retailconnection

LGBTQ+ Music and Media to Check Out

This month, take some time to check out content from and about members of the LGBTQ+ community, from stories of belonging to pop music. Here are some movies, directors, and artists to support and learn about this month! Continue reading →

Books by LGBTQ+ Authors to Check Out

This Pride Month, take time out of your schedules to read books written by and about members of the LGBTQ+ community. Whether you prefer romance novels or memoirs, we have the perfect book for you. Continue reading →

LGBTQ+ Inclusivity and Awareness

Happy Pride Month! The LGBTQ+ community has continued to grow in recent years, increasing from 5.6% of American adults in 2020 to 7.6 in 2024. More than 1 out of every 5 Gen Z’ers aged 18 to 26 identify as LGBTQ+. As this population continues to grow, here are some steps you can take to honor and celebrate Pride Month in your store: Continue reading →

Social Media & the Campus Store: Find the Right Platform for You

When the printing press was invented in the 1880’s companies advertised in newspapers. When radio was invented in the 1920’s advertisers added radio to their marketing toolbox. When TVs were in every living room in the 1950’s advertisers followed suit. When Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, YouTube were created, how do you choose? … Continue reading →

How to Tackle the Samsung Galaxy Note7 Recall

Rather than issuing another replacement plan as Samsung did earlier last month, the company is now offering full refunds and a gift certificate for the pain of dealing with not one, but two recalls. Many consumers bought cases, lens attachments, and power packs with their Note7’s. Discussions are still in the works with vendors on … Continue reading →

The Future of the Campus Store

Earlier last month The New York Times published a piece focusing on transitions within campus stores. ‘As Amazon Arrives, the Campus Bookstore is a Books Store No More’ discusses a common theme we’ve seen on campuses, students are going elsewhere for their textbook purchases. This begs the questions where will students go for books and … Continue reading →

Inside The Store of the Future

Retail is changing like never before, with new technologies stores are starting to adopt the classic in-store experience. Office Depot has created their first “Store of the Future” in Nevada; this begs the question of what will stores of the future look like? The remodeled Office Depot features a modern layout as well as new … Continue reading →

100 Bluetooth Accessories Under $100

We’ve all heard the news, the iPhone 7 is saying its good-byes to the headphone jack–Adios. There will be a shift in the headphone and speaker industry, more and more consumers will go wireless. College retailers need to meet the demand with a good selection of Bluetooth devices. Many consumers are worried about the cost … Continue reading →

The Millennial Experience: What they want from retailers

A study conducted by Harris Poll asked adults ages 18 and older what they really wanted in a relationship with a retailer. A large 74% of surveyed respondents said they wanted to receive messages on their phones during a store visit. A whopping 81% of respondents said they were open to stores keeping in touch … Continue reading →

Dorm essentials: What to bring to college

Campus stores are the go to location for putting the finishing touches on a dorm room. The Douglas Stewart Company has all of the products you need to make your store the back-to-school destination. Make sure your staff is able to show customers the value of everyday products that make a big difference on campus. … Continue reading →

The Best Laptop for Every Type of Student

Students are still enjoying the lazy days of summer vacation, but they are also gearing up for back-to-school. Nearly 34% of consumers plan their shopping 3 weeks to 1 month before school starts, for many campuses that time is now. The Douglas Stewart Company offers some of the biggest name in tech making your on … Continue reading →

Why college stores should engage in multi-generation advertising

We commonly associate college with the 18-24 year old population. In the fall of 2015, roughly 20.2 million students attend American colleges and universities and that number is increasing every year1. There is a growing population in college that is commonly forgotten. Returning or older adults aged 35 and up make up 15% of colleges … Continue reading →

Back-to-School and College Spending to Reach $75.8 Billion

Great news for retail, back-to-school and college shoppers are expected to spend $75.8 billion, up from last year’s $68 billion. College students and families plan on spending an average of $888.71, according to a survey by the Prosper Insights and Analytics. This spending is slightly down from last year’s $899.18, but we are expected to … Continue reading →