COVID-19 Response

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES FOR COLLEGE STORES

The National Association of College Stores is continuing to monitor the COVID-19 situation.

Updates and resources for our members and affiliates will be provided on an ongoing basis.

We encourage campus stores to continue the conversation on The Hub to share resources and questions with peers.

The NACS team can also be reached at membership@nacs.org.

Reopening Resources

Legal Considerations for Creating and Selling Face Masks

NACS legal counsel Arent Fox explains some of the legal considerations for the sale of face masks in an article prepared by its New York office.

Vendors offering supplies for reopening

Watch: Moving Forward: A Roadmap to Safely Re-Open Your Store Webinar | View Transcript
View Resources

Additional Resources:

TRAF-SYS (People Counting Systems), May 12, 2020 blog post
https://www.trafsys.com/how-to-limit-store-capacity-levels/
“Generally retail establishments must limit the occupancy to one person per every 60 square feet of space. Access to exits can also influence a building’s maximum occupancy rating.”

APPA.org: Leadership in Education Facilities
search “COVID-19 Resources & Guidelines"

ChartwellsHigherEd.com
BGSU Path to Open
BGSU Delivery Robot

NACS.org
COVID-19 Resources
The Hub (for NACS members) – search for “reopening"

ACHA.org (American College Health Association) Guidelines
“Considerations for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education in the COVID-19 Era”
https://www.acha.org/documents/resources/guidelines/ACHA_Considerations_for_Reopening_IHEs_in_the_COVID-19_Era_May2020.pdf

RILA.org (Retail Industry Leaders Association) “Open for Business”
https://www.rila.org/shop-safe

CUPAHR.org (College & University Professional Association for Human Resources)
“Checklist for Health and Safety Planning as Business Resumes”
https://www.cupahr.org/knowledge-center/covid-19-resources/

NRF.com (National Retail Federation) “Operation Open Doors Checklist”
https://nrf.com/resources/operation-open-doors

ArentFox.com Video: “What Fashion & Retail Companies Need to Know Before Reopening”
https://www.arentfox.com/perspectives/fashion-counsel/covid-19-what-retailers-need-know-reopening

Retaildive.com “What Retail Could Look Like When Stores Reopen”
https://www.retaildive.com/news/what-retail-could-look-like-when-stores-reopen/576041/

Retaildoctor.com - Bob Phibbs Webinar “Reopening with Hope”
https://retaildoc.wistia.com/medias/m3pscbq59j

Kroger’s Blueprint for Business

Target’s SAFE Retail

Home Depot’s COVID-19 Update and Response

2020 Campus Store Association Virtual Event Guide

Upcoming Webinars

Multiple dates - RedShelf Connection Events

Redshelf has developed a series of webinars to build connections and increase exposure to experts from inside and outside the industry. Attend an event in real time or view and share the recordings with your colleagues later.

To view upcoming events and register for topics that interest you, visit RedShelf Connections.

Verba | VitalSource invites you to view their webinar series focused on how stores can respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Their 'Pack Light' webinar delves into the campus-wide effects of COVID-19 and walks you through VitalSource Helps. In the 'Grab Your Shades' event you will learn how to scale digital fast from a peer.

Following the conversation in The Hub and visit this page for ongoing updates and resources.

Recent Webinars

April 2 at 2:00 p.m. EST - NACS COVID-19 Updates (FULL)

Rich Hershman, Vice President of Government Relations, will provide current COVID-19 updates related to higher ed and small businesses.

Recording and slides are available in The Hub (login is required)

Recording

NACS Online Learning Experiences

Moving Forward: A Roadmap to Safely Re-Open Your Store

Watch | Transcript | Resource from BGSU

Mindfulness & Self Care: Mental Health & Wellness Part 1

Presentation

Leading & Taking Care of Others: Mental Health & Wellness Part 2

Watch | Transcript | Young Invincibles Resources

We’re All in This Together

Transcript

Orders, Deliveries, Returns! How Do I Manage Inventory During a Pandemic?

Watch | Transcript

Adapting Virtual Orientations

Slides | Transcript

Energizing Online Sales in the Middle of a Pandemic

Watch | Transcript

April 3 at 12:00 p.m. EST - NBC Virtual Sellback: Move your buyback online today!

With many campuses shut down or finishing classes online, stores are grappling with the challenge of buying textbooks back from students. Hosting an in-person buyback event likely isn't an option, but how can your store still meet students where they are?

Attend this webinar for a guide to implementing a virtual sell-back event. Hear from buyback experts Kara Bunde-Dunn and Jennifer Goetsch of Nebraska Book Company about the benefits of our virtual sell back solution, which includes money for your students, a 25-percent commission for your store and digital marketing resources.

Recording

April 6 at 2:30 p.m. EST - MBS Online Buyback Live Webinar

MBS Online Buyback makes it simple for students to sell back textbooks at the end of the term. With this virtual wholesale buyback service, we will set up a school-branded site for your students to easily sell their books back and recoup some of their textbook costs.

