only retailers has put brick- and-mortar retailers, such as college and K-12 stores, at an unfair competitive disadvantage.”

The current standard for remote sales tax collection did not anticipate the e-commerce explosion. The 1992 SCOTUS Quill decision came well before modern e-commerce, and has allowed online-only sellers to avoid collecting sales tax and undercut local businesses for more than two decades.

As NACS explained in an Amicus Brief with the court, Pueblo Community College Bookstore in Pueblo, Colorado has implemented price comparison tools on its own online site, providing transparency to students on textbook purchases and making it easy for them to buy from the lowest-priced source, whether that is the Pueblo Community College Bookstore or elsewhere. More than 1,200 college stores do the same thing, and several thousand additional stores price match. Yet the bookstore (and others like it) still face a drain from “showrooming,” because an estimated one in four students use the sales staff to research and gather all of the books that they need, with no intention of purchasing them at the store. Because the store price matches and offers an online engine permitting students to purchase from the lowest-priced source, the sales-tax differential is plainly driving this conduct. Effectively, the Quill advantage for out-of-state sellers means the Pueblo Community College Bookstore and its similarly-situated in-state peers must pay the overhead for tax-advantaged out-of-state sellers, despite offering identical prices.

As our marketplace has evolved, this decision has done significant damage to local retailers and the jobs they support. The South Dakota case is the perfect opportunity to revisit Quill after 25 years of technological change and restore free market competition.

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores Announces New Officers and Trustees

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 3, 2018) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing the campus store industry, installed two new officers and four new trustees to its board during CAMEX, the association’s annual convention and trade show taking place this week in Dallas, TX.

Steve Alb, MBA, CCR , director of Western Retail Services, The Book Store at Western, Western University, London, ON, Canada, is the newly-elected president for 2018 through CAMEX 2019. Alb succeeds Loreen J. Maxfield , director of retail operations, The UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois at Chicago.

Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR , the associate general manager of MSU Bookstore Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, was installed as president-elect.

The newly-elected trustees include: Andy Dunn, MBA , director of campus retail and licensing, Lope Shops, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ; Polly Grapes , director, State Fair Community College Campus Store, Sedalia, MO; Steve C. Wenger , director of the Wildcat Shop, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA; Carol J. Miller Schaefer, CCR, NACS Foundation Board President, director, VOLSHOP, University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Trustees remaining on the board include: Loreen J. Maxfield , NACS Past President, director of retail operations, The UIC Bookstore, University of Chicago at Illinois; Gavin Jensen, MBA, CCR , director, Salt Lake Community College Store, Salt Lake City, UT; Alex Parra , utech manager, University of Utah Campus Store, Salt Lake City; Rita Phillips , director, Iowa State University Bookstore, Ames; Ali Sadeghi , director, University of Arkansas Bookstore, Fayetteville; Debby Shively, M.Ed ., assistant vice president, The University of Arizona BookStores, Tucson; Steven Westenbroek , store director, College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, NE; Mary Ellen Martin, CCR , retired store director, Wilton, Maine; Laura Stevens , The M Store, Maryville University Bookstore, St. Louis, MO; Tom Hoffa , vice president of channel partnerships, Pearson, Chanhassen, MN; Roxanne Irizarry , national sales manager, college division, MV Sport/The Game, Bay Shore, NY.

EDITOR’S NOTE : CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About The National Association of College Stores

Steve Alb Named Board President of the National Association of College Stores

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO (March 3, 2018) – Steve Alb, MBA, CCR , director of Western Retail Services, The Book Store at Western, Western University, London, ON, Canada, was installed as president of the board of the National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association that represents the nation’s campus store industry, during CAMEX 2018, NACS’ annual convention and trade show. Alb has a certificate in management from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA in executive management from Royal Roads University. He is also an instructor in the university’s continuing studies diploma programs.

Alb has been an active member in the industry. He is president-elect and secretary of the NACS Board of Trustees and also served on the board in an elected seat from 2008-11. He is a member of the indiCo Board of Directors and previously chaired the NACSCORP Board of Directors. He has served on numerous NACS groups, including chair of the Audit Committee, Research Advisory Committee, and as a member of the Benchmarking Committee, Nominating Committee, Xtreme Task Force, Finance and Budget Committee, and CEO Evaluation Committee.

In addition, Alb has been active with the Canadian Retail Council, Canadian Council for Advancement of Education, Campus Stores Canada, Canadian College Retail Associates - Large Stores Group, Canadian Institute of Management, Canadian Booksellers Association (twice named Campus Bookseller of the Year), and Canadian Publishers' Council (also twice named Bookseller of the Year).

About The National Association of College Stores

NACS Foundation Installs New Board Members

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO – March 15, 2018 - The NACS Foundation announced the installation of its new president, president-elect and two directors to the 2018-2019 board during CAMEX 2018, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual convention and trade show.

Carol J. Miller Schaefer, CCR , director, The Vol Shop, University of Tennessee, Knoxville is the newly elected president for 2018-19. Miller Schaefer succeeds Deanna Casterton, Luther Book Shop, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, who is now the Foundation’s Immediate Past President.

Stephen Hochheiser , higher education consultant and former NACS Foundation board member, was installed as president-elect.

Newly installed directors, who completed their three-year term at CAMEX 2018 and were elected to serve one additional term, are Julie Banks, CCR , university retail operations manager, University of Dayton Bookstore, Dayton, Ohio; and Tracy Dyal, CCR , manager, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Bookstore, Tifton, Ga.

Directors remaining on the NACS Foundation board are: Delinda Bahm , regional sales executive, Jardine Associates, Meriden, Kan.; Allison Hartel , assistant director for marketing and outreach, CU Bookstore, University of Colorado Boulder; and Donna Morris-Powell , director of retail operations, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro.

EDITOR’S NOTE : CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About NACS Foundation

Operating for 36 years, the NACS Foundation is the only charitable resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors

About The National Association of College Stores

Miller Schaefer Installed as President of the Board for the NACS Foundation

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO - March 16, 2018 – Carol J. Miller Schaefer, CCR , director, The Vol Shop, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was installed as the president of the board for the NACS Foundation , the charitable arm of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) during CAMEX18 , NACS’ annual convention and trade show. Miller Schaefer will also represent the Foundation as a voting member of the NACS board of trustees.

An active supporter of the NACS Foundation, Miller Schaefer has held various roles with NACS, including NACS board president, and chair, member and board liaison of the NACS Education Committee. She has served on committees for CAMEX, and has served on and chaired the General Book Committee, Retailing Council, Textbook Rental Task Force, and Academic Content Licensing Task Force. Miller Schaefer was the 2018 recipient of the Aspen Award, given out yearly at CAMEX. The Aspen Award celebrates an individual who serves as mentor and coach to his or her staff; raises the level of professional practice in the collegiate retailing industry; and has committed to and been actively involved with the growth, education, and professional development of the industry.

About NACS Foundation

Operating for 36 years, the NACS Foundation is the only charitable resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional developmentgrants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores

Report Shows Faculty Still Prefer Print over Digital and Open Educational Resources

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

National Association of College Stores Releases Report Covering Faculty Views on Course Materials

OBERLIN, OHIO (August 31, 2017) – During the 2016-17 academic year, college students reported spending an average of $579 on textbooks and other course materials* required for their classes. Even though digital textbooks and open educational resources (OER) have helped to reduce the cost for students, faculty are less likely to assign them, according to a new survey conducted by the National Association of College Stores (NACS).

When asked about their format preferences, 50% of faculty say they prefer a print textbook; 20% prefer print with digital components. Only 7% of faculty stated they prefer using a digital format while teaching. And, despite the buzz surrounding OER, 48% of instructors are not aware of or have only heard about OER. Just 34% are aware of OER and how they can be used.

“There is still a significant knowledge gap among faculty on textbook affordability in general, and specifically on how to find and use digital and OER materials,” said NACS CEO Robert Walton. “However, it’s fair to point out that the majority of the current student population prefers print as well, despite the cost savings of digital formats. As more true digital natives matriculate, this will change. Campus stores, working with administrative leadership and other campus departments such as IT, the library, and instructional design, can help faculty better understand how to discover and use digital and open educational resources.”

Faculty Watch 2016-17 Academic Year: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials , is based on responses from more than 1,900 faculty at 29 higher education institutions. The report gives insights into faculty opinions on course materials, including adoption considerations, format preferences, affordability, and more. Other key findings of the report include:

Majority choose the materials assigned, but some do not -Eighty percent of faculty indicated that they select the course materials they assign. Only 29% report using a standard set of required course materials that were selected by a campus or departmental committee/designee or at the district, system, or state level.

Many do not understand their role in textbook affordability and don’t view it as a priority -While in most instances, faculty are selecting the materials students are asked to buy, 55% of faculty report being unsure about the role they play in textbook affordability and more than 40% of faculty do not view textbook affordability as a priority for their institution, themselves, or the campus store.

There is not a lot of awareness of or interest in textbook affordability initiatives - Nearly three out of four faculty members are unaware of a textbook affordability initiative on campus and only 32% of them are interested in joining an initiative.

Some faculty skip the book - While the majority of faculty required at least one course material, 24% indicated that they did not require course materials for at least one of their courses. Sixty-two percent cited that students could get by with other materials and 25% felt the materials were not worth the expense.

About The National Association of College Stores

*Source: NACS Student Watch Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials 2016-17 Report

New Report from National Association of College Stores Shows Decrease in Overall Spending on Course Materials by College Students

Mon, 07 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Number of materials purchased remains steady as use of free and digital materials increases

OBERLIN, OHIO, August 7, 2017 – During the 2016-17 academic year, college students spent an average of $579 on 10 required course materials. That’s down from $602 on 10 units the previous academic year, and $701 in 2007-08, according to Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2016-2017 Report, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) twice-yearly survey of college students in the U.S. and Canada. Students also reported spending an additional $506 on technology and school supplies.

“While students report spending less on their required course materials, they’re still purchasing roughly the same amount,” said Jenny Febbo, vice president of marketing and strategic communications for NACS., Spending is down because use of Open Educational Resources (OER) is increasing, and students are buying more lower-cost digital, used, and rental materials.”

Other highlights from the report, which compiled responses from more than 20,000 college students, include:

Use of free materials is increasing: They’re borrowing, sharing, and downloading the materials needed for their classes. In spring 2017, 25% of students surveyed reported using a free method to obtain what they needed for class, up from 19% in spring 2016 and 15% in spring 2015.
Students are opting to rent more; campus store the primary source: Forty-three percent of students rented at least one course material in fall 2016 compared to 40% in fall 2015. And, 57% of students who rented a course material, did so through the campus store.
Campus store remains top source for course materials: In Fall 2016 students report that 82% of course materials were purchased from the campus store, 40% from Amazon, 8% from a peer/student, 7% from Chegg.com and 7% from a publisher website.
New print format is most purchased: In fall 2016, when purchasing course materials, 74% of students reported buying new print, 70% bought used print, and 23% bought digital. Purchasing of digital materials increased by 8% from 15 % in fall 2015 to 23% in fall 2016.

Media Note: Members of the media who are interested in a copy of the report should email publicrelations@nacs.org.

About The National Association of College Stores

About the Student Watch™ Survey

Student Watch™ is conducted online twice a year, in the fall and spring terms. It is designed to proportionately match the most recent figures of U.S. higher education published in The Chronicle of Higher Education: 2015/2016 Almanac. Ninety institutions were selected to participate based on the following factors: public versus private schools, two-year versus four-year degree programs, enrollment size, and geographic location.

* Starting in 2015-16, data weighted by campus type to more accurately reflect the proportion of students enrolled at two- and four-year U.S. institutions.

Skipping the Campus Store Means Skipping Out on Savings

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH, July 19, 2017 – Local campus stores offer a variety of options to help students save money on their textbooks and course materials. Savvy student shoppers are heading to their local campus store to take advantage of the various money-saving options offered on textbooks and course materials. They know that today’s campus store offers competitive prices on course materials and a variety of choices such as rentals, used or electronic textbooks, custom course materials and more.

Here are some of the advantages available to students through their campus store:

Nearly all campus stores offer used and rental textbooks as well as digital course content at prices that are comparable to online vendors. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new textbook.

Campus stores work with faculty to develop custom content—such as special editions with only the assigned chapters—so that students pay for only the information they need to succeed academically.

More than 350 campus stores across the U.S. and Canada offer price-comparison apps or online software to help students make wise buying choices. These tools compare the store’s prices on course materials (new, used and rentals) to those of a variety of online sellers.

Some stores offer price matching, price guarantees, rebates, discounts for early reservations, and buy-now, pay-later options.

Most stores have flexible return policies that mirror campus deadlines. Students avoid any hidden shipping and handling fees and the inconvenience of having to ship materials back to multiple online sellers (and remembering where they got each item).

About The National Association of College Stores

Eight Ways to Save on Textbooks and Course Materials

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, July 11, 2017 – According to the Student Watch: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials 2016-2017 Report, students, on average, spent $579 on textbooks and other course materials last year. That’s down 17% 2007 when spending averaged $701. Why? Students are comparing prices and taking advantage of a number of cost-saving options such as used books, rentals and electronic materials.

As students head back to campus, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) offers the following tips on ways they can save on their course materials:

1) Buy used or electronic textbooks and course materials. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new print textbook.

