Colleges and universities have always been a prominent and prestigious stage in the education system. Although in-person attendance was down last year due to the pandemic, research shows that roughly 19.7 million students attended colleges and universities in fall 2020. There are innumerable opportunities for distributors and decorators to serve these institutions with tech-savvy solutions that support campus culture and drum up revenue.
ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
The variation between colleges and universities is typically based on an institution’s size. Colleges have a smaller student population and focus on undergraduate programs. On the other hand, university campuses are flooded with tens of thousands of students, offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees, and are highly committed to interdisciplinary research.
Types of departments and programs associated with colleges and universities include:
-
Athletics department
-
Fraternity and sorority programs
-
Health center
-
Research labs
-
Admissions and recruitment
-
New student orientation
-
Financial aid
-
Bursar’s office
-
Student government associations
Online Store Use Cases
As technology continues to shape modern education, advanced eCommerce capabilities are a necessary solution for servicing these large institutions. Online stores make it easy to collect bulk orders for students, faculty, and alumni, while providing a branded, customized experience.
Here are a few of the most common use cases we’ve seen for online stores for colleges and universities:
Student Orientation: Students can feel a sense of unity even before they step onto campus with an online store that is filled with branded swag for them to purchase.
Gameday Gear: Streamline the online buying experience and encourage students and alumni to purchase tailored gear ahead of time for the big game.
Academic Departments: Evoke a sense of pride with online stores that cater to specific academic departments like Nursing, Education, Communication, and beyond.
Sorority/Fraternity: Give members of a sorority or fraternity the option to buy branded apparel and hard goods every semester with an always-open online store.
Alumni Appreciation: Reward the most generous alumni donors with luxury gifts that will show appreciation for their contributions.
Product Suggestions
College and university administrations have had their work cut out for them this past year, heightening health and safety regulations on campus, while still trying to maintain social culture and a sense of community.
While the distribution of face masks and other PPE products has been important, OMG data suggests the following products are also top-sellers across all online stores related to colleges and universities:
-
Tumblers, wine glasses, beer steins
-
Backpacks
-
Hoodies and fleece pullovers
-
Baseball caps
-
School supplies: pens, notebooks, calendars
Additional products that could be considered for these online stores include:
-
Backpacks, totes, lunch coolers, and duffle bags
-
Wearables: Sunglasses, lanyards, pins, badges
-
Technology accessories: headphones, device sleeves, etc.
-
Gameday essentials: stadium blankets and chairs, rally towels, etc.
Sample Stores & OMG Features
The needs of colleges and universities vary, but when you offer thoughtful, impactful advice to these accounts, you win over more business and become a trustworthy adviser.
Click on the sample stores below to take a look!
-2.png)
Lakeview University
|
|
-2.png)
Delta Phi Chi Sorority
|
OMG features specifically designed to support online stores for colleges and universities include:
Store Deadline: Create urgency to get orders in and maximize sales by setting a store deadline. Not only will this maximize your sales, but it will also support you in meeting product minimums, and keeping product order and fulfillment costs low.
Consumer Order Status: Boost customer satisfaction and improve the overall buying experience by allowing customers to access on-demand order status. This frees up time for your Team by facilitating customers in answering their questions.
Product Bundles: Simple product bundles make it easy for customers to grab what they need in a snap! Whether it’s new employee uniform packs or fan-favorite bundles, there are a variety of ways to streamline the shopping experience with this feature.
Product Personalization: Gather personalization information with ease, whether it’s department, name, or location. OMG offers easy product personalization options, complete with reporting that makes it a breeze to fulfill personalized orders.
White Label: Create unified brand experiences and meet the specific brand requirements your clients may have with OMG’s White Label. Streamline the end consumer’s buying experience with a premium, unified brand voice at every step of the way.
Check out these other Industry Insights: Local Businesses, Industrial Services, Financial Services, and Real Estate!
About OrderMyGear
OrderMyGear is an industry-leading sales tool, empowering dealers, distributors, decorators, and brands to create custom online pop-up stores to sell branded products and apparel. Since 2008, OMG has been on a mission to simplify the process of selling customized merchandise to groups and improve the ordering experience. With easy-to-use tools, comprehensive reporting, and unmatched support, the OMG platform powers online stores for over 3,000 clients generating more than $1 billion in online sales. Learn more at www.ordermygear.com.
Media Contact: Lauren Seip | lauren.seip@ordermygear.com | 281-756-7915
