retailconnection

The Top Must-Have Writing Instruments

Stock up on our top 10 writing instrument picks from the 2017 School and Dorm Supplies Catalog!

The Value of Students as Brand Ambassadors

Campus stores need to balance revenue while supporting the affordability of students and it is often perceived that the store’s products and textbooks are overpriced. To combat this misconception, utilize your student workers as brand ambassadors. Although your store needs to make profit, be transparent about where that profit is going. Show employees how that … Continue reading →

What’s Trending: Chatbots in Retail

Many retailers are utilizing chatbots to answer simple customer inquiries that won’t tie up customer service representatives. Chatbots can provide product recommendations, process orders and send shipping information updates, answer simple frequently asked questions, and assist with the shopping experience. Utilizing chatbots on your store’s social media pages, like Facebook and Twitter, can enhance your … Continue reading →

Tips and Tricks: 5 Ways to Build a Loyalty Program

Leveraging your current customer base is so important since it costs businesses 5-10x more to acquire new business than it does to sell to existing ones. Current customers also spend 67% more than new customers because you have already established trust with them. A 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25%-100% increase … Continue reading →

How To: Create a Positive Customer Experience

In the changing era of retail, brick-and-mortar shops are still coming up short on winning over shoppers with in-store experiences. In a survey, GPShopper found that more than one-third of shoppers said they “feel nothing” when asked about their initial reaction after shopping in stores. When consumers feel indifferent about their shopping experience, they will … Continue reading →

Social Media Explained: Pinterest [Infographic]

What’s Trending: Robots in Retail Stores

Having customer associates present in a store to answer customer’s inquiries is the main thing that separates brick-and-mortar from online stores. Often students do their research online, but they head into a store to get any remaining questions or concerns answered and ultimately to buy the product. It’s important to have retail associates ready and … Continue reading →

Tips and Tricks: Creating a Unique Online Store

With big competitors out there like Amazon, it’s important to differentiate your online presence from others. To put things in prospective, ask yourself why students would purchase from you instead of other online outlets. Add value to your online store to make it unique and optimize it so it’s easy for students to navigate and … Continue reading →

How To: Use Emojis Effectively in Marketing

Emojis are taking over social media and to stay relevant it’s important to incorporate them in your online marketing since 92% of the population uses emojis in messaging. The term emoji has become so popular, in 2015 Oxford Dictionaries named it as word of the year in 2015. A survey from Emogi discovered 75% of … Continue reading →

Customer Service Skills Your Associates Should Master [Infographic]

Excellent customer service will never go out of style and it is essential in creating relationships with your students so they become loyal shoppers. Aiming to provide the best service to students should be a top priority for your associates. Here are the top skills your associates should master that will keep them engaged with … Continue reading →