2) Rent course materials. Renting course materials from the campus store helps avoid the shipping hassles and returns students may experience with online companies.

3) Shop early. It doesn’t pay to procrastinate. The sooner students shop, the more likely they are to find a good selection of used books and rentals.

4) Use price-comparison tools. Check the campus store’s website for a price-comparison tool. Students can save time and money by finding the best option at the best price.

5) Know the refund policy. If a student drops a class or the professor decides not to use the textbook, they’ll need to return it before the deadline to get a full refund.

6) Don’t write in or unwrap books or course materials until they’re certain they’ll be keeping them. Most stores won’t give full credit for course materials that have been marked in or opened.

7) Keep receipts in a safe place. Most retailers require them for returns. Also, textbook receipts are needed during income tax season when filing for the American Opportunity Tax Credit. For details on how to apply for the credit, go to textbookaid.org .

8) Don’t forget about shipping costs if shopping online. Know the full price of buying online. If students need to return a book, they need to find out the costs involved.

Most campus stores have a range of options, including used, rental, and electronic, and also have more flexible return policies that mirror campus deadlines. Students can avoid any hidden shipping and handling fees and the inconvenience of having to ship materials back to multiple online sellers (and remembering where they got each item).

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores Statement on Textbook Counterfeiting

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH, June 23, 2017 – The National Association of College Stores supports and encourages collaboration among publishers, wholesalers, campus stores and the larger community to reduce the spread of counterfeit textbooks and copyright infringement. This is a blight on our industry that ultimately contributes to higher costs for students. Publishers have stepped up efforts to combat piracy by incorporating anti-counterfeiting measures into their products and by providing information to others in the supply chain on how to spot counterfeits and avoid buying them. Others have an obligation to be diligent in their sourcing practices and in their efforts to identify counterfeits. We encourage all those involved to work together to curtail this growing problem. We applaud the progress that has been made, particularly over the past year, by publishers, distributors and booksellers.

About The National Association of College Stores

NACS Foundation Installs New Board Members

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO – March 15, 2017 - The NACS Foundation announced the installation of its new president, president-elect, and four new directors to the 2017-2018 board during CAMEX 2017 , the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual convention and trade show.

Deanna Casterton , director, Luther Book Shop, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa is the newly-elected president for 2017-18. Casterton succeeds Tom Hoffa , vp of channel partnerships, Pearson, Chanhassen, Minn, who is now the Foundation’s Immediate Past President.

Carol J. Miller Schaefer, CCR , director, NDSU Bookstore, North Dakota State University, Fargo, N.D., was installed as president-elect.

Newly installed directors are Delinda Bahm , regional sales executive, Jardine Associates, Meriden, Kan.; Allison Hartel , assistant director for marketing and outreach, CU Bookstore, University of Colorado Boulder; Donna Morris-Powell , director of retail operations, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, N.C.; and R. Todd Smith, CCR , director of campus store services, The Loch Shop, Clayton State University, Morrow, Ga.

Directors remaining on the NACS Foundation board are; Julie Banks, CCR , university retail operations manager, University of Dayton Bookstore, Dayton, Ohio; Tracy Dyal, CCR , manager, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Bookstore, Tifton, Ga.; Chris Przybylski, CCR , operations manager, Ozarks Tech Community College Bookstore, Ozarks Technical, Community College, Springfield, Mo and Paul A. Wright, MBA, CCR , store manager, Northern Michigan University Bookstore, Marquette, Mich.

EDITOR’S NOTE : CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About NACS Foundation

Operating for 35 years, the NACS Foundation is the only charitable resource for the campus store industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store professionals. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of campus store professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores Names New Officers and Trustees

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO - March 14, 2017 – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) , the professional trade association representing the campus store industry, installed two new officers and five new trustees to its board during CAMEX , the association’s annual convention and trade show.

Loreen J. Maxfield , director of retail operations, The UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois at Chicago, is the newly-elected president for 2017 through CAMEX 2018. Maxfield succeeds, Mark Frisby, CCR , general manager, MSU Bookstore, Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont. who is now NACS’ Immediate Past President.

Steve Alb, MBA, CCR, The Book Store at Western, Western University, London, ON was installed as president-elect.

The newly-elected trustees include: Deanna Casterton, NACS Foundation president, director, Luther Book Shop, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa; Roxanne Irizarry, national sales manager, college division, MV Sport/The Game, Bay Shore, N.Y.; Gavin Jensen, MBA, CCR, director, Salt Lake Community College Store, Salt Lake City, Utah; Alex Parra, utech manager, University of Utah Campus Store, Salt Lake City, Utah; Ali Sadeghi, director, University of Arkansas Bookstore, Fayetteville, Ark.

Trustees remaining on the board include: Dan Butler, president, Maple Point Consulting, Harrisburg, Pa.; Brian Groves, CCR, executive director auxiliary services, CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder, Colo.; Tom Hoffa, vice president of channel partnerships, Pearson, Chanhassen, Minn.; Jerri Lynn Lyddon, MSED, director, Saints Bookstore, Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, Liberal, Kan . ; Mary Ellen Martin, CCR, retired store director, Wilton, Maine; Rita Phillips, director, Iowa State University Bookstore, Ames, Iowa; Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR, director, Jackets and Company, Montana State University Billings, Mont. Debby Shively, M.Ed., assistant vice president, The University of Arizona BookStores, Tucson, Ariz.; Laura Stevens, The M Store, Maryville University of St. Louis, Mo.; Steven Westenbroek, store director, College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, Neb.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About The National Association of College Stores

Colorado State University Bookstore Named Collegiate Retailer of the Year

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Store recognized for highest level of collegiate retailing excellence

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 9, 2017 -Colorado State University (CSU) Bookstore, Fort Collins, was named the 2017 Collegiate Retailer of the Year (CROY) by the NACS Foundation , a subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) . The announcement was made at CAMEX 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. CAMEX is the campus store industry’s largest education and tradeshow event.

John Parry, CCR, director of the CSU Bookstore, accepted the award on behalf of the store and the university.

The award recognizes a college store that demonstrates the highest level of collegiate retailing excellence. Judging is based on six criteria: campus connection, academic support, customer commitment, shopping experience, workplace culture, and profitability.

“Every entry made an impressive case for collegiate retailing excellence, but the submission from Colorado State University Bookstore stood out as particularly exceptional. The judges loved their strong campus and community connections,” says Tom Hoffa, vice president, channel partnerships, Pearson Education, and NACS Foundation president.

The Colorado State University Bookstore stood out with its commitment to both campus and community. Along with developing a wide network of partner groups on campus and working to support student orientation and other programs, the bookstore serves as a key partner of the “School is Cool” program at Colorado State University that helps local K-12 students with back-to-school supplies. That important program has provided more than 30,000 supply bags to local students.

With a mission focused on saving students money, the Colorado State University Bookstore has also implemented a range of course material initiatives, including one of the largest buyback operations in the country, with five campus locations. The store also maintains a robust used-book program and has implemented dynamic pricing, alternative formats, rentals, e-books, and inclusive access.

These programs allow the store to maintain a competitive market position, with its course material sales holding steady while others in the industry have witnessed significant decreases. The store saved CSU students more than $5 million on course materials last year alone, through lower-priced options, used books, buyback, and other programs. “We find out what is most important to our campus and then figure out how to provide it in a way that makes business sense,” said Parry.

“Colorado State University Bookstore’s submission was about a true commitment to excellence in all aspects of the criteria and beyond,” says Tommye Miller, former NACS president and retired director, Valdosta State University Bookstore, Valdosta, GA. “The store totally rebranded itself in light of the changing market of higher education and publishing, and did it successfully. Colorado State University Bookstore really does reflect the passion I have for the college store and the vital importance of partnerships.”

The Collegiate Retailer of the Year Award is underwritten through the Tommye and Keith Miller Endowment Fund. The Millers’ passion for the industry inspired the couple to endow a prestigious award that would celebrate a dynamic and forward-thinking store’s achievements.

The NACS Foundation Board of Directors is solely responsible for selecting the Collegiate Retailer of the Year from all the applications submitted. The $5,000 award is given on a biennial basis.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR (Certified Collegiate Retailer) is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About The NACS Foundation

Operating for 35 years, the NACS Foundation is the only charitable resource for the collegiate retailing industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store personnel. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of collegiate retailing professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores

Sparks Awarded National Association of College Stores’ Highest Honor

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque executive recognized for commitment to campus store industry

OBERLIN, OH, March 9, 2017 – Melanie Sparks, CCR, executive director, institutional support services, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, was honored with the Order of the NACS Eagle Award at CAMEX 201 7 in Salt Lake City, UT. Produced by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), CAMEX is the largest educational and trade-show event in the campus retail industry.

The Order of the NACS Eagle is the highest honor bestowed by NACS. It honors select individuals who have gone above and beyond in service to NACS and the campus store industry. Sparks is the 15th person to receive the award since it was introduced in 1991.

Sparks has served on numerous NACS committees and councils, presented at various campus store conferences, and served on the NACS Board of Trustees, including as the 2008-09 president. She is an avid volunteer for the NACS Foundation, the charitable subsidiary of NACS, serving as a board member and its 2015-16 president.

She also has been an active member and served as president of both the Rocky Mountain Skyline Bookstore Association and the Southwest College Bookstore Association.

“Melanie is more than an accomplished professional. She stands apart as a best-in-class leader, a pioneer, and a person of the highest integrity. In short, she is an ‘eagle,’ said Richard McDaniel, retired, Cornell Campus Store, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, NACS past president and 2013 recipient of the Order of the NACS Eagle Award.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS), headquartered in Oberlin, OH, is the professional trade association of the $10 billion campus store industry. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. The association represents all campus stores, which include nearly 4,000 campuses in the U.S. and Canada, and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores.

Director of Puget Sound Bookstore Barbara Racine Receives Prestigious Industry Award

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 9, 2017 –Barbara Racine, director, University of Puget Sound Bookstore, Tacoma, WA, was presented with the Aspen Award by the National Association of College Stores (NACS) during a ceremony at CAMEX 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. CAMEX is the campus store industry’s largest education and tradeshow event.

This lifetime achievement award was created in 2005 and recognizes a professional in the campus store industry who has made continuous, notable contributions to education and professional development. The award was named for the Aspen tree, which is one of the most resilient trees on earth. It is invigorated by disruption and provides shade to allow plants beneath it to thrive.

A devoted industry volunteer, Racine has served on the boards for both NACS and its subsidiary NACSCORP, now a part of indiCo. Over the years, she has contributed to numerous NACS education programs, served on various content review and research committees, was a member of the CAMEX program committee, and served on the NACS Education Committee for five years—one as the committee chair. Also, an active member of the Northwest College Bookstore Association, she has served as meeting chair four times.

“Barbara Racine exemplifies strength of community; working together, sharing knowledge, building unity,” said Loreen J. Maxfield, 2017-18 NACS board president and director of retail operations, the UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois at Chicago We are all better for knowing, volunteering, and working with Barbara and NACS is a better organization because of her generous commitment and leadership.”

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores Launches Independent Campus Stores Collaborative

Sat, 04 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

National Association of College Stores Launches Independent Campus Stores Collaborative

Subsidiary indiCo provides new option for store management that keeps more money in higher education

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (MARCH 4, 2017) – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) , announced today at CAMEX 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah, that its subsidiary, indiCo, will offer a new operational model for campus stores. indiCo’s Independent Campus Stores Collaborative gives higher education an alternative to leasing or self-operation of the campus store, one that provides students with more affordable course materials and returns more money to the institution through a collaborative business model.

“NACS has reinvented indiCo using a cooperative approach that’s been very successful in higher education over the last 20 years. Whether within or among academic departments or among colleges and universities, cooperative approaches have worked to solve problems, fill gaps, and offer special opportunities to students while lowering risk and costs for the institution, “said NACS CEO Robert A. Walton.

IndiCo offers institutions two approaches to campus store operation. Its full-service option encompasses all the critical operational components of a store–staff management and training, general merchandise and sourcing, course materials management and sourcing, retail technology, e-commerce solutions, data analytics and design services. In addition to guaranteed income, this option also includes profit sharing based on the store’s performance. The custom store is an a la carte option that lets stores select the services that address their specific needs.

indiCo has formed strategic partnerships with leading service and technology providers in the marketplace to provide institutions with the best price and service options. Partnering with indiCo are: Akademos, Amazon, Montezuma Publishing, Nebraska Book Company, RedShelf, Sidewalk, Trimdata Corp., Verba Software, and VitalSource.

Additionally, indiCo has expanded its team of higher education professionals to include long-time industry specialists with extensive experience in areas such as store management, retail technology, course materials sourcing, inventory management and store design.

“While leasing the campus store was once a viable option, that model has deteriorated. We believe that independent stores best serve the needs of students and higher education. Corporate leasing companies now drain more than $1 billion in profits from leased stores every five years. That is money that, through institutionally operated stores, previously helped fund financial aid and other student services, employee benefits, and campus facilities renewal. That’s $2 billion every decade going into the pockets of corporate operators and their investors—money that higher education desperately needs,” said Walton.

Two other operational units of NACS, NACSCORP and Connect2One, will become part of the indiCo collaborative service offerings and operate under the indiCo name effective with the CAMEX announcement.

