20
JULY/AUGUST 2010
•
COLLEGE STORE EXECUTIVE
ICBA Presents Best Practices
and Top Performer Awards
T
D&H Canada Launches
Education/College
Bookstore Initiative
D
&H Canada, a major computer products and consumer electronics distributor, has launched an initiative targeted at college
bookstore owners in the education market.
The D&H “Back-to-School 2010” launch coincides with the upcoming seasonal rush, during which students and teachers gear up over the
summer in anticipation of the fall semester.
D&H will provide expertise and products directly to campus retailers, making them the latest customer segment for D&H Canada. The
distributor will leverage the success of its education division in the U.S.,
and extend these efforts throughout Canada in a campaign to become
a major supplier to campus bookstore owners in the country.
The company has built up product portfolios in areas such as netbooks,
notebooks, digital media players and accessories, media storage and
digital video products. D&H Canada’s recent addition of digital imaging manufacturers such as Sony, Kodak, Fuji and Eye-Fi contribute to
this trend, which is popular among college-age consumers. According
to D&H Canada, this demographic has typically been known to spend
its coveted disposable income on consumer electronics devices like
digital videocams, still cameras, music players, computing products,
accessories and more.
The list of merchandise that D&H Canada offers in this market also
includes, but is not limited to, the following categories and manufacturers: notebooks from HP and Acer; digital media players from SanDisk;
voice recorders from Olympus; Microsoft’s new Office 2010 software
suite; e-readers by Aluratek; multi-function printers from Brother; and
storage drives from Western Digital.
D&H Canada also offers a varied lineup of accessories such as
earphones, backpacks, cases, cables, surge suppressors and more
from industry leaders such as Targus, JVC, CyberPower and Belkin,
plus computer peripherals like wireless keyboards and input devices
from Microsoft, Logitech and Kensington.
D&H Canada will implement marketing materials and promotions
to support the launch. D&H’s Campus Inside Advantage e-mail communication, which makes its debut this quarter, will focus on solutions
and hot products.
“We want to be a resource for retailers in this space,” said Mark Bowser,
director of purchasing operations at D&H Canada. “With D&H’s overall
experience as one of the largest distributors to campus bookstores in
the U.S., we have the expertise to help customers in this market succeed
and build revenues through technology sales. We can be a one-stop
destination for them, just as we have already become a trusted partner
to so many dealers serving the SMB [small to medium-sized business]
—CSE
and consumer arenas.”
CSE020.indd 20
he Independent College Bookstore
Association (ICBA) recently presented
its Best Practices and Top Performer
awards to seven member stores during the
ICBA 2010 Retail Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
Each year, the ICBA evaluates the financial performance of members with the
annual operating survey and recognizes
those that have improved bottom line results
based on sharper performance in specific
areas of business.
The University of Minnesota Bookstores, University of Minnesota, took the
top prize for Excellence in Technology
Product Management. From 2004-2009,
the store increased technology product sales
by 780 percent to almost $6 million, and
maintained a gross margin of 10 percent.
The rest of the winners are listed below:
Jim Kyle, buyer/manager,
computer technology sales,
M Tech Computer Store,
University of Minnesota
Bookstores, accepts the
ICBA Best Practices and
Top Performer award for
Excellence in Technology
Product Management.
Excellence in Course Books
Management
University Book Store
Iowa State University
• Increased course book sales by
(PHOTO COURTESY OF ICBA)
17 percent
• Increased course book inventory turnover by 6 percent
• Increased margin 6 percent to 29.9 percent
Excellence in Course Books Management
NC State University Bookstores
North Carolina State University
• Increased course book sales by 26 percent
• Maintained inventory turnover of 5.1
• Increased margin 9 percent to 24.1 percent
Excellence in Student Supplies Management
BYU – Idaho Bookstore
Brigham Young University – Idaho
• Increased student supply sales by 68 percent
• Maintained student supply gross margin
• Increased student supply inventory turnover 12 percent
Excellence in General Books Management
The Bookstore at the University of Montana
University of Montana
• Increased general book sales by 65 percent
• Increased margin to 33 percent
• Increased inventory turnover 54 percent
Outstanding Insignia Product Performance
Wildcat Shop
Central Washington University
• Increased insignia product sales 115 percent
• Maintained gross margin in excess of 39 percent
• Increased inventory turnover 19 percent
The MVP Award for Overall Outstanding Performance
Colorado State University Bookstore
Colorado State University
• Increased total sales by 27 percent
• Increased course book sales by 31 percent
• Increased technology product sales 276 percent
—CSE
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