Back to school shopping trends for bookstores

Fewer students are buying physical textbooks, but that doesn’t mean bookstores can’t capture vital sales during the back-to-school season. Local bookstores can also capitalize on the demand for school supplies, use the occasion for special promotions, and host events that connect with their communities. 

In fact, a recent study from PYMNTS found that small, independent bookstores continue to serve a valuable need for many consumers. Understanding how your bookstore can compete with big-box retailers during back to school shopping will help forge a bond that can last well beyond the season. Use this guide to help capitalize on back to school sales and build momentum toward the end of the year. 

Open an online storefront

The National Retail Federation’s annual survey found that 57% of back to school shopping and 50% of back to college purchases will take place online–that’s a new high. Bookstores can stay competitive by setting up an online storefront that makes it easy for students and parents to browse inventory and quickly find what they need. 

Clover POS systems for bookstores and eCommerce solutions can help you set up and grow your local bookstore online. If you’re new to eCommerce, consider installing BigCommerce on your Clover POS. With just a few clicks, you can easily import your Clover catalog into a BigCommerce online store. You can also accept online payments and view orders using your existing Clover merchant account

What’s more, it’s easy to integrate Clover with your existing online bookstore. With Clover, you can sync inventory, track channel performance, and update product listings through a single dashboard on your POS system or mobile device. Run customized reports with detailed business analytics to help quickly identify important metrics such as best-selling books.

Make the most of social media.

#BookTok’s incredible influence shows that it pays to be social. A 2024 survey found that 48% of TikTok users in the US and 53% of Canadian users reported reading more because of BookTok’s influence. What’s more, “NPD Books said that no other form of social media has ever had this kind of impact on sales,” reported The New York Times. 

BookTok demonstrates the untapped potential of social media that independent bookstores should consider. Develop compelling social media marketing campaigns, giveaways, and promotions that effectively turn your audience into customers. 

Combine eye-catching content with strategic, targeted promotions. Bring together collections of products around a certain theme–for instance, curate a list of on-campus romance novels, or a spooky collection of paranormal young adult fantasy novels just in time for Halloween. This content is ideal in an Instagram carousel as well as an in-store display. 

READ: How to create effective social media marketing content

Host in-store events 

The retail experience is often what drives customers to small, independent bookstores. The PYMNTS study found that customers appreciate the opportunity to visit a physical location and be part of a book-loving community. 

“These establishments serve as cultural hubs where book lovers, authors, and enthusiasts can come together to celebrate literature and intellectual exchange,” wrote PYMNTS. “Through book signings, author readings, book clubs and other events, brick-and-mortar bookstores cultivate a sense of belonging and camaraderie that transcends transactional relationships.” 

Back-to-school is a good moment to host events and bring together shoppers to celebrate the start of the school year. Children’s book readings can be a great way to entertain kids while parents complete their shopping lists. Invite professors to share a chapter from their research and meet incoming freshmen. Or, tap into the retired community and host educational sessions about gardening, Shakespeare, or another how-to hobby. 

Start a trade-in or buyback program

Consider starting a textbook buyback program for college students to attract new customers. Students can sell their old textbooks in exchange for store credit or discounts on new books. Or, offer a trade-in deal for used books that can be resold at a lower price to other students.

Offer educational promos

You could also offer a promotion for teachers in your area. In addition to offering a special discount for teachers during the back to school season, set up a way for parents and other customers to sponsor classroom necessities. Organizations like Adopt a Classroom and Donors Choose provide a platform for teachers worldwide to ask for donations for critical classroom needs. You could host your own donation drive for schools in your area, or post a link to these websites to help educators get the back to school supplies they need.

Bring customers into your loyalty program

Loyalty programs are proven ways to boost customer retention and increase revenue. And, book stores are well positioned to create engaging loyalty programs that keep customers coming back for more. 

A bookstore loyalty program can take many shapes. Here are some ideas for how to structure your loyalty program. 

• Points program: Customers can earn points for every dollar they spend and redeem those points for discounts or free books. 
• Book club: Create a book club for customers that offers perks such as events, discounts for the book of the month, and tickets to exclusive author readings. This type of loyalty program lends itself to tiered rewards, giving you a chance to create a VIP program. 
• Read and earn: Customers can earn loyalty points or discounts for every book they finish and review, boosting your website content as well as your sales. 

• Themed loyalty rewards: Create tiers in which customers can unlock rewards related to their favorite genres, such as exclusive content or themed merchandise. Offer themed events like mystery nights, fantasy book signings, or romance reading circles.
• Community contributions: Partner with local schools or libraries, allowing customers to donate a book to a student or community member as part of the loyalty program.

Giveaways and special promotions on social media can also help boost sales. These promotions need not be tied to your loyalty program, but can also bring awareness of the program to new customers. 

A Clover POS system for bookstores offers simple tools to manage a bookstore loyalty program. Clover’s Customer Engagement suite includes Rewards, a way to customize the perks and freebies using several variables. Customers can earn points based on the purchase amount or qualifying inventory items. This means your bookstore can customize a loyalty program that works for your customers. 

Back to school season can be an intense time for bookstores. But, with the right social media approach, a calendar of events, and a focus on building community, bookstores can rise to the occasion and help students and educators prep for the new year. 

Editorial Team

Insights, Retail, Run your business

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