It’s here: Back-to-school shopping for first-time students, high schoolers, and folks headed off to college!
With an influx of shoppers looking for classroom and dorm supplies, how do you ensure your small business makes consumers’ shopping lists? Don’t stress — our experts are here to make sure you’re prepared for the busiest time of summer in retail.
Take Stock of What’s In Your Inventory
To start, do some research to find out what is on students’ shopping lists. If you already have products that are sought after this time of year, make sure you have enough in stock. And if you don’t have anything that’ll draw the back-to-school crowd in, you might want to mix things up this summer.
If you don’t traditionally offer basic school supplies in your store, get creative. What else are folks looking for?
You should also think beyond children, and remember that college students will be shopping heavily this time of year, too. Their needs are much more broad, so if that makes sense for your store, it’s alright to focus on the older crowd. There’s no sense in adding rulers and glue sticks to your inventory if those items don’t vibe with your small business.
Find a full back-to-school checklist, plus inventory recommendations, in our free resource: The Retailers’ Guide for Back-to-School Shopping!
Update Offerings for Busy Students and Parents
What can you do to make back-to-school shopping easier for students and parents this year?
Maybe it’s time to give e-commerce a shot, or bring back curbside pickup for folks who aren’t interested in shopping in your storefront.
You can also open up new ways for consumers to make purchases, allowing them to call in or message you on a social media platform to place an order.
No matter what you choose to do, being flexible is extremely appreciated this time of year.
Create Enticing Back-to-School Season Promotions
You don’t have to be an office supply store to have solid back-to-school promotions. As we mentioned, everyone’s schooling needs are different, so you can really get creative with the deals and sales you decide to set live.
Percentages off, free gifts, and storewide sales are simple and effective promotions you can run for a few days, or several weeks while back-to-school shopping is at its peak. Even if the discounts aren’t significant, you’re allowing students and parents to save some change on items they have to purchase no matter what. So make sure they want to purchase their supplies at your store!
More importantly, come up with a strategy of how you’ll be promoting your promotions. Deals are only effective if people see and know about them, so give extra attention to in-store advertisements and external promotions this time of year.
Want specific examples of promotions you can run, plus tips on how to promote your back-to-school deals? You can find all of this and more in our back-to-school season guide for retailers!
Is Your Small Business Ready for a Back-to-School Retail Extravaganza?
Managing your small business’ inventory, stock reorders, vendors, promotions, and employee schedules is much more efficient with a powerful retail point of sale solution. If your system can’t keep up with product changes and an influx in transactions, there’s no sense in running a back-to-school sale.
Don’t get left behind in an opportunity to boost your profits! See what our all-in-one POS solution can do to make back-to-school season a walk in the park. POS Nation is backed by 24/7 support and system training, making onboarding easier than ever. Contact us at 877-727-3548 to learn more or ask questions.
If you need inspiration to help reel in students this summer, download our free resource, The Retailers’ Guide to Back-to-School Shopping!