About indiCo

indiCo is a collaborative business model for operating campus stores that lowers the cost of higher education and improves student success. We offer campus administrators and store directors an alternative to leasing or self-operating their campus bookstores. indiCo combines the efficiency, buying power, and guidance promised by corporate lease operators with the flexibility and brand autonomy of an institutionally operated university store. Backed by its parent company, The National Association of College Stores (NACS) , indiCo is a trusted partner with deep knowledge of campus stores and an established network of the industry’s leading vendors.

About NACS

About CAMEX

Produced and hosted by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), Campus Market Expo (CAMEX) is campus retailing industry’s largest educational conference and buying expo, attracting more than 1,500 attendees from more than 500 campus stores as well as nearly 500 exhibiting companies.

College Students Holiday Shopping Plans

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

November 18, 2016 (OBERLIN, OH) – College students are hoping for clothing and shoes this holiday season and would rather shop for their pets than their boss according to a recent survey of college students conducted by OnCampus Research , the research arm of the National Association of College Stores . Results from the 2016 survey include:

College students hope to receive clothing/shoes (58%), money (58%), and gift cards (52%) this holiday season.

Most students intend to buy a little something for their parents (86%), siblings (75%), friends (61%), significant others (48%), or other family members (30%) for the holidays. Just 5% of student respondents indicated they either don’t celebrate these holidays or won’t be giving gifts.

Twenty-four percent of students plan to purchase gifts for their pets, while only 10% will buy for a co-worker and only 7% say they’ll give a gift to their boss.

On average, students plan to spend $244 to buy about 11 items to give to eight or nine people on their shopping list.

They plan to purchase clothing/shoes (60%), bath/beauty products (44%), homemade gifts (44%), gift cards (43%), toys/games (38%), jewelry/watches/fashion accessories (34%), books (31%), and movies/video games (30%).

About The National Association of College Stores

Books and supplies, as a percentage of college costs, are going down

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, October 27, 2016 – The recently released annual report from the College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2016, includes comparative data on what institutions recommend college students should budget for books, supplies and equipment. This is the first time in 17 years of College Board data that institutional budgets for books and supplies at both four-year public and private schools have declined. On average, public four-year schools decreased their budgets by $48 from last year, and four-year private schools decreased their budgets by $19. Community colleges increased their budgets by $26.

“These findings are consistent with our Student Watch research , which shows that annual student spending on course materials has decreased almost $100 since the 2007-2008 school year even as the number of materials acquired has stayed relatively the same for the past three years,” said Elizabeth Riddle, director of OnCampus Research for The National Association of College Stores (NACS). “Students have more options than in the past and campus stores have become much more competitive in their pricing as well as in their selections. Stores offer lower-cost rentals, e-books, custom course packs and print-on-demand open educational resources (OER) as well as price comparison tools that help students find the best price.”

Highlights from Trends in College Pricing 2016 Report:

Annual undergraduate budget estimates for books, supplies and equipment for 2016-17 school year:

Public four-year institutions: Decreased 3.7% from the previous school year
Private four-year institutions: Decreased 1.52% from the previous school year
Public two-year institutions: Increased by 1.91% from the previous school year

Books, supplies and equipment as a percentage of the undergraduate student budget

Public four-year institutions: Declined 5.56% since the 2000-2001 school year and now accounts for only 5.1% of the total undergraduate student budget
Private four-year institutions: Declined 13.79% since 2000-2001 school year and now accounts for only 2.5% of the total undergraduate student budget
Public two-year institutions: Declined 3.53% since 2000-2001 school year and now accounts for only 8.2% of the total undergraduate student budget

About the Student Watch™ Survey
Student Watch™ is conducted online twice a year, in the fall and spring terms. It is designed to proportionately match the most recent figures of U.S. higher education published in The Chronicle of Higher Education: 2014/2015 Almanac. Fifty-six institutions were selected to participate based on the following factors: public vs. private schools, two-year vs. four-year degree programs, enrollment size, and geographic location.

Students Can Snap a Selfie in their Campus Store to Win

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, September 22, 2016 – Celebrating and rewarding students for their hard work, and supporting student scholarships, are at the heart of the National Student Day photo-sharing contest , which runs Sept. 22-Oct. 20. The sixth annual National Student Day contest, sponsored by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), gives students the opportunity to win a $100 prize to their campus store and support a good cause.

High school and college students can enter the contest up to five times per person by simply snapping a selfie in their campus store and posting to a public Twitter or Instagram account with the hashtag #SMILEFORNSD. Students can also enter on the contest tab of the National Student Day Facebook page . For each contest entry received, NACS will donate $1, up to $5,000, to Scholarship America , the nation’s largest, private-education-support organization.

National Student Day, slated for October 13, 2016, is a day for campus stores across the U.S. and Canada to celebrate their students by hosting a variety of events.

For more information and complete contest rules, visit www.nationalstudentday.com .

About The National Association of College Stores

Quality and Price Top Considerations when Faculty Select Course Materials

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, September 15, 2016 – Contrary to the popular belief that faculty select textbooks and course materials without consideration for what it will cost students, a new survey conducted by the National Association of College Stores indicates the opposite. The report found that the majority of faculty consider quality of content (81%) and price (74%) when selecting course materials. Quality is key as 61% indicated it is the most important factor when selecting materials, while just 10% considered cost the most important factor. Those who assign a digital textbook were 10% more likely to consider cost to students.

Despite the challenges of switching to an entirely new course material, which includes updating materials such as syllabi and assignments, 76% have changed course materials in the past five years. Finding materials that are more effective or relevant, up-to-date, and lower cost are their top three reasons for switching.

Faculty Watch 2015-16 Academic Year: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials , is based on responses from more than 1,500 faculty at 24 higher education institutions. The report gives insights into faculty opinions on course materials, including adoption considerations, format preferences, affordability, and more. Other key findings of the report include:

Just because a new edition comes out doesn’t mean it’s assigned

One of the most publicized complaints of students is being assigned a new textbook that may not be available as used or rental. Faculty Watch found that 37% of faculty only select a new edition when changes between versions become significant and another 21% wait until it becomes difficult for students to find the older edition.

Use of digital to increase

While traditional printed textbooks remain the top format assigned to students, 36% do plan to incorporate eBooks into their curriculum. In fact, nearly half of faculty (49%) believe that adaptive learning tools are more effective than printed textbooks in creating positive learning outcomes. Looking ahead, 43% of faculty believe that most assigned materials in their discipline will be digital within the next five years.

Faculty and students views on course materials differ

Faculty and students hold differing views on the value course materials offer, how they should be utilized, and their overall effectiveness. For example, 87% of faculty reported course materials are very to extremely useful in helping students do well in courses. But, according to a recent survey, Student Watch 2015-16 Academic Year: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials , of students, only about 55% of all students considered their materials very to extremely useful in helping them perform well. If the materials were used regularly in class and to study and do homework, the perceived usefulness among students increased to 72% according the report.

About Faculty Watch

Faculty Watch is an in-depth study of faculty attitudes and behaviors toward course materials. The study was conducted online in the spring 2016 term. It is designed to proportionately match the most recent figures of U.S. higher education published in The Chronicle of Higher Education: 2014/2015 Almanac . Twenty-four institutions were selected to participate based on the following factors: public vs. private schools, two-year vs. four-year degree programs, enrollment size, and geographic location. Campus stores distributed the survey to their faculty by email. The survey fielded for a two- or three-week period in March/April 2016 and yielded a total of 1,595 responses. The margin of error for this study is <2.5% at the 95% confidence level.

About The National Association of College Stores

Skipping the Campus Store Means Skipping Out on Savings

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH, July 27, 2016 – Despite the myth that the campus store is always the most expensive place to buy textbooks and course materials, savvy student shoppers are heading to their local campus store to take advantage of the various money-saving options offered on textbooks and course materials. They know that today’s campus store offers competitive prices on course materials and a variety of choices such as rentals, used or electronic textbooks, custom course materials and low-cost print copies of open educational resources (OER). According to Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials 2015-2016 Report, 80% of students purchased one or more course materials at the campus store in fall 2015 while only 57% made a purchase at other retailers, including online sites.

Here are some of the advantages available to students through their campus store:

Nearly all campus stores offer used and rental textbooks as well as digital course content at prices that are comparable to online vendors. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new textbook.

Campus stores work with faculty to develop custom content—such as special editions with only the assigned chapters—so that students pay for only the information they need to succeed academically.

More than 350 campus stores across the U.S. and Canada offer price-comparison apps or online software to help students make wise buying choices. These tools compare the store’s prices on course materials (new, used and rentals) to those of a variety of online sellers. According to Verba, a provider of comparison software, when students compare prices using Verba Compare, approximately 80% of all items sold through the app are purchased from the campus store.

Some stores offer price matching, price guarantees, rebates, discounts for early reservations, and buy-now, pay-later options.

Most stores have flexible return policies that mirror campus deadlines. Students avoid any hidden shipping and handling fees and the inconvenience of having to ship materials back to multiple online sellers (and remembering where they got each item).

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents nearly 4,000 campus retailers and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

Newly Released Report from National Association of College Stores Shows Increase in Use of Digital Course Materials

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Students spend less on course materials than a decade ago, as number of materials purchased remains steady

OBERLIN, OHIO, July 21, 2016 – The preference for digital course materials by college students is gradually increasing, although not as quickly as some predicted, according to the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) twice-yearly survey of college students in the U.S. and Canada.

The study, Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: 2015-2016 Report , notes that 40 percent of students still prefer a printed textbook format. However, 26 percent now prefer a print/digital bundle – a print textbook with a digital component such as online access and support – up from 24 percent a year ago. Convenience (56 percent) and lower cost (45 percent) remain the top reasons for purchasing digital.

“The main reason students acquired an access code for the fall 2015 term was because their instructor required it,” noted Elizabeth Riddle, director of OnCampus Research, the research arm of NACS . “In addition to faculty, time will be an influential factor in the acceptance of digital. Students will grow more receptive to e-textbooks and access codes through use, and preferences will shift toward digital due to widespread exposure in many K-12 environments.”

Among students who prefer print textbooks, top reasons for their preference include being easier to study from, easier to flip through and easier to read than a screen. On the other hand, those preferring digital textbooks pointed out that they are easier to take places, lower in cost and environmentally friendly.

Approximately six out of 10 students used at least one digital component, either an e-textbook or access code, during the fall 2015 term. In all, 75 percent of respondents said they have used a digital learning component at least once in their college careers, while 17 percent said they have not.

Student spending on the decline since 2007-08

The NACS report indicates that while average annual spending by students on required course materials increased slightly for the 2015-16 academic year due to weighting*, there has been a downward trend for nearly a decade, influenced by options such as rentals, digital, used, open educational resources and print-on-demand. Yet the number of course materials acquired over the past three years have remained steady at nine per year.

Students spent an average of $602* on their purchased and rented required course materials last school year, compared with $563 in 2014-15 and $701 in 2007-08.

Another growing option among students is the ability to download their materials for free from the internet. Approximately 11 percent downloaded at least one material during the spring 2016 term, up from 5 percent the previous year. The frequency of students borrowing materials, whether from the campus library or other students, has remained between 10 and 13 percent over the past few years.

Students value convenience of campus store for course materials

According to the study, campus stores collectively represent the largest share of course material purchases made during the 2015-16 year in both dollars and units. In fact, the campus store experienced a surge in student purchases during the fall term. Of the 86% of students who purchased, four out of five students purchased at least one of their course materials from the on-campus resource, up from 68 percent the previous fall. Eight out of 10 students agree or strongly agree that having a physical location on campus that sells course materials is very important to them.

“Students value the convenience that their campus store offers, which includes not only the location but the chance to acquire all their course materials at once,” said Riddle. “They also appreciate the ease of finding exactly what they need, all of which contributes to saving them time. An additional benefit, exclusive to the campus store, is confidence that they are receiving the correct course materials.”

The campus store also dominates the rental market. During the fall term alone, of the 40 percent that rented course materials, more than half chose to rent either in-store or through the campus store website, an increase of six percent in frequency from the previous fall term.

About The National Association of College Stores

About the Student Watch™ Survey

Student Watch™ is conducted online twice a year, in the fall and spring terms. It is designed to proportionately match the most recent figures of U.S. higher education published in The Chronicle of Higher Education: 2014/2015 Almanac. Fifty-six institutions were selected to participate based on the following factors: public vs. private schools, two-year vs. four-year degree programs, enrollment size, and geographic location.

*Total spending for the 2015-2016 academic year was weighted by campus type to more accurately reflect the proportion of students enrolled at two- and four-year U.S. institutions. The unweighted total spending average is $559.

Eight Ways to Save on Textbooks and Course Materials

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, July 14, 2016 – According to the Student Watch: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials 2015-2016 Report, students, on average, spent $602 on textbooks and other course materials last year. That’s 14% or almost $100 less than they spent in 2007 when spending averaged $701. Why? Students are comparing prices and taking advantage of a number of cost-saving options such as used books, rentals and electronic materials.

As students head back to campus, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) offers the following tips on ways they can save on their course materials:

1) Buy used or electronic textbooks and course materials. These options are often one-third to half the price of buying a new print textbook.

2) Rent course materials. Renting course materials from the campus store helps avoid the shipping hassles and returns students may experience with online companies.

