Several businesses run on seasonal cycles, and your college bookstore is no exception. Summer can be an especially slow season for many campus retailers due to the lack of students on campus. However, don’t look at summer as an obstacle to overcome; view this off-season as an opportunity to tap into strategic initiatives. Keep reading to see a few ways you can keep sales moving during summer.
Reach out to the local community
The students on your campus will always be your largest customer base, but don’t forget about the local community in your college town who don’t fall into that group. They represent a significant secondary market that can bring in serious cash flow during the slow summer months between semesters.
Highlight Unique Items
Customer priorities shift throughout the year. A shopper browsing your isles in June or July isn’t looking for the same thing as a shopper in September. This is a good opportunity to highlight your unique items that don’t fit into the essential categories your store usually sees success with. It’s also a great opportunity to sell slow-moving inventory so you can clear up space in your store once the fall semester begins.
Increase Your Social Media Presence
Nearly 84% of consumers in the U.S. report using social media, and half of those consumers use social media sites to research brands, products, and local stores where they can purchase what they’re searching for. Since you’re spending less time on day-to-day operations, this is a great time to increase your store’s social media presence so students and others in the area can find your store online and see what you’re offering.
Sources
https://dynamicbusinessgrowth.org/how-to-market-in-the-slow-season/
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/11/20/americans-social-media-use-2025/
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