Monthly Archives: June 2012

Freshman Orientation

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Did you know? College Freshmen shop in the college bookstore on a much more regular basis than upperclassmen and graduate students.

If you are not involved in Freshman Orientation, you should be! These special days are jammed packed with new students who are eager to learn all secrets that will successfully help them navigate their way through the maze that is college life.

Talk to your school administrators and let them know that your store should be a stop on the campus tour and let them know why. Once they see how beneficial a bookstore visit can be and give you the go ahead to market yourselves, prepare to shine!

Did you know? Beverages, snack foods, toiletries, cosmetics, and apparel are the product categories that the highest percentage of students report purchasing on a regular basis.

During freshman orientation, you will need to pull out all the stops to show all those eager freshmen that your bookstore is their one-stop destination for supplies!

:)     :)     :)

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Get excited! Emotions are contagious, even the bad ones. If you are excited to have the students visit, they will get excited and feel comfortable shopping in your store when they move onto campus.

2. Prepare a small gift bag that features some of the products that are sold in your store (travel/sample size is a more economical way to go) and pass them out to the students.

3. We got swag! Call us, we will gladly help you get some goodies to hand out (as part of a contest or just to handout)! Some of our top-selling vendor partners are more than willing to give out tee shirts, squirt guns, prizes, etc. to entice students to come into your store!

4. Even if you don’t sell anything to students on orientation days, you should highlight best selling products. Feature products like school apparel, laptops, headphones, or other accessories.

5. Focus on the parents! They are the biggest influences on college freshmen. If the parents feel comfortable shopping in your store, they will pass that knowledge onto their children.  Feature school apparel that a parent can and would want to buy and wear themselves.

So, there you have it. A few tips to help you have a successful BTS season this year. I hope this post has left you feeling a little inspired and enthusiastic.

If you have any questions, you can always contact me. As always, I am here to help you in any way that I can!

 

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.
Charles Schwab

 my direct email address is: tbankston@hpi.com

 

BTS Product Spotlight!

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A tablet bundle that rivals all the others…

Standing up against the iPad by giving buyers the same great quality, but at a much lower cost!

Acer Iconia A700 Tablet

Full HD screen

Quad-core processor

Bluetooth 3.0

Micro SD port

Memory options: 16 / 32 GB

Founded in 1976, Acer has been knocking down barriers between people and technology. Their products adhere to the highest manufacturing standards and are as equally environmentally friendly. Acer has won many technology awards throughout the years and will continue the streak as they continue to make innovative and inexpensive products. 

To make sure students get the best bang for their buck, we have included some of our most useful and hottest selling accessories in this bundle: 

 

And not to be forgotten…

An universal case that is just as innovative and stylish as the Acer tablet!

Click on the “Shop HPI” link (to your right) to learn more about this awesome tablet bundle, or you can always click here!

“If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.” Thomas J Watson

Help your students avoid the dreaded college weight gain…

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College students are always on the go. They don’t have the time to cook, let alone think about cooking healthy meals. This means they will usually opt for easy to grab, easy to go snack options (usually the most unhealthy).

One way to help your students and to build customer loyalty is to dedicate a small section of your store to healthy and affordable snack options:

 

Bottled Water

Offer a variety of bottled water (flavored, seltzer, etc.)

These are easy to grab and will keep students hydrated the natural way, with no added sugar or calories.

You can also setup a recycling center for all of the bottles bought, so they can stay out of landfills.

 

 

 

Fruit 

 Apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes

 These are all healthy options that can be grabbed and enjoyed while on the go.

 

 

 

Energy Boosters

Bread, pretzels, trail mix, and peanut butter

These options are filled with the protein needed to stay energized without packing on added fat and calories.

Providing your students with these options will let them know that they have an easier and faster option of filling up than having to wait in long lines at the cafeteria.

So, go on. Let your students know that you really do have their back and will support them when it comes to buying inexpensive schools supplies and healthy food options.

Did you know?..

More female students reported snacking on yogurt cups and granola bars, while more males enjoyed energy bars and beef jerky.

To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. ~ Buddha

 

 

TGITW!

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Just a little Friday reflection…

How would you describe the perfect weekend?

Would your picture be filled with sunny skies, sparkling beaches, or would you be seen riding a lime green Vespa on a winding road surrounded by fields of yellow daffodils calmly swaying in the wind? 

Or, are you more like me?

Zip-lining, rock climbing, long hikes…these are just a few of my favorite things.

I would love nothing more than to go camping in the woods, where I am out in the open and exposed to all elements; mosquitoes,  birds, and bears, Oh My! 

I would love to sit and reflect on life as nature fills the space surrounding me. When I am done reflecting, I would fill those moments with excitement and adventure! Be one with nature!

So, what about you? What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?

Not for nothing is their motto TGIF – Thank God It’s Friday. They live for the weekends, when they can go do what they really want to do. ~ Richard Nelson Bolles

Happy Weekending :)

 

 

You’ve Got Points!

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Ever notice those pesky little points that have been accumulating in your account?

Have you been asking yourself what can they be used for?

Well, those points aren’t just collecting dust, they are there because we want to reward our customers for their unwavering loyalty to us and the more points you have the more awesome the gift.

Look below to see what we currently have available! Nice, right?!

But the gifts will be getting better and a little grander. A little birdy has told me that more gifts will be added (perhaps, a trip to Las Vegas, hmmmmm?).

Claiming your points have never been easier!

1. Check to see how many points you have accumulated and match the total to one of the above gifts.

2. Add your gift to your cart.

3. During the check out process, apply a sufficient amount of points to your order, and…

That’s it! 

So, click here to reward yourself! You deserve it!

Inventory Crisis?!

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It happens to the best of us!

A few times a year you set aside some time to physically count your inventory and just like times before, you realize that you either have really old merchandise or an overabundance of it.

There are quite a few reasons for this phenomenon, but the two main reasons are:

You ordered too much of something just to lock in a much cheaper price…seemed like a good idea at first, but now you are left with loads of product that is not making any profit.

No one is buying what you are selling…the products you choose, sometimes they are a hit and sometimes they are a major miss, now you are left with loads of product that is not making any profit.

Yep, I will say it again, “You are left with loads of product this is not making any profit!” Now what?!

Continue reading…

In an article about controlling stock levels, published on NACS’ website, readers are given  a few tips that will turn stale merchandise into profit producing cash cows!

Paul Erickson of RMSA Retail Solutions tells us that you essentially need to revamp your inventory practices:

1. “Never sign a purchase order unless you feel comfortable that you’re buying  what you can sell in 13 weeks,” says Erickson-the amount of time merchandise spends on your shelves is much more important that how much it costs.

Remember, HPI is here to assist you. Your account rep will work with you to choose the right mix of product that will have your students clearing the shelves in no time at all. 

2. Keep track of how old your inventory is. Erickson recommends a “four-tier aging system” to keep track of your inventory:

  • Current: Less than three months.
  • Last season: Three to six months.
  • Old stock: Six to 12 months.
  • Antiques: More than 12 months.

3. Markdown your stale merchandise (oldest first). Erickson says that bookstores shouldn’t worry about not making margin because you aren’t making any money on products that are just sitting around.

One idea is that instead of selling the products individually, you can bundle together into a grab bag of sorts and sell the bag at a really low dollar amount. You can do social media campaigns to get students in your store (let them know that they are going to be saving big bucks). Give us a call and we will help you clear the stale merchandise from your store.

HPI is here to help you in any way possible. If you have any questions or concerns that you would like us to address, let us know.

Click here if you would like to read the entire article.