3) Shop early. It doesn’t pay to procrastinate. The sooner students shop, the more likely they are to find a good selection of used books and rentals.

4) Use price-comparison tools. Check the campus store’s website for a price-comparison tool. Students can save time and money by finding the best option at the best price.

5) Know the refund policy. If a student drops a class or the professor decides not to use the textbook, they’ll need to return it before the deadline to get a full refund.

8) Don’t forget about shipping costs if shopping online. Know the full price of buying online. If students need to return a book, they need to find out the costs involved.

About The National Association of College Stores

About Student Watch

The twice-yearly Student Watch™ survey, conducted by OnCampus Research, the research arm of indiCo LLC, a division of the National Association of College Stores, explores how college students access and use their course materials, the many factors that influence their purchasing decisions, and their thoughts on available options.

Cost Sensitive Students are Spending Less on Course Materials

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH July 5, 2016 - Students are smart when it comes to keeping college costs in check. Take course materials, for example: Today’s college students are spending less on materials than students were two, three, four or even eight years ago, but still buying almost the same number of materials.

According to the latest National Association of College Stores (NACS) Student Watch: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials 2054-2016 report, students spent an average of $77 per course in 2015-16. The annual average of student spending on course materials has decreased 14% since 2007, from $701 to $602 (see chart).

Student Spending on Required Course Materials

Source: National Association of College Stores

Today’s students are being more strategic in selecting the materials they need. They’re taking advantage of lower-cost options—such as used books, rentals, digital course materials and open educational resources (OER).

About The National Association of College Stores
The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents nearly 4,000 campus retailers and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

The Plain Dealer Names NACS Inc. a Workplace Achiever of the Northeast Ohio Area 2016 Top Workplaces Award

Thu, 09 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH, June 9, 2016 – The National Association of College Stores , based in Oberlin, Ohio, has been awarded a 2016 Top Workplaces , Workplace Achiever honor by The Plain Dealer. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC , a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including alignment, execution, and connection.

"Receiving the Top Workplaces, Workplace Achiever is an honor, especially since it's based on feedback from our most valuable resource—our employees," said Brian E. Cartier, CAE, NACS CEO. “NACS Inc. is committed to maintaining an environment where our employees can grow professionally and personally. We strive to provide a service-oriented, collaborative culture that values innovation, initiative and teamwork.”

“The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits,” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together.” Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”

About The National Association of College Stores

About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

Headquartered in Exton, Pa, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces™ campaign—a program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.

National Association of College Stores Reaches Agreement with Bigger Words on Textbook Savings Claims

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, April 12, 2016 – The National Association of College Stores (NACS), the professional trade association representing the collegiate retailing industry, today announced that it has reached an agreement with Bigger Words, Inc. regarding textbook savings claims that appeared on the company’s website, bigwords.com. On January 28, 2016, NACS filed a complaint with the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau asking Bigger Words to substantiate claims of substantially lower textbook prices and annual savings that students would realize by purchasing textbooks through bigwords.com.

NACS challenged several of Bigger Words’ savings claims, including that its prices were “up to 90% cheaper than bookstores” and that consumers could save $1,000 annually. NACS believed that these claims did not accurately reflect the competitive prices available from college bookstores and other retailers.

While Bigger Words did not agree that it made any false or misleading statements, Bigger Words has agreed to remove or change the language on its website and other communications to more accurately describe the price comparisons that students and other consumers will experience.

“NACS regularly reviews claims pertaining to textbook costs and savings and has, on several occasions, successfully convinced other retailers to correct misleading ads,” said Jenny Febbo, NACS spokesperson. “The agreement announced today is just one of the ways that NACS and its members help to educate students and their parents on textbook options and costs so that they can make sound and informed purchasing decisions.”

NACS supports fair competition among retailers, including online textbooks sellers, as it ultimately benefits student consumers. Many NACS members offer online textbook purchase options and price comparison tools. NACS also publishes a set of Advertising Guidelines to help retailers make reasonable and accurate advertising claims.

About The National Association of College Stores

NACS Foundation Installs New Board Members

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO.March 24, 2016 — The NACS Foundation announced the installation of its new president, president-elect, and three new directors to the 2016-2017 board during CAMEX , the annual convention and trade show National Association of College Stores (NACS) .

Tom Hoffa , VP of channel partnerships, Pearson, Chanhassen, Minn, is the newly-elected president for 2016-17. Hoffa succeeds Melanie Sparks, CCR, executive director, institutional support services, University of New Mexico Bookstore, Albuquerque, N.M., who is now the Foundation’s Immediate Past President.

Deanna Casterton , director, Luther Book Shop, Luther College-Decorah, Decorah, Iowa was installed as president-elect.

Newly installed directors are J Bryson Baker , manager, OrangeTech, University Store, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.; Cary Caldwell , director, Gardner-Webb University Campus Shop, Boiling Springs, N.C.; and Chris Przybylski, CCR , operations manager, Ozarks Tech Community College Bookstore, Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, Mo.

Directors remaining on the NACS Foundation board are Steve Arnold , Fishers, Ind.; Julie Banks, CCR , university retail operations manager, University of Dayton Bookstore, Dayton, Ohio; Tracy Dyal, CCR , manager, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Bookstore, Tifton, Ga.; Sonda Ropp Reinartz , territory manager, Follett, Westchester, Ill.; and Paul A. Wright, MBA, CCR , assistant manager, Northern Michigan University Bookstore, Marquette, Mich.

EDITOR’S NOTE : CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About NACS Foundation

Operating for more than 30 years, the NACS Foundation is the only charitable resource for the collegiate retailing industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store personnel. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of collegiate retailing professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores

indiCo Announces New Board Members

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 24, 2016— indiCo announced two new members to its board of directors during CAMEX , the annual conference and trade show of the National Association of College Stores (NACS). indiCo is a subsidiary of NACS that was created in 2013 to assist institutionally-operated campus stores.

New directors are: Michael Kotlinski , director, Gettysburg College Bookstore, Gettysburg, Pa, and Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR, director, Jackets and Company, Montana State University, Billings, Mont. They were appointed to three-year terms.

Board Member Charles D. Kissel, MBA, associate executive director, Titan Shops, California State University, Fullerton, Calif., was reappointed for an additional year.

Laura Stevens, director of auxiliary operations, Maryville University Bookstore, St. Louis, Mo., will continue as chair of the board. Continuing board members are: Doug Mason, director, University Store, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho; and Matthew Portner, director of auxiliary services, Ashland University Bookstore, Ashland, Ohio.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR (Certified Collegiate Retailer) is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About indiCo

indiCo is a centralized source of business support dedicated to independent college stores. As such, it helps stores adopt shared strategies and practices, introduces new retailing opportunities, and provides leadership, innovation, and proprietary research on issues that are critical to stores’ success. For additional information visit www.indiCo-uniting.com

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores Names New Officers and Trustees

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO - March 22, 2016 – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) , the professional trade association representing the higher education retailing industry, installed two new officers and six new trustees to its board during CAMEX , the association’s annual convention and trade show.

Mark Frisby, CCR, general manager, MSU Bookstore, Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., is the newly-elected president for 2016 through CAMEX 2017. Frisby succeeds Anthony Martin , director, Houston Baptist University Bookstore, Houston, Texas, who is now NACS’ Immediate Past President.

Loreen J. Maxfield ,director of retail services, The UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Ill. was installed as president-elect.

The newly-elected trustees include: Dan Butler ,president, Maple Point Consulting, Harrisburg, Pa.;NACS Foundation President Tom Hoffa ,VP of channel partnerships, Pearson, Chanhassen, Minn.; Rita Phillips ,director, Iowa State University Bookstore, Ames, Iowa; Debby Shively, M.Ed ., executive director, The University of Arizona BookStores, Tucson, Ariz.; Pam Snow , SVP, strategic customer partnerships, Cengage Learning, Cape Canaveral, Fla.; Steven Westenbroek , store director, College of Saint Mary Campus Store, Omaha, Neb.

Trustees remaining on the board include:NACSCORP Board of Directors Chair, Steve Alb , MBA, CCR , director, western retail services, The Book Store at Western, Western University, London, Ontario; Brent Beatty ,manager, University of Calgary Bookstore, Calgary, Alberta; Brian Groves, CCR , interim executive director auxiliary services, CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colo.; Norman Jacobs , president, Spirit Products Ltd, Haverhill, Mass.; Jerri Lynn Lyddon, MSED , director, Saints Bookstore, Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, Liberal, Kan . ; Jeff Nelson, CCR , director, bookstores, BGSU Bookstores, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio;PartnerShip Board Chair, Mary Ellen Martin, CCR , retired director of store services, Wilton, Maine;

Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR , director, Jackets and Company, Montana State University-Billings, Billings, Mont.; Gary F. Shapiro ,CEO of RATEX Business Solutions and CRA, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.; R. Todd Smith, CCR , director of campus store services, The Loch Shop, Clayton State University, Morrow, Ga.; indiCo Board of Directors Chair Laura Stevens , director of auxiliary operations, Maryville University Bookstore, St. Louis, Mo.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About The National Association of College Stores

Conference to Address Textbook Affordability Takes Place in April

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 18, 2016 – The Textbook Affordability Conference 2016 will bring together teams consisting of campus administrators, faculty and leaders from the library, campus store, and IT department to find ways to make course materials more affordable, accessible and effective for students. Sponsored by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), the conference takes place April 27-29 at the University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA. Registration information is at tac.nacs.org.

Collaborating with NACS on this year’s conference are the Association of American Publishers (AAP)-Higher Education, California Association of College Stores, California State University’s Affordable Learning Solutions, NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, and OpenStax.

Keynote speaker Adela de la Torre, vice chancellor, student affairs and campus diversity, UC Davis, will talk about how students’ success trumps all other imperatives. In addition, Mark Milliron, co-founder and chief learning officer, Civitas Learning, and Lisa Petrides, president, Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education, will offer input on how course materials can be more affordable and accessible to students.

“Our goal with this conference is to guide teams of campus professionals and industry service providers towards the creation of new course content models for their campuses,” said Tony Ellis, vice president of industry advancement for NACS. “We must build collaborative processes that will produce more affordable course material options, which is so critical to student learning, retention, and completion. Solutions to textbook affordability happen when all stakeholders are engaged in the conversation.”

Groups of three or more from the same institution will receive a discount on the conference registration rate. The NACS Foundation is offering a limited number of grants for campus stores to attend the conference. Applications will be accepted through March 25, 2016.

About The National Association of College Stores

Anthony Martin Honored with NACS Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Top honor given by philanthropic arm of National Association of College Stores (NACS)

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 18, 2016 – Anthony Martin, director of the Houston Baptist University Bookstore, Houston, Texas, was presented with the NACS Foundation Distinguished Service Award.

Introduced in 2002, the Distinguished Service Award is the NACS Foundation’s highest honor and recognizes devotion, service and visionary leadership to the NACS Foundation, the charitable arm of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) . The award was presented on March 5 at a ceremony during CAMEX 2016 in Houston, TX. Produced by the National Association of College Stores, CAMEX is the largest education and trade show event in the collegiate retailing industry.

Martin has a long history of involvement with NACS and the Foundation, having chaired and served on numerous committees since 1982. He most recently served as president of the Association from 2015-2016. From 2012-2013, Martin was president of the NACS Foundation.

In addition to his work with NACS, Martin has volunteered for the Louisiana State Association Board and the Southwest College Bookstore Association, which presented him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

“It was an honor and pleasure to present the NACS Foundation Distinguished Service Award, the highest award that the Foundation bestows, to Anthony,” said NACS Foundation Immediate Past President Melanie Sparks, CCR, executive director, institutional support services, University of New Mexico. “Anthony has been a true leader and believer for many, many years. His passion and dedication to our industry and the Foundation has truly made a difference.

About NACS Foundation

About The National Association of College Stores

UC Davis Stores’ Award-Winning Program Saves Students $2.3 million on Course Materials

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH, MARCH 17, 2016 - With many college students struggling to cover the cost of their education, any savings is a big help. The UC Davis Stores, University of California, Davis (UCD), estimates its new Inclusive Access program has saved students $2.3 million on course materials since the program began in 2014. This program has earned UC Davis Stores the NACS Foundation’s Innovation Achievement Award. The NACS Foundation is the charitable arm of the National Association of College Stores (NACS).

The program substantially reduces the cost of course materials for 40 classes at UCD. The UC Davis Stores work with textbook publishers to secure a lower cost for the materials by guaranteeing sales for the entire class.

Students pay for the materials as part of their tuition fees. They have access to digital copies on the first day of class, ensuring they don’t fall behind in their studies because they don’t have the needed course materials. Students can opt out if they prefer.

UC Davis Stores launched the Inclusive Access pilot program in 2014 with 10 courses. This (academic) year, they expanded it to 40 courses and now are working with faculty to add more courses. The program focuses on classes using course materials that are available in digital formats with additional tools and features to help students succeed.

The Innovation Achievement Award recognizes outstanding development, implementation, and creative entrepreneurship of a new or existing collegiate retailing program or service. One of the criteria is that the ideas must be easily adapted by almost any college or university.

The NACS Foundation’s Innovation Achievement Award is funded by the Martin D. Levine Endowment Fund. The award was presented on March 5 at a ceremony during CAMEX 2016 in Houston, TX. Produced by the National Association of College Stores , CAMEX is the largest education and trade show event in the collegiate retailing industry. UC Davis also won the award in 2014 for its “Smart Start” personal bookstore tour guide program for students.