Recording

April 9 at 2:00 p.m. EST - Vindy: Online Marketplace Shifts

With campuses shutting down, buybacks going virtual, and uncertainty for future semesters, online marketplaces are behaving much differently than in years past.

In this 30-minute webinar Aaron Johnson from Vindy will show you how COVID-19 has impacted textbook inventory and pricing on online marketplaces, what it means to your store for upcoming semesters, and how you can take advantage of the changes.

Recording

April 15 at 12 p.m. or 3 p.m. EST - ValoreBooks Online Buyback with Retail Books Option

This upcoming buyback season is going to be a challenge, not only for your students but for many stores in our industry. Without an in-store buyback, where will you acquire all the retail books you would usually buy from your students?

We have the solution. Our affiliate Online Buyback with Retail Books Option is the closest replacement to your in-store buyback and offers the best options to your students.

Presentation

April 29 at 11 a.m. EST - resero Virtual Buyback

resero has created a virtual buyback solution designed to mirror your in-store program, you can purchase books for future semester resale and wholesale through a single online portal. Find out how the program works, how students receive payments, stores receive inventory, and how you can sign up. This solution is brought to you by a partnership between resero, Texas Book Company, Vindy, and Watchman Payment Systems

Recording

Vendor Affiliate Updates for Campus Stores

PartnerShip – is available to assist with any shipping challenges you’re facing. Call 800-599-2902 or email sales@PartnerShip.com to sign up for discounts and to get set up with solutions that will help you easily manage your student returns. For important carrier service updates and helpful shipping tips during this time, visit the Coronavirus updates page.

VitalSource Helps – offering free eTexts access to students impacted by campus closures due to COVID-19 pandemic. VitalSource Helps.

OpenStax Allies – OpenStax Allies are offering free access to their platforms for instructors that need to transition to online courses. More details here.

Cengage – is providing free access to its entire catalog of online learning platforms and eTextbooks through Cengage Unlimited for the remainder of the semester. Free eBook access is also available through RedShelf Responds and VitalSource Helps. For more info and resources are available at Cengage COVID-19 and FAQs.

Elsevier – To help make it a little bit easier for you to meet students' needs during these trying times, we are offering free shipping and extended payment terms. Through June 19th, receive FREE standard shipping on your orders of textbooks, reference books, or custom packages and take advantage of 90-day terms for the invoice. When you place your order, be sure to use promo code FSDB20 on each page of the order form or in the promo code field online.

Orders can be placed via:

VirtualE (https://virtuale.elsevier.com) and use the promo code on checkout screen
PUBNET/EDI or PUBEASY and use the promo code in the special instructions field
Email Bookstore.Orders@Elsevier.com with the promo code in the subject line
Your Elsevier Rep (order then to be placed by email or VirtualE)

Pearson – Pearson has an access code-generation process for college stores to order and receive codes electronically from our Customer Service team instead of ordering printed codes. This temporary solution is designed to help college stores more easily accommodate remote students during the COVID-19 virus disruption.

Simply email your access code order details to Pearson's Customer Service Escalation Agent team at hecsecoderequest@pearson.com. They will generate the digital access codes, include the access code-registration instructions you share with students, process an invoice with no shipping charges, and send the digital access codes to you via email.

The access code order details you provide should include the store’s account #, PO#, code ISBN, and Note: No shipping charges - codes are being sent electronically.

Any questions, contact hecsecoderequest@pearson.com.

RedShelf Responds – Providing free access to digital textbooks (to students from nonprofit, semester-based colleges and universities) through May 25th. RedShelf Responds.

Texas Book Company – Extended rental return dates and offering in-store help with returns or packing up for shipments. Contact your Texas Book Company rep with questions.

Nebraska Book Company – A dedicated COVID-19 Protocol page is available to provide campus stores with pertinent information on how Nebraska Book Company is continuing to support stores. Additional information is also available on their website.

MBS – Visit the MBS website for COVID-19 updates and resources.

Willo Labs – Is providing free use of the Willo LMS integration platform to colleges and schools to quickly enable their digital content and courseware at-scale. For more info, visit: Willo Labs Offers LMS Digital Content "Player" for No Cost or email us at: info@willolabs.com

Rittenhouse Book Distributors – During this period when we are all challenged with supporting new methods of teaching, learning, and living, Rittenhouse continues to offer many inventory solutions that can be easily integrated into your work-flow adjustments. Delayed shipping to your bookstore and the Rittenhouse Direct Ship Program can support your patrons as they transition to distance learning.

All of our inventory solutions are available to be viewed at Rittenhouse.com. For login assistance, contact us.
The Rittenhouse Direct Ship Program enables your bookstore to order books and have them shipped directly to your customer. See more details here.

We are open and shipping, and you can elect a future shipping date for your orders.
Receive an instant quote for future shipments– use Text Express or let us know and we can assist you in this process marketing@rittenhouse.com.

The safety and well-being of our team, our customers, and your patrons are our top priorities and we will continue to monitor this situation closely.