CAMEX 2008 Campus Marketplace Summaries

The following CAMEX 2008 summaries published in NACS’ e-newsletter, capture the spirit of more than 100 educational sessions offered at this year’s event. If you’re a NACS member and don’t receive the Campus Marketplace every Friday, just let us know by contacting the NACS Membership Department at membership@nacs.org. It’s a free member service you don’t want to miss!

CAMEX Through the Eyes of the New Guy

Campus Marketplace Editor Dan Pender's first experience with CAMEX was, as he puts it, educational. He tells us what it was like through his eyes working as NACS staff on his time around in San Antonio.

www.nacs.org/news/030708-column.asp

Key Named Aspen Award Recipient

Danny Key, CCR, director, Wingate University Bookstore, Wingate, NC, is the recipient of the NACS Aspen Award.

www.nacs.org/news/030708-aspen.asp

Trustees Set Strategy for Digital Materials

Acknowledging that digital course materials are key to the progress of the industry, the NACS Board of Trustees has launched a three-pronged strategy to help stores move in the right direction.

www.nacs.org/news/031408-digital.asp

Improving College Store Inventory Practices

Keeping track of inventory is one of the most vital chores for the head of any college store, but sloppy inventory practices can wreak havoc in every aspect of your operation.

www.nacs.org/news/031408-inventory.asp

Students Speak Out at CAMEX

A panel of students told a packed room of college store industry professionals why they do and don't shop at their college stores. Some of the information may have opened some eyes, but for the most part, students were telling those in attendance information they already knew.

www.nacs.org/news/031408-students.asp

Praise Leads to Better Customer Service

Two college stores found a relatively easy and inexpensive way to encourage their employees to deliver the best customer service: Just thank them when they do good work. A CAMEX education session explained how both stores incorporated thanks into employee recognition programs.

www.nacs.org/news/032108-employee.asp

How Retailers Can Keep Up With Cool

Teenagers are a $159 million business. What retailers want to know is how to tap into that spending power. Michael Wood, vice president and director of syndicated research at Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) gave some clues in his CAMEX Catalyst Session, Keeping Up With Cool. He provided information based on the latest statistics to help college stores remain connected to their consumer group. The numbers Wood referred to in his presentation were expanded to include those in the 21 to 29 age group.

www.nacs.org/news/032108-cool.asp

Facebook Opens New Marketing Opportunities

In Bob Jansen's opinion, Facebook is the most powerful marketing tool he has encountered in his 30 years in the college store industry. "I was doing business one way and now my thinking has totally shifted," said Jansen, manager, Middlebury College Bookstore, Middlebury, VT, in his CAMEX session, Using Facebook to Market Your Store.

www.nacs.org/news/032808-facebook.asp

Who Doesn't Love a Bargain (Book)?

Staffers at college stores are just as weary of hearing students grouse about the high cost of course books as the students are of having to pay for them. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to offer some other general reading books that were more the kinds of bargains customers always hope to see? Enter the expanding bargain book category.

www.nacs.org/news/032808-bargain.asp

Going for the Green

After many false starts, the green movement has finally gone mainstream and is beginning to affect the way many people live and shop, especially among the college-age demographic. The CAMEX educational session Being Green: Meeting the Needs of Your Socially Conscious Customers examined what stores can do to adjust to this new customer outlook and potential new revenue stream. It's a lot more than paper vs. plastic.

www.nacs.org/news/040408-green.asp

Mend Fences to Round Up On-Time Adoptions

If you want more professors to get textbook requests in on time, you'll have to resolve differences separating the bookstore from faculty. Shawna Cawthorn, director, University Bookstore, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, explained how to do that in her CAMEX education session, Improving Faculty Relations to Increase Textbook Requests.

www.nacs.org/news/040408-faculty.asp

To Rent or Not to Rent

College stores continually examine how they do business and turn to other retail methods to remain viable. One option is a textbook rental system, which has had much success for a handful of college stores. A CAMEX education session explained the pros and cons of jumping into the practice.

www.nacs.org/news/040408-rentals.asp

Consider DIY Textbook Publishing

Gaining control over your own course materials' print content could ideally position your store for the inevitable shift from print to digital delivery. "The person who owns and controls the content has got to be in the best position for how this is all going to play out," said Jennifer Berry, book division general manager, BYU Bookstore, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT. Berry detailed how her store took the plunge into DIY custom textbook publishing-lifting sales while reducing costs to students-in her CAMEX educational session, Be a Textbook Hero: Begin a Campus Academic Publishing Program.

www.nacs.org/news/041808-custom.asp

Research Pays Off in Hunt for New System

For some college stores, transitioning to a new point-of-sale system can be a painful process. Nick Karvia, director, Fullerton College Bookstore, Fullerton, CA, knows. He's gone through it twice. But extensive research, although time-consuming, will help ensure stores end up with the system that's right for them. In his CAMEX education session, Navigating Your Way to a New Store Retail System, Karvia shared his tips for researching systems.