About NACS Foundation

Operating for more than 30 years, the NACS Foundation is the only charitable resource for the collegiate retailing industry. Since its inception, it has disbursed more than $3.1 million for industry education and research, and awarded more than 3,000 professional development grants to college store personnel. The NACS Foundation has touched the careers of thousands of collegiate retailing professionals and counts some of the industry’s leading vendors among its top corporate donors.

About The National Association of College Stores

Gwen Gardner, CCR, Presented with Prestigious Award from National Association of College Stores

Sat, 05 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 5, 2016 – Gwen Gardner, CCR, retired manager of the Davidson College Store, Davidson, NC, was presented with the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) Aspen Award , during a ceremony at CAMEX 2016 in Houston, TX. CAMEX, produced by NACS, is the largest education and trade show event in the collegiate retail industry.

“Gwen personifies what the Aspen Award is all about. She has been a champion for NACS education and an enthusiastic volunteer – facilitating sessions, mentoring future leaders, and supporting those who desired to further themselves in our industry .” said Anthony Martin, immediate past president of the NACS Board of Trustees and director of the Houston Baptist University Bookstore in Houston, TX. “ Over the years, Gwen has donated countless hours to teach others the craft of bookstore management and operations, and did so with a passion and commitment that set an example for others .”

Gardner managed the Davidson College Store for more than 24 years, retiring in 2014. She also worked for 20 years as head cashier and assistant manager/course materials manager at the Central Piedmont Community College Bookstore, Charlotte, NC. A longtime NACS volunteer, she served on a wide variety of committees and boards, including the NACS Board of Trustees from 1997-2005 with a term as president in 2003-04. She was also a regular facilitator for NACS online courses on course materials, general merchandise and college store management.

EDITOR'S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

About The National Association of College Stores

CEO of National Association of College Stores Honored with Kintner Award

Fri, 04 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OH March 4, 2016 – Brian E. Cartier, CAE, CEO of the National Association of College Stores Inc., was honored with the Kintner Award at CAMEX 2016 in Houston, TX. Produced by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), CAMEX is the largest education and trade show event in the collegiate retail industry.

The Kintner Award, named in memory of former NACS legal counsel Earl W. Kintner, honors individuals outside the NACS membership for exemplary and dedicated service to the college store industry. Cartier is the ninth person to receive this award.

Cartier will retire in June after 18 years as CEO of NACS, having led the association from serving an industry reliant on traditional textbook sales to one that’s adapting to digital course content and online and mobile commerce.

“In his tenure, Brian has been a steadfast champion and advocate for both stores and the many talented individuals who manage and work in them. From the very start, he was committed to learning about and understanding the industry, the nuances of NACS membership, and the complexities of campus store operations. He is a true servant leader, who has continuously demonstrated his dedication to NACS, to serving the Board, and, most important, to serving and advancing the membership,” said Anthony Martin, immediate past-president of the NACS Board of Trustees and director of the Houston Baptist University Bookstore in Houston, TX.

Cartier’s many achievements include:

The opening of the NACS’ Government Relations office in Washington DC.
Elevating understanding of the role and value of the campus store within higher education.
Supporting the launch of a new NACS’ initiative – what is now indiCo – to focus on helping independent stores.
The acquisition of Connect2One, the largest and most comprehensive buying group in the collegiate retailing industry.

A native of Cranston, RI, Cartier came to NACS in August 1998, bringing to the association a broad background and more than 25 years of experience in not-for-profit management. Cartier earned a master’s degree in guidance and psychological services from Springfield College, Springfield, MA, and a bachelor of arts degree from Rhode Island College, Providence, RI. He is certified as an association executive by the American Society of Association Executives.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents nearly 4,000 campus retailers and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, OH. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

College Store Industry Descends Upon Houston

Thu, 03 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 3, 2016 – CAMEX 2016 , the campus retail industry’s largest educational conference and buying expo, opens Friday, March 4, and runs through Tuesday, March 7, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. CAMEX or CAmpus Market Expo, attracts an estimated 2,000 attendees from nearly 1,000 campus stores as well as more than 650 exhibiting companies.

CAMEX, produced by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), begins with two days of comprehensive educational sessions about issues facing the campus store industry. Session topics range from the move towards digital textbooks and course materials to Amazon’s presence on campus.

CAMEX wraps up with a three-day trade show featuring the latest merchandise from more than 650 companies that appeals to the campus consumer, whether student, alumni or fan.

This year, CAMEX is co-locating with Art Materials World , hosted by The International Art Materials Association (NAMTA).

Additional information can be found at www.CAMEX.org .

About The National Association of College Stores

About CAMEX

Produced and hosted by the National Association of College Stores (NACS) , CAmpus Market Expo (CAMEX) is campus retailing industry’s largest educational conference and buying expo, attracting more than 2,250 attendees from nearly 1,000 campus stores as well as 650+ exhibiting companies. CAMEX was named one of the fastest-growing tradeshows in the U.S.

National Association of College Stores Names Robert Walton as Next CEO

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, March 1, 2016 – The Board of Trustees of The National Association of College Stores (NACS) today announced Robert A. Walton as the next chief executive officer of the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. Walton will succeed Brian E. Cartier, CAE, who announced his retirement in March 2015 after 18 years at the helm of the association.

Walton will become the fourth person to hold the top post in the association’s 93-year history. He brings to the position an extensive background in higher education management, the information technology (IT) and library science industries, and corporate, service and community boards. His appointment follows an extensive, eight-month search and is effective July 1, 2016.

Since 2013, Walton has served as vice president for finance and administration of Vassar College where he managed a $161 million operating budget and directed all of the college’s finance, facilities and auxiliary operations, which included the campus store. He was instrumental in revamping and relocating Vassar’s store, which involved rehabbing a historical movie house (the “Juliet”) adjacent to the campus and adding a point-of-sale system that allowed the store to offer dynamic textbook pricing, which dramatically reduced Vassar student purchases from online booksellers. Today, the 5,700-square-foot retail space is a showcase for the Vassar brand. It also has strengthened “town and gown” relations by serving the community as well as the university.

Prior to Vassar, Walton was CEO of the Claremont University Consortium, a nationally recognized cooperative model that provides shared institutional support services to the seven Claremont Colleges of Claremont, California. Before that, he served as chief financial and business officer for The College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio.

“Bob is a proven leader with business vision and broad experience in higher education management, IT, finances and strategic planning,” said NACS Board President Anthony Martin, who also is director of the Houston Baptist University Bookstore in Houston, Texas. “His strong track record in coalition building and his deep understanding of the non-academic services and functions that support higher education institutions will be an incredible asset to NACS and its members as we continue to evolve the role of the campus store. Bob’s knowledge of store operations, and his success running IT and library science companies will help guide our members as the industry transitions to digital learning content formats, such as courseware, open educational resources, and adaptive learning.”

Prior to joining The College of Wooster in 1999, Walton was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Innovative Interfaces in California, a leading supplier of information technology to universities and municipal governments worldwide. Before that, he was CEO of CLSI, an information technology software, service and database company. At that time, CLSI – with more than 1,000 clients – was the largest provider of technology to national and academic libraries worldwide.

“I appreciate the confidence that the Board has shown by inviting me to serve as the next CEO of NACS, and I very much look forward to joining the NACS management team and staff in serving the needs of NACS members,” said Walton. “Having served as a college business officer and executive with nine higher education institutions on both coasts, I know first-hand the vital role that the college store plays in both academic and student life, and in elevating the brand of the institution. I look forward to joining others in telling and promoting this important story.”

A native of Texas, Walton holds both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Walton has retained his southern roots and maintains homes in both east Texas and New Orleans, but looks forward to moving back to Ohio with his wife Nancy, a librarian, in the coming months. With more than five million career air miles already under his belt, Walton looks forward to, once again, hitting the road to visit with and learn from member stores, state and regional groups, and suppliers.

Textbook Lesson: How Students Can Save on Course Materials

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, February 17, 2016 – Most college textbooks cost a lot less than celebrity tweeters, like Kanye West, and many other people may think, according to the National Association of College Stores (NACS), which keeps its finger on the pulse of course materials.

The average cost of a new textbook is $79, based on NACS’ annual survey of independent campus stores . And while the cost of textbooks may increase over time, student spending is on the decline. According to Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: Spring 2015 , average annual spending by students on required course materials has dropped from $701 in 2007/2008 to $563 in 2014/2015, a 20 percent decline over the last seven years .

Students have many options beyond purchasing new textbooks, and it is because of the many options available today that student spending has decreased. Here are some of the options students should explore in their search for savings on course materials:

Rent, buy used or acquire electronic course materials. Almost all campus stores offer these options, giving cost-conscious students access to course materials for about one-third to half the price of buying new.
Shop early . Students should shop as early as possible in order to beat the beginning-of-semester rush. The sooner you shop, the more options you have, particularly with used and rental course materials.
Use price-comparison tools. Check the campus store’s website for a price-comparison tool. Students can save time and money by finding the best option at the best price.
Talk to the campus store. If students can’t find what they are looking for or simply want to know if there are lower cost options available, ask the college store. The store’s employees are course material professionals and are happy to help.

Open educational resources (OER), educational materials that are in the public domain or with an open license, are also a cost-savings option for students. Many institutions encourage their professors to consider assigning OER on their syllabi, and some even have established programs to incentivize and fund faculty to develop original OER materials.

Campus stores work closely with professors and campus library staffs on OER initiatives and are partnering with companies such as OER industry leader OpenStax to stock low cost print copies of open textbooks.

“We support and champion student access to affordable course materials,” said Jenny Febbo, NACS spokesperson. “There are many cost options for students to explore, and their local campus store can help.”

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores Merges Two Businesses

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT

National Association of College Stores Merges Two Businesses

NACSCORP and Connect2One to Combine Services

OBERLIN, OHIO, February 10, 2016 – The National Association of College Stores (NACS) today announced the merger of two of its operations. Connect2One (C2O), collegiate retailing’s largest general merchandise buying group, and NACSCORP, a wholesale course materials distributor, have combined to create a comprehensive purchasing solution for campus stores. The C2O staff will remain in Cincinnati, Ohio, but will work more closely with, and report into, NACSCORP, which is located in Oberlin, Ohio.

“Combining the strengths of NACSCORP’s book distribution business and highly regarded customer service with the vendor relationships and staff expertise of Connect2One brings together two highly complementary businesses to provide campus retailers with an integrated and more robust business solution,” said NACS CEO Brian Cartier.

For almost 30 years, Connect2One, which has relationships with more than 125 suppliers, has helped its campus store members secure favorable purchasing terms on merchandise that appeals to college students, parents, alumni and fans. NACS purchased Connect2One from Neebo Inc., the owner of Nebraska Book Company, in 2013.

NACSCORP was founded in 1963 to help small stores that couldn’t meet the purchasing minimums of university press publishers. NACSCORP now supports nine million text and trade book titles, both new and used. This includes print on demand, Open Educational Resources, reference and test preparation titles and bargain books from more than 15,000 publishers.

About The National Association of College Stores

October 8 is National Student Day

Wed, 07 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT

College and high school students celebrated by college stores across U.S. and Canada

OBERLIN, OHIO, October 6, 2015 – College and high school campus stores will celebrate the fifth annual National Student Day on Thursday, October 8. Sponsored by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), National Student Day takes place the second Thursday in October and focuses on recognizing and celebrating students for their hard work in and outside the classroom.

This year’s celebration includes an all-new photo-sharing contest that gives students the opportunity to win a $500 prize to their campus store and support a good cause. High school and college students can enter the contest up to five times per person by simply snapping a “selfie” in their campus store and posting it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #GIVEME5NSD. For each contest entry received, NACS will donate $1, up to $5,000, to children’s literacy advocate Reading Is Fundamental . The contest is open now through October 22 at 5:00 pm EST

Celebrations vary by campus. Stores will hold special events ranging from flash sales and free food to contests, games and live music.

For more information and complete contest rules, visit www.nationalstudentday.com .

About The National Association of College Stores

About Reading Is Fundamental

Reading Is Fundamental delivers free books and literacy resources to children and families in economically disadvantaged communities in the United States. By giving children the opportunity to own a book, RIF inspires them to become lifelong readers and achieve their full potential. RIF is leading the way to help minimize the summer learning slide through Read for Success , a proven program model aimed at early elementary students to reduce summer reading loss and improve literacy proficiency all year long. As the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit, RIF has placed 412 million books in the hands of more than 40 million children since it was established in 1966. To learn more and help provide books to kids who need them most, visit www.RIF.org .

All-New National Student Day Contest Opens Today

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, September 24, 2015 – Celebrating and rewarding students for their hard work and supporting children’s literacy are at the heart of the all-new National Student Day photo-sharing contest, which runs Sept. 24-Oct. 22. The fifth annual National Student Day contest, sponsored by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), gives students the opportunity to win a $500 prize to their campus store and support a good cause. For each contest entry received, NACS will donate $1, up to $5,000, to children’s literacy advocate Reading Is Fundamental .

Reading Is Fundamental, one of the world’s oldest and most respected charities dedicated to literacy, delivers free books and other literacy resources to children and families in economically disadvantaged communities in the United States.

