RELEVANCY AND PROFITABILITY REALIZED

Collegiate Retail partners with campus leaders through a disciplined but flexible process to understand challenges and leverage opportunities for both self-operated and contract-managed campus stores.

Drawing on four decades of higher education retail experience, we take a holistic approach to assessment, strategic planning and implementation.

Together with our clients, our strategic solutions are designed to increase relevancy, drive profitability and reimagine retail on campus.

\ WHO WE SERVE

Students

Student government associations
Clubs and Organizations
Community service organizations
Multicultural organizations
Recreation and sports organizations
Fraternities and Sororities

Auxiliaries

Campus Bookstore
Food Service and Dining
Student Union
Campus Catering
Recreational Center
Vending Operations

Academic & Administrative

Administrative Departments
Faculty and Academic Departments
Business and Finance Departments
New Faculty Groups
Information and Technology
Libraries
Facilities and Campus Operations
Athletics
Alumni

Reimagining Retail on Campus

From assessments and consulting to recommendations and implementation, we tailor our approach to serve the unique needs of each store and campus. Working in close partnership with our clients, we offer a holistic suite of services.

Assess current financial and operational performance; benchmark and provide recommendations for operational and profit enhancement
Review business plans and provide analysis and development
Provide project management guidance and implementation
Review and develop store brand strategies along the lines of engagement, enhancement, and positioning
Provide ongoing store team support in Finance, Human Resources, Course Materials, General Merchandise, Customer Service, and Campus Engagement
Develop and implement inclusive access and equitable access
Assess website messaging and content strategy, including direct customer outreach and sequencing
Review and support non-course material product, placement, and enhancement
Develop/Review visual merchandising standards and marketing opportunities
Evaluate technology challenges, integrations, and provide recommendations
Determine opportunities for entrepreneurial spaces
Review physical plant, space allocation, and planning
Provide Interim Store Manager placement

Requests for proposal creation, solicitation, and analysis
Evaluation Committee development and facilitation
Vendor selection process, including vendor negotiations
Transition timeline development and implementation
Develop vendor contract and/or contract compliance review

\ HOW WE WORK

Our 4-step process is tailored to the unique circumstances and opportunities of each college and university we serve — from assessment through implementation.

Assessment & Evaluation

We begin with a scalable assessment phase to evaluate challenges and opportunities to review:

Brand positioning and engagement

Store offerings and operations

Collaboration across campus

SWOT analysis

Market research and buying patterns And more

Recommendations & Planning

With a clear understanding of retail challenges and opportunities on campus, we detail operations, branding and business recommendations and lay out a roadmap for our engagement. In consultation with our clients, we propose key recommendations and tactics to move forward.

Strategy Development

Building on key recommendations and refined project roadmap, we develop a holistic strategy for revitalizing relevancy, profitability and sustainability for the college store and retail on campus.

Implementation

With a strong foundation and strategic approach in place, we partner closely to move forward with strategic solutions via tactical, successful retail implementations — from stores to project management to vendor consulting.

\ CASE STUDIES

Revitalizing a campus bookstore with a unique tandem contract-managed solution

Since 2013, the campus bookstore at Villanova University had been managed by a well-known industry vendor. However, the store and its offerings had struggled with relevance and providing an engaging customer experience.

Re-launching a campus store to serve the whole campus community

With their campus bookstore struggling both financially and as a valued resource for the college community, Occidental College faced big questions: How does a college evaluate an underperforming cost center like a bookstore?

Transforming the bookstore to serve the entire campus community — and advance the university’s mission

By referral, we met with the DU team to learn about their goals and needs. We understood the university was seeking a better way to run its campus store, and to align the store with the mission, vision and values of the university.

Reimagining a bookstore as the go-to campus store for the entire University community

Auburn University came to us with a challenge: How could their current bookstore be reimagined to improve sales and to serve the entire university community?

Moving a bookstore online to improve accessibility and profitability

As a community college serving a diverse commuter-based student population, Blue Mountain Community College’s bookstore found itself at a crossroads.

Transitioning from a traditional bookstore to an essential campus store and online portal

The University of California, Santa Cruz came to us with a critical question: Facing increasing costs and declining course material sales and relevance on campus,