High school and college students can enter the contest up to five times per person by simply snapping a “selfie” in their campus store and posting it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #GIVEME5NSD.

The National Student Day celebration, set for October 8, 2015, is a day set aside by campus stores across the U.S. and Canada to celebrate their students by hosting a variety of celebrations.

For more information and complete contest rules, visit www.nationalstudentday.com .

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents nearly 3,000 campus retailers and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

About Reading Is Fundamental

Surprising Facts to Help College Students Shop for Course Materials

Wed, 19 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, August 19, 2015 – Shopping for course materials doesn’t have to be a hassle. College students can save time and get what they need for their classes at the best possible price – and they can do it at the college store.

The following facts will help students and their families to “shop smart” for their textbooks and course materials.

FACT: Campus stores offer much more than just new textbooks. They provide the same options available online and usually at comparable prices. Campus stores offer course materials in a variety of formats, including used and rentals, to help students get what they need at the best possible price. Some stores also help students find low or no-cost digital course content and open education resources (OER). And, campus stores often work with faculty to develop custom content, such as print-on-demand, so students only pay for the material they need.

FACT: Many stores provide price comparison software on their websites to help students make the best choices. When students use the software, 80% of the time they end up acquiring their books from the college store because they find what they need at a competitive price.

FACT: Students can expect to spend approximately $563 on their course materials, not $1,200. Students reported spending an average of $563 on required course materials during the 2014-15 academic year, according to the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) Student Watch™ spring 2015 survey. The $1,200 figure that’s frequently cited is a financial aid budget estimate for freshmen that include items such as supplies, equipment, software, hardware, lab fees and course fees, which results in a much higher figure than actual student spending on course materials alone.

FACT: Money spent at the college store stays local. A portion of the money spent at the campus store will be returned to the campus through scholarships, paying the salaries of student workers, and supporting student activities.

For more information on ways to save on course materials, contact your local college store to find out what they offer.

About the National Association of College Stores

Freshmen Can Save Money Shopping for Course Materials with these Five Tips

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, August 10, 2015 – Studies have shown that first-year students tend to spend more money on course materials than their upperclassmen counterparts, who have discovered the different lower-cost options available. So, in order to help freshmen, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) offers these five tips on how they can shop smart for their course materials this fall.

1) Shop early . Students should shop early in order to beat the crowds. The sooner you shop, the more options you have, particularly the availability of more used and rental course materials.

2) Rent, buy used, or acquire electronic course materials. Almost all college stores offer these options, giving cost-conscious freshmen access to course materials for about one-third to half the price of buying new. Your campus store can guarantee the correct title and edition that faculty requires, unlike many online-only sellers. And you don’t have to worry about shipping expenses.

3) E-mail your professors before class starts and ask if they’re going to use the book (or books). The store will know, too. If multiple materials are required for a course, the store will know if there are customized options or print-on-demand materials that are less-expensive and contain only the content the professor requires.

4) Talk to your store. If you can’t find what you are looking for or simply want to know if there are lower cost options available, ask your campus store. Become a fan of their social media pages so you can take advantage of upcoming discounts. The store’s employees are course material professionals ready to serve you and happy to help!

5) Ask about your store’s refund policy, especially deadlines, and keep receipts . Don’t write in or unwrap your materials until you’re certain you are keeping them. If you drop a class, you want to get it back to the store as soon as possible so you can get your money back. Also, most stores require receipts for returns, and receipts are helpful during tax season when filing for the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). The AOTC, which gives you a tax deduction of up to $2,500 for college expenses, can be applied to course materials, tuition and fees. For details on how to apply for the credit, go to www.textbookaid.org

About The National Association of College Stores

National Association of College Stores and Reading Is Fundamental Team Up for National Student Day

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, August 10, 2015 – College students who participate in the fifth annual National Student Day (NSD) will not only have the chance to win valuable prizes, but also to help support children’s literacy initiatives. For every student entry into the new NSD social media-based photo-sharing contest, the National Association of College Stores (NACS), sponsor of National Student Day, will make a donation of $1, up to $5,000, to children’s literacy advocate Reading Is Fundamental (RIF).

Campus stores across the U.S. and Canada will celebrate their students by hosting a variety of celebrations on National Student Day, which takes place October 8, 2015. The NSD contest runs from September 24 to October 22.

The contest is easy. Students “snap a selfie” in their campus store and share it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #GIVEME5NSD. Five randomly selected students will win a $500 store credit just for entering.

NACS teamed with RIF to fulfill National Student Day’s focus on service and student success.

“NACS is pleased to provide support to Reading Is Fundamental and their children’s literacy initiatives through National Student Day. Our mutual commitment to learning and student success at any age makes it a natural partnership,” said Brian E. Cartier, CEO of NACS.

Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental, also expressed her appreciation of the partnership.

“We are thankful for NACS’ commitment to children’s literacy,” noted Rasco. “By entering the contest, students everywhere have an opportunity to support RIF and help provide free, high-quality books for children who need them most.”

For more information on National Student Day and the contest, visit www.nationalstudentday.com or find it on Facebook and Twitter .

About The National Association of College Stores

About Reading Is Fundamental

Innovative Programs Help College Students Save on Course Materials this Fall

Fri, 31 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, July 31, 2015 – College stores in the U.S. and Canada have spearheaded a number of programs to help students save time, anxiety, and most of all, money, when obtaining their required course materials. The National Association of College Stores offers a glimpse of initiatives occurring at campus stores across the country to help students get the best price for their course materials.

Low price guarantees

The Titan Shops Bookstore at Cal State-Fullerton offers students a Lowest Price Guarantee on all textbooks for the current semester. The store refunds 125% of the difference if students find a book they’ve purchased from the store at a lower price elsewhere.

Rent-a-Book

The CU Book Store at the University of Colorado Boulde r has created a textbook rental program that is one of the largest of its kind in the country, saving their students nearly $9.2 million over the cost of purchasing new books since the program was introduced in 2010.

Help for those in need

College stores witness it all the time: students who desperately need their course materials but have no financial aid or other means available at the beginning of the semester to pay for the books. So the Towson Store, at Towson University in Maryland , partnering with the school’s Student Government Association, introduced Textbook$Advance , a cash-advance of sorts, that allows students to get their course materials up front and pay at a later date.

Long-running rebate program

University Book Store at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle issues annual 10% rebates to students on nearly all purchases made at the store. It typically returns over $1 million per yearthrough this programand estimates it has provided more than $28 million in studentrebates since 1930.

Make a reservation; get a discount

Students at Ashland University (AU), Ashland, Ohio , can reserve used textbooks in advance of an upcoming term, ensuring that they get a lower-priced copy before supplies sell out. Juniors who reserve their textbooks receive a 5% discount on their textbook reservation and seniors receive a 10% discount on their pre-reservation. The AU Campus Store’s textbook reservation system has been widely embraced by Ashland students, with approximately half of undergraduates using it.

Book swap

Students at Seward County Community College (SCCC) in Liberal, Kan., can buy and sell textbooks directly to and from each other with the help of SCCC’s Saints Bookstore. The Saints Bookstore Textbook Swap helps SCCC’s students easily buy and sell textbooks online.

Online price comparison tools

Many stores use price comparison software to help students see prices from not only the store but also several other online sellers. These tools help students make smart choices and, unlike other similar price comparison websites, show shipping and handling estimates for more accurate comparison shopping. And when students use these tools, price comparison software industry experts say 80% of the time they end up buying their books from the college store as a trusted and reliable source offering a competitive price.

For more information on innovative cost-saving programs like these, contact your local college store to find out what they offer.

College Students can Save Money on Course Materials with These Top 10 Tips

Tue, 21 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

College stores offer many cost-saving options; still the top choice among students for in-person and online purchases, rentals, and end-of-term returns

OBERLIN, OHIO, July 21, 2015 – Even though the cost of a year’s worth of required course materials has dropped 20% over the past seven years to roughly $563*, college students still want to save money when it comes to their academic needs.

In addition to offering less expensive used and rental versions of print and electronic materials, many college stores provide students with money-saving offers such as price-matching with other online retailers via price comparison software on their websites, free shipping in most cases, guaranteed buyback, and sales on course materials the day before classes begin.

As a service to students everywhere, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) offers the following tips on how students can save on their course material purchases, while enjoying the ease and convenience of purchasing from the campus store.

1) Rent, buy used or acquire electronic course materials. Almost all college stores offer these options, giving cost-conscious students access to course materials for about one-third to half the price of buying new.

2) Shop early . Students should shop early as soon as possible in order to beat the beginning-of-semester rush. The sooner you shop, the more options you have, particularly with used and rental course materials.

3) Check for customized options – they could be less expensive. If multiple materials are required for a course, the store will know if there are customized options that are less-expensive and contain only the content the professor requires.

4) Be cautious when purchasing course materials online from outside/unknown sources. Items might not arrive on time, be the wrong edition, or not include required access codes. Your local campus store guarantees the correct title and edition chosen by your instructor. Don’t forget to factor in shipping expenses, and check refund and return policies. If it’s the wrong edition, you may have to pay to send it back and/or not receive a full refund.

5) Know your store’s refund policy, especially deadlines . If you drop a class or if the professor decides not to use the required course materials, you want to get it back to the store on time so you can get your money back.

6) Don’t write in or unwrap course materials until you’re certain you’ll be keeping them . Most sellers won’t give full credit for course materials that have been marked or opened.

7) Become a fan of your campus store’s Facebook page and follow them on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Stores often give advance notice of money-saving specials to followers or fans.

8) Keep receipts . Most stores require them for returns. Also, textbook receipts are helpful during tax season when filing for the American Opportunity Tax Credit. For details on how to apply for the credit, go to www.textbookaid.org .

9) If you don’t see what you need, ask . Many college stores participate in exchange programs and can have the course materials you need sent to the store.

10) If you have questions, ask. Your college store professional is the course material expert on campus and is there to help you find the materials you need – at the best price – to support your academic success.

The college store is a reliable source for course materials, providing the most value for a student’s dollar. NACS’ latest survey on student attitudes and behaviors toward course materials found that not only do more students choose to shop at the campus store than any other retailer – 66% purchased at least one course material there – they also obtain the largest portion of their course materials at the campus store than from any other source.*

*From Student Watch™: Attitudes & Behaviors toward Course Materials , Fall 2014 and Spring 2015 survey of nearly 11,000 students (Fall 2014) and more than 9,600 (Spring 2015).

National Association of College Stores Study Shows Continued Decline in Annual Student Spending on Course Materials

Wed, 08 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, July 8, 2015 – Annual student spending on college course materials has declined steadily over the past seven years, according to the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) twice-yearly survey of college students in the U.S.

The study, Student Watch™: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials: Spring 2015 shows that average annual spending by students on required course materials has dropped from $701 in 2007/2008 to $563 in 2014/2015. The $563 average also dropped approximately $75, from $638, between the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 academic years.

Many factors have influenced this downward trend, says Elizabeth Riddle, director of OnCampus Research, the research arm of indiCo, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NACS.

“Many cost estimates are based on purchases of new materials, but the reality is that because of the many options students have today – rentals, digital, used and print-on-demand – what students are actually spending is much less than what is generally reported,” Riddle said. “Campus stores, the leading resource for acquiring course materials, also have implemented more effective buying practices, increased used books and rental programs, and offered materials in multiple formats to help ease students’ burden.”

Additionally, Riddle says, it’s important to note that first-year students take the hardest financial hit when it comes to spending on course materials. “It’s not surprising that first-year students spend the most on a combination of textbooks, technology, and school supplies,” she says. “And a student’s major also dictates spending to some degree, with Health and Political Science majors topping the charts at about $800 a year and Humanities majors spending the least, at $550.”

Costs down, but students still obtaining same number of course materials

While student spending on course materials has declined, the number of course materials being acquired has remained consistent across fall academic terms. In Fall 2009, students obtained 5.3 course materials; 5.0 were acquired in Fall 2013, and students purchased 5.3 in Fall 2014. These numbers exclude course materials obtained for free (borrowing, downloading, sharing).

“This is a true reflection of a decrease in prices,” Riddle says. “This number has remained relatively consistent over time; however, student spending on course materials has continued to drop. So this information suggests that on average, the cost of course materials is slowly decreasing while the number of required course materials students are obtaining for each class may be slightly increasing.”

Other factors influencing the trend in declining student spending include:

Faculty are more aware of student cost concerns and are working with campus stores to source less costly materials and use the same course materials for multiple semesters.
College stores are increasing used course material options and enhanced buyback pricing.
Students have become savvier shoppers, spending more time researching affordable options through multiple outlets. Price comparison software has enabled much of this flexibility.
Open Educational Resources (OER), digital formats, and borrowed materials have combined to help students spend less overall on required materials.

Price comparison technology, Riddle says, located on many college store websites, compares prices of course materials (new, used and rentals) both in-store and online with many online-only retailers, helping students make smart choices and offering the convenience of one-stop shopping.

Preference of print vs. digital course materials is individual choice

While 46% of students say they prefer print course materials because of the usability and familiarity of print (despite a likely higher price tag), use of digital course materials are slowly but steadily climbing in use, about three percent this academic year. The survey found that when it comes to digital course materials, convenience is the primary reason behind their purchase. The ability to easily transport the material is the top reason for going digital, with price ranking second in importance and the versatility of the digital functionality, like search and find, coming in third. Students who prefer digital appreciate the interactive nature of the materials, which they indicate improves their ability to study and learn the coursework, Riddle said.

Digital access codes are also being required for more classes and obtained by more students, according to the study. During the spring 2015 term, 59% of students were assigned a digital component to their coursework, and 80% of them acquired at least one.

Campus store is still top choice of students for course materials purchases and rentals

The college store is still the top choice among students for in-person and online purchases, rentals, and end-of-term returns. Not only do more students choose to shop at the campus store than any other retailer – 66% purchased at least one course material there – they also obtain the largest portion of their course materials at the campus store than from any other source.

Loyalty to the college store is higher, too, than any other retailer. Of students who made a purchase at the college store, 55% of them were loyal to the store and did not shop elsewhere. And as rentals of course materials continue to grow, the campus store has maintained the lion’s share of the rental business, claiming nearly half of those shoppers.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. Our members include nearly 3,000 campus retailers and approximately 1,000 industry-related companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS provides education and other resources that help its member stores support student success, the campus experience, and the academic missions of higher education institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio. Additional information can be found online at www.nacs.org .

About the Student Watch™ Survey

Funded by The NACS Foundation, Student Watch™ is conducted online twice year, in the fall and spring terms. Campus stores distributed the survey to their students by email. Each campus survey fielded for a two or three week period in February 2015. A total of 9,647 valid responses were collected. The margin of error for this study is 1.0 at the 95% confidence level. Twenty-three campuses across 16 states were selected to participate based on the following factors: public vs. private schools, two-year vs. four-year degree programs, enrollment size, and geographic location.

National Association of College Stores Applauds Passage of Florida Tax Exemption for College Textbooks

Wed, 17 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

OBERLIN, OHIO, June 17, 2015 - The National Association of College Stores (NACS) and more than 225 college stores in Florida applaud the Florida legislature for passing a full year exemption from state and local sales taxes for required and recommended college textbooks and course materials. The sales tax exemption was a key tax reform proposal by Gov. Rick Scott.

Scott signed the bill into law yesterday.

With many students struggling to pay for their education costs, NACS considers sales taxes on textbooks and other course materials as an unnecessary added burden on students’ learning.

“The Florida legislature should be congratulated for ending this learning tax, which annually collects millions of dollars from students,” said Richard Hershman, NACS’ vice president of government relations. “The sales tax exemption will provide much needed relief to students and should encourage them to shop locally by creating a more level playing field for Florida’s college stores to compete with out-of-state vendors.”

“This revenue could be reinvested in lowering textbook costs through greater discounting, increasing student aid for books and services such as free textbook library reserves, and providing greater job opportunities for students while attending college,” he added.

Florida will become the 28th state to exempt college students’ textbook and course materials purchases and rentals from sales and use taxes. The sales tax exemption is expected to take effect on August 1, 2015.

About The National Association of College Stores

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional association representing stores that serve higher education and K-12 schools. Our members also include companies that supply course materials and other merchandise and services to campus stores. NACS serves as the industry’s leading resource and advocate by providing members with education and services that help them support student success, the campus experience and the academic missions of their educational institutions. NACS is headquartered in Oberlin, OH. Additional information on NACS can be found online at www.nacs.org .

Course Material Rentals Up Significantly Among College Students

Wed, 01 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

College students are increasingly taking advantage of the lower-cost option of renting their course materials, with 40.4% of students renting at least one course material during the Fall 2014 term, according to the newly released Student Watch: Attitudes and Behaviors toward Course Materials, Fall 2014 . This represents a 100% increase over fall 2011 figures.

Not only are more students opting to rent their materials, the number of course materials being rented is also increasing. Rentals represented 32% of all the materials that were paid for during the fall 2014 term, compared with 19% a year ago.

The campus store is the retailer of choice for textbook rentals, with 49% of students who rented choosing the bookstore for their transaction.

“While a number of online resources have come on strong in textbook rentals over the past few years, the campus store has been able to remain the retailer of choice,” said Elizabeth Riddle, director of OnCampus Research. “Through clear rental policies, format availability and price transparency, we believe college stores can maintain leadership in this category.”

The twice-yearly Student Watch™ survey, conducted by OnCampus Research , the research arm of indiCo LLC , a division of the National Association of College Stores , explores how college students access and use their course materials, the many factors that influence their purchasing decisions, and their thoughts on available options.

Digital Materials on the Rise

The Fall 2014 report also revealed that, while students still prefer printed materials (31.5%), use of digital content is increasing, with 33.7% indicating a preference for either digital or print/digital bundles, and another 24% saying it depends on the class. Of students preferring digital, 59% cite the convenience of taking them places as the primary benefit. Students also noted lower cost (48%), easier to learn and study from (38%), and environmentally friendly (36%) as advantages to the digital format.

Students who prefer digital spend an average of $43 less on purchased course materials. The majority of students agree that digital course materials improve their learning and understanding of course topics.

Compared to students who are uncomfortable with digital /online course materials, students who are comfortable are more likely to agree that digital course materials provide a dynamic learning environment (75% vs 43%) and improve understanding (70% vs. 40%).

Instructor Use of Materials Makes a Big Difference

Students more often acquire and find value in their course materials when faculty incorporate them into class instruction. About 93% of students acquired access codes when incorporated into their course compared to only 40% who acquired when they were not recommended or incorporated into instruction.

Of students who used their course materials extensively for class, 84% found the materials to be “very or extremely useful,” compared to 13% who used their course materials very little. Of students who did not acquire at least one of their course materials, 66% made that choice because they believed them to be unnecessary for the course.

Media Note: These are just some of the findings contained in the latest edition of Student WatchTM. For more information, or to request an interview, please contact Jennifer Libertowski at jlib@nacs.org .

NACSCORP Installs New Board Member

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

NACSCORP, LLC, a wholly-owned, for-profit subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores (NACS), recently elected one new director to its board and extended the term of two directors.

Joining the board with a three year term is Stacey Mulinex , director, Columbus State Bookstore, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio.

Terms were extended for three years for Patrick McGowan , president, University Book Store, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, Wis.,and Val Ross, director, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.

Remaining on the board are:board chair Steve Alb, MBA, CCR, director, Western Retail Services, Western University, London, Ont.; Brian Groves, CCR, director of retail services, CU Bookstore, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colo.; and Kurt Schoen , President & COO, NACSCORP, LLC.

indiCo Announces New Board Members

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

indiCo announced its new board of directors chairman, as well as four other board members, during the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual convention and trade show.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, indiCo is an independent subsidiary of NACS created to assist independent college stores.

Laura Stevens , director of auxiliary operations, Maryville University Bookstore, St. Louis, Mo., was installed as the new chair of the board. Stevens succeeds Mark Frisby, CCR, general manager, MSU Bookstore, Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., who was recently installed as NACS Board of Trustees President-Elect. Frisby will remain on the board in an ex-officio role.

New directors are: Doug Mason , director, University Store, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho; and Matthew Portner , director of auxiliary services, Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio.

Remaining board members include Charles D. Kissel, MBA , associate executive director, Titan Shops, California State University-Fullerton, Calif., Jeffrey R. Zeilenga, Ed.D. , assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, The Mizzou Store, University of Missouri-Columbia, Mo.; Ryan Petersen , chief executive officer, Verba Software, San Francisco, Calif.; and Ed Schlichenmayer , indiCo president and COO, and NACS deputy CEO, Oberlin, Ohio.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

NACS Foundation Installs New Board Members

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The NACS Foundation announced the installation of its new president, president-elect, and two new directors to the 2015-2016 board during CAMEX 2015, the National Association of College Stores’ (NACS) annual convention and trade show.

The NACS Foundation provides critical industry data through funding of relevant research projects, funds the development and attendance at industry-specific educational programs and sponsors think tanks, symposia, and forums to bring industry partners together to address critical industry challenges. Additionally, the Foundation recognizes industry excellence through the Collegiate Retailer of the Year Award and the Innovation Achievement Award.

Melanie Sparks, CCR, executive director, institutional support services, University of New Mexico Bookstore, Albuquerque, N.M., was installed as president of the NACS Foundation. She succeeds Lisa Gallivan-Reed , vice president of sales, OneCoast Collegiate Team, Stuart, Fla., who becomes immediate past president.

Tom Hoffa , vice president and director bookseller relations, Pearson Higher Education, Chanhassen, Minn., was installed at president-elect.

Newly installed directors are Paul A. Wright, CCR , assistant manager, Northern Michigan University Bookstore, Marquette, Mich.; and Julie Banks, CCR , university retail operations manager, University of Dayton Bookstore, Dayton, Ohio.

Directors remaining on the NACS Foundation board are Steve Arnold , director of business development, Herff Jones, Indianapolis, Ind.; Deanna Casterton , director, Luther Book Shop, Decorah, Iowa; Sonda Ropp Reinartz , territory manager, Follett, Westchester, Ill.; and Chad M. Schreier, CCR, director, Jackets and Company, Montana State University, Billings, Mont.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

CU Bookstore at University of Colorado Boulder named Collegiate Retailer of the Year

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder, was named the 2015 Collegiate Retailer of the Year (CROY) by the NACS Foundation , a subsidiary of the National Association of College Stores (NACS) . The announcement was made at CAMEX 2015 in Atlanta. CAMEX is the industry’s largest education and tradeshow event.

Brian Groves, director of retail services for the CU Bookstore, accepted the award on behalf of the store and university.

“Receiving this award is an amazing honor for all of our employees, both full-time staff and students,” Groves said. “CU is an awesome place to work and we're all lucky to be a part of it, working and living in Colorado. It’s rare that an entity has the opportunity to tell its story and ultimately be recognized for the value it brings to its community.”

The CROY Award requires the winner to show its connection to the campus through its commitment to customers, academic support, and the shopping experience provided. The CU store scored high with judges in each category.

In just two years, the CU Book Store created a textbook rental program that is one of the largest of its kind. Ninety percent of the titles on the shelves are available for rent. Rentals have saved students nearly $2.8 million over the cost of purchasing new books since the program was introduced.

Additionally, the store remodeled its textbook section to maximize efficiency and convenience for students, who only needed to swipe their ID cards to get a printed version of their semester booklists immediately.

Groves credited the store’s Jason Katzman, assistant director for academic resources, with taking the lead in telling the story of the CU Book Store’s many innovative accomplishments, as well as his campus store colleagues from across the U.S. and Canada for being so willing to exchange ideas about ways to serve students better.

“Very possibly, one of the reasons we received this award is because we think we ‘know a good idea when we see one’ and many of those ideas are shared with us by our colleagues from across the country,” Groves said. “It’s just one of those things that makes working in this industry so enjoyable…the willingness to share with others what’s really exceptional in each of our stores.”

The Collegiate Retailer of the Year Award is underwritten through the Tommye and Keith Miller Endowment Fund. The Millers’ passion for the industry – Tommye is retired director of the Valdosta State University Bookstore in Georgia and a former member of the NACS Board of Trustees and NACS Foundation Board – inspired the couple to endow a prestigious award that would celebrate a dynamic and forward-thinking store’s achievements.

The $5,000 award is given on a biennial basis.

Kay Farley, CCR of Washburn University's Ichabod Shop, receives prestigious Aspen Award

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Kay Farley, CCR, director, Ichabod Shop, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, was presented with one of the National Association of College Stores ’ most prestigious awards, the Aspen Award, during a ceremony at CAMEX 2015 in Atlanta. CAMEX, produced by NACS, is the largest education and trade show event in the collegiate retailing industry.

“Oh my gosh,” Farley said of being told by former NACS Board member Barbara Racine, director of the University of Puget Sound Bookstore in Tacoma, WA, that she was the 2015 recipient of the Aspen Award. “Surprised was an understatement. I told Barbara she’s probably the first person in the world to see me speechless. I was very, very surprised, very honored, and very humbled by it.”

Farley is beloved at Washburn, where, according to the school’s Vice President for Student Life Denise Ottinger, under Farley’s leadership the bookstore has become a focal point of the university. Additionally, “Kay exudes a spirit of collaboration with other areas on campus and encourages her staff’s involvement in industry-related educational programs. She also has demonstrated her devotion to education through her leadership and participation at the national level,” Ottinger said in her award nomination letter.

The NACS Education Committee created the Aspen Award to recognize a professional in the collegiate retailing industry who has made continuous, notable contributions to the education and professional development efforts of the association and advanced the industry through learning endeavors. Farley has contributed to the collegiate retailing industry in many ways, including serving as an educational content expert, a volunteer leader and mentor, as well as serving as chair of the NACS Education Committee as a member of the NACS Board of Trustees.

Prior recipients of the Aspen Award include:

2014 – Melanie Sparks, CCR, Executive Director, University of New Mexico Bookstores
2012 – James L. Williams, The Duck Store, Eugene, OR
2011 – Kathleen K. Grace, CCR, Swarthmore College Bookstore, Swarthmore, PA
2010 – Debbie Harvie, CCR, Director, UBC Bookstore, University of British Columbia
2009 – Randal H. Storm, CCR, Manager, Lincoln Christian College and Seminary Bookstore

EDITOR'S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer , is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

National Association of College Stores Installs New Officers and Trustees

Tue, 10 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) , the professional trade association representing the higher education retailing industry, installed two new officers and nine new trustees to its board during CAMEX , the association’s annual convention and trade show.

Anthony Martin , director, Houston Baptist University Bookstore, Houston, Texas, is the newly-elected board of trustees president for 2015 through CAMEX 2016. Martin succeeds

Todd Summer, CCR , director, Campus Stores Division & SDSU Licensing, Aztec Shops Ltd. at San Diego State University, San Diego, Calif.

Mark Frisby, CCR , general manager, MSU Bookstore, Inc., Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., was installed as president-elect.

The newly-elected trustees include : Brian Groves, CCR , director of retail services, CU Book Store, University of Colorado Boulder; Norman Jacobs , president, Spirit Products Ltd, Haverhill, Mass.; Jerri Lynn Lyddon, MSED , director, Saints Bookstore, Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, Liberal, Kan.; Chad M. Schreier, MBA, CCR , director, Jackets and Company, Montana State University-Billings; Gary F. Shapiro, CEO of RATEX Business Solutions, Inc. and CRA, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.; indiCo Board of Directors chair Laura Stevens , director of auxiliary operations, Maryville University Bookstore, St. Louis, Mo; NACS Foundation Board of Directors president Melanie Sparks, CCR , executive director, institutional support services, University of New Mexico Bookstore, Albuquerque, N.M.; NACSCORP Board of Directors chair, Steve Alb, MBA, CCR , director of Western Retail Services, The Book Store at Western, Western University, London, Ontario .

Trustees remaining on the board include: Brent Beatty , manager, University of Calgary Bookstore, Calgary, Alberta; Donald J. Golini , director, channel partnerships, Pearson Higher Education, Boston, Mass.; Charles D. Kissel, MBA, associate executive director, Titan Shops, California State University-Fullerton; Mary Ellen Martin, CCR , director of store services, The University Store, University of Maine Farmington, Loreen J. Maxfield , director of retail services, The UIC Bookstore, University of Illinois, Chicago; Jerry Murphy Jr. , president, Harvard Cooperative Society, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; Jeff Nelson, CCR , director, bookstores, BGSU Bookstores, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio; R. Todd Smith, CCR , director of campus store services, The Loch Shop, Clayton State University, Morrow, Ga.; Michael Wood , The 747 Group, Evanston, Ill.; Jeffrey R. Zeilenga, Ed.D., assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, The Mizzou Store, University of Missouri- Columbia.

EDITOR’S NOTE: CCR, Certified Collegiate Retailer, is an earned professional designation awarded by NACS.

National Association of College Stores CEO Brian Cartier Accounces Retirement

Mon, 09 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Brian E. Cartier, CAE, chief executive officer of the National Association of College Stores (NACS), announced today that he will retire as the association’s leader, effective June 30, 2016.

“I am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to serve our industry for nearly 18 years,” Cartier said. “And I’m especially proud of what my NACS colleagues, members of our Board of Trustees past and present, and our thousands of members around the world have accomplished together during a time of both successes and challenges. It’s difficult for me to leave this incredible organization, our dedicated board members, and exceptional staff, but for me personally, it is the right time.”

Anthony Martin, president of the NACS Board of Trustees and director of the Houston Baptist University Bookstore in Houston, Texas, praised Cartier’s dedication and many contributions to the collegiate retail industry.

“Brian has guided our association with intellect and care through both good and challenging times for our industry,” Martin said in a letter to NACS members. “During Brian’s tenure the accomplishments of our association have been vast and have culminated with the formation and positioning of NACS subsidiary indiCo to proactively help promote and position the independent store model as integral to the campus mission.”

The NACS Board will immediately begin the search process of finding a new CEO. Martin said discussions will begin on selecting a search firm to assist, and the Board will seek input from membership and NACS staff on association needs.

A native of Cranston, R.I., Cartier came to NACS in August 1998, bringing to the association a broad background and more than 25 years of experience in not-for-profit management. As CEO, Cartier oversees day-to-day operations, finances, and management of the 225-person NACS staff and its four subsidiaries: NACSCORP, a national wholesale distributor and retail services provider; PartnerShip, a leading provider of shipping solutions to small- and medium-sized businesses; indiCo, a service and solution provider for independent college stores; and the NACS Foundation, NACS’ philanthropic education and research arm. Combined, they have an annual budget of more than $150 million.

Cartier earned a master’s degree in guidance and psychological services from Springfield College, Springfield, Mass., and a bachelor of arts degree from Rhode Island College, Providence, R.I. He is certified as an association executive by the American Society of Association Executives.

“Brian leaves us with an exceptional and dedicated staff that is fully engaged with our members and is, on each day, strategizing and working to advance the needs of our stores and business partners and the students and campuses we serve,” Martin said. “The Board would like to thank Brian for his many years of outstanding service to our industry and we are looking forward to working with him during this transition.”

National Association of College Stores supports nationwide #taxbreak4students campaign

Mon, 02 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is joining 26 other national education associations and higher education partners in 23 states in supporting the #TaxBreaks4Students campaign. Led by Illinois Congressman Danny K. Davis, the campaign aims to create an awareness of and encourage the nation’s 21 million college students to find out if they qualify for educational tax breaks such as the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC).

“Millions of students who are struggling to pay for college may not realize that they’re eligible to take advantage of multiple education tax benefits,” said Richard Hershman, NACS’ vice president of government relations. “The AOTC provides up to $2,500 of out-of-pocket cost of tuition and related expenses, including course materials, paid during the taxable year. Forty percent of the credit is refundable, with the maximum refundable amount of $1,000. And, if they qualify, students can also receive up to $2,000 per year, per return, through the Lifetime Learning Credit. These are benefits students and their families should be aware of.”

The #TaxBreaks4Students campaign during the week of March 2 urges students to check out IRS resources to see whether they qualify for these important benefits. It also engages education stakeholders, including colleges and universities and such education associations as NACS, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the American Council on Education (ACE), and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).

“We applaud Congressman Davis and his staff and appreciate their leadership to create awareness around the important issue of college affordability,” Hershman said. “Combined with proactive campus-based efforts underway to make course materials more affordable for students, the tax credits go a long way to help students succeed in their academic careers and beyond.”

NACS has long supported efforts to enhance affordable and equitable access to quality course materials, and the association and its 3,000 members continue to work as a student ally. In 2009, NACS created www.textbookaid.org in consultation with student organizations, when the association saw the need to help students and parents find reliable information to help them with college course material costs. The purpose of www.textbookaid.org is to be a valuable source of information, to increase awareness of sources of funding, new laws and regulations, and other issues that affect students’ ability to pay for college.

Students and their families can find out if they qualifty for these benefits by visiting http://go.usa.gov/Jvej . Or check out information on each tax credit on Twitter at #American_Opportunity_Tax_Credit or #Lifetime_Learning_Credit .

CAMEX and ED Expo, World’s Largest Educational Product Events, Opens February 20 in Atlanta

Fri, 20 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The hottest new products on campus will be on display as nearly 7,000 education retail professionals descend on Atlanta for CAMEX 2015 , one of the country’s top trade show draws. Collegiate retailing’s premier event opens Friday, February 20, and runs through Tuesday, February 24 , at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.

Produced by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), CAMEX, or CAmpus Market EXpo, attracts thousands of college store buyers and vendors to the collegiate marketplace. This year, CAMEX is co-locating with EDexpo , hosted by the Education Market Association (EDmarket).

CAMEX begins with two days of comprehensive educational programming consisting of sessions, workshops, tours, speakers , and other learning experiences that will keep attendees current on industry practices and emerging trends.

The educational program is followed by a three-day trade show where buyers can check out the latest in campus merchandise. The CAMEX trade show features items in more than 90 product categories targeted to the college student consumer from more than 750 exhibitors. Additional information can be found at www.CAMEX.org .

Bestselling Authors to Speak on Leadership, Creativity and Social Media at CAMEX 2015

Tue, 17 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Attendees of Campus Market Expo (CAMEX), one of the top 150 trade shows in the U.S., will be educated and entertained during the five-day event.

Produced by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), CAMEX is the largest educational and trade show event in collegiate retailing and attracts thousands of college store buyers and vendors each year. CAMEX 2015 will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA, with educational events Feb. 20-21 and the trade show Feb. 22-24.

This year’s Mega Sessions will feature:

At the opening Mega Session, Feb. 20 at 10:15 a.m., Alison Levine, extreme sports enthusiast and bestselling author of On the Edge: The Art of High-Impact Leadership, will present Leading in Times of Change and Uncertainty, which will highlight some of the experiences and insights from her book. Levine’s extreme experiences help her in dealing with a changing environment, taking risks, overcoming fear and building team dynamics, all of which enabled her to achieve success as a business leader.
The second Mega Session, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m., will be Erik Qualman’s presentation of Leadership in the Digital Age. Qualman, bestselling author of Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business and the founder of the socialnomics.net blog, will explain ways businesses can tap into social media as a marketing and brand-building tool without annoying customers. His latest book, What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube, has been nominated for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize.
The final Mega Session, Feb. 21 at 10:15 a.m., will be led by Erik Wahl, author of the bestseller UNthink: Rediscover Your Creative Genius. In his session, titled Creativity & Innovative Leadership, Wahl will explain how college stores can leverage creativity and he will craft an original painting during the presentation. In addition to the Mega Session, Wahl will be featured at the Book Talk Luncheon for a discussion of UNthink.

National Association of College Stores invests in RedShelf Digital Platform

Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

In an effort to ensure the stability and continued development of a digital course materials platform that’s simple and cost-effective for any campus store, their students, and faculty, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) has invested $1 million to acquire a minority share in RedShelf, a Chicago-based e-textbook company.

For a number of years, NACS has strongly encouraged campus stores to offer digital course materials. The association decided to invest in RedShelf to help support that position.

“What we saw was a company that shares our commitment to the independent college store,” says Ed Schlichenmayer, deputy CEO of NACS and COO of NACS subsidiary indiCo. “It’s a very store-friendly model, with no upfront costs for the store.” In lieu of a setup fee, RedShelf has a revenue-sharing arrangement with its clients, which enables any size or type of store to get started in digital materials with minimal financial outlay.

Because RedShelf’s technology can be accessed from any device with a web browser, students can access their materials at any time from almost any place without downloading a special app. The company reformats course materials into HTML5, compatible with all browsers, and stores the content in the cloud.

RedShelf worked with indiCo to learn more about the college store industry and tweak its solution in response to feedback from stores. The company already has 160 stores using its platform and anticipates that number will grow to at least 350 stores by the end of 2015.

The platform also has authoring tools for faculty to create custom materials or digitize a book they’ve written. Analytical tools enable campus stores and publishers to track how students use their digital materials. RedShelf also has agreements with two major textbook publishers to sell electronically distributed access codes via the platform, with five more big publishers in the works.

The strategic investment will allow NACS to support the ongoing progress and viability of the RedShelf platform with an eye toward helping keep stores current with digital technologies. In addition, Schlichenmayer will hold a seat on RedShelf’s board of directors. Through indiCo, NACS will also continue to partner with other digital course materials providers that it has been working with for many years.

With the NACS investment, RedShelf has now raised $2 million in Series A funding to launch new features and products, improve upon the existing platform, and support new relationships with both publishers and educational institutions.

College Stores Support Florida Tax Exemption for College Textbooks

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) and the more than 225 college stores in Florida applaud Governor Rick Scott for his proposal to exempt college textbooks from state and local sales taxes.

With many students struggling to pay for their education costs, NACS considers sales tax on textbooks as an unnecessary added tax burden on students’ learning.

“Governor Scott’s proposal will provide much needed relief to students and create a more level playing field for Florida’s college stores to compete with out-of-state vendors by encouraging students to shop locally,” said Richard Hershman, NACS’ vice president of government relations.

Students will not only directly benefit from the immediate savings, but also from the additional local revenue and economic activity generated within the local community this exemption would create. This revenue may be reinvested in lowering textbook costs through greater discounting, increasing student aid for books and services like free textbook library reserves, and providing greater job opportunities for students while attending college.

Nationally, 27 states exempt college students’ textbook purchases from sales and use taxes.

Collegiate Retail Industry Convenes in Atlanta

Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

CAMEX , produced and hosted by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia Feb. 20 - 24, 2015 .

The first two days of the convention is filled with educational sessions, speakers and special events. This year’s featured speakers include authors Alison Levine , Erik Qualman and Erik Wahl . The rest of the event is dedicated to a trade show that could fill eight football fields showcasing just about ever found in a college store from more than 90 different product categories. Attendees will find products from pens, pencils and apparel to designer handbags and the latest technology in digital course content.

CAMEX is the largest educational event and trade show serving collegiate retail industry and attracts nearly 7,000 attendees and exhibitors. The event is expected to draw attendees from more than 1,100 college stores and 750 exhibiting companies.

CAMEX is co-locating with EDexpo , the premier showcase for the latest innovations covering every facet of learning, produced by the Education Market Association. Together, CAMEX and Ed Expo will form the largest educational products trade show in the world.

In addition, Connect2One , an industry-leading buying group for college stores, will co-locate with CAMEX, as will the International Collegiate Licensing Association and the annual meeting of CCRA, a special interest group of NACS.

For more information about CAMEX, visit www.camex.org . For more information about Ed Expo, visit www.edexpo.com .

MEDIA: To register for media credentials visit http://www.camex.org/Media/MediaRegistration.aspx

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