Northeast Campus Stores Association upcoming events

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: Special Orders: Process & Partnership (21 Apr 2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Special Orders: Process & Partnership

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 10:00 AM EST | Virtual via Zoom

FREE for store members! You must be logged in to register.

Special orders are a unique and often essential part of campus retail. While margins may differ from traditional sales floor merchandise, special orders play a critical role in building relationships, supporting campus departments, and student organizations, and strengthening the store’s overall presence and value.

Join fellow NCSA members for a collaborative discussion focused on how campus stores structure, promote, and maximize their special order business. Together, we’ll explore pricing and margin strategies, operational workflows, risk management, and how stores position themselves as the preferred campus partner — even when departments have the option to order directly from outside vendors.

This session is designed as an open exchange of ideas and experiences, guided by participant questions and shared examples. Members will discuss how they communicate their special order services across campus, protect profitability, streamline processes, and compete effectively while maintaining strong relationships.

Connect with colleagues from stores of all sizes to share approaches, gain insight, and explore how special orders can serve as both a strategic revenue stream and a powerful relationship-building tool.

Format: Interactive round-table discussion and idea sharing — participation is encouraged.

Who Should Attend: All NCSA store members — directors, managers, operations, merchandising, marketing, and anyone involved in special orders, custom programs, or campus partnerships.

WEBINAR: Unlocking Psychological Messaging and Pricing (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Unlocking Psychological Messaging and Pricing

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | 10:00 AM EST | Virtual via Zoom

Presented By: Paul Erickson, Director of Mentorship, Management One

FREE for all members! You must be logged in to register.

An inquiry into how to influence our customers buying habits

Campus stores can’t always win on price—but you can win on psychology! In this session, Paul Erickson will show you how to:

Use proven psychological pricing tactics to boost sales
Craft messages that connect emotionally with shoppers
Apply these insights immediately in-store and online

Format: Educational webinar featuring a presenter-led session on psychological pricing and persuasive messaging strategies, followed by time for questions.

Who Should Attend: Campus store directors, buyers, marketing and creative teams, e-commerce managers, and front-line leaders interested in increasing conversion, improving promotional effectiveness, and influencing customer buying behavior both in-store and online.

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: K–12 School Store Round Table (5 May 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

K–12 School Store Round Table

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 | 10:00 AM EST | Virtual via Zoom

FREE for K-12 store members! You must be logged in to register.

K–12 school stores operate within a unique environment — balancing uniforms, spirit wear, parent communication, seasonal demand, and close coordination with school administration. From back-to-school peaks to graduation transitions, the operational and financial rhythms can feel different from higher ed campus retail.

Join fellow NCSA members for a collaborative discussion designed specifically for K–12 school store leaders. Together, we’ll explore how stores manage unique products and services, smaller staffs and retail settings, seasonal planning, inventory, pricing, parent engagement, campus partnerships, e-commerce, and operational challenges unique to primary and secondary school settings.

This session is structured as an open exchange of ideas and experiences, guided by participant questions and shared examples. Members will discuss strategies that have worked within smaller teams, approaches to working with school leadership, and ways to strengthen the store’s role within the broader school community.

Connect with colleagues from K–12 stores of all sizes to share approaches, gain insight, and build a stronger network of peers facing similar opportunities and challenges.

Format: Interactive round-table discussion and idea sharing — participation is encouraged.

Who Should Attend: K–12 school store directors, managers, operations staff, and anyone involved in school-based retail programs.

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: Physical Inventory Strategies (7 May 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Physical Inventory Strategies

Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 10:00 AM EST | Virtual via Zoom

FREE for store members! You must be logged in to register.

Physical inventory is a critical operational milestone for campus stores — impacting financial reporting, shrink management, planning, and overall inventory accuracy. While systems and software may vary, preparation, staffing, and process often determine how successful (and smooth) inventory truly is.

Join fellow NCSA members for a collaborative discussion focused on how campus stores prepare for and execute physical inventory. Together, we’ll explore scheduling, staffing strategies, cycle count programs, shrink analysis, and lessons learned from past inventories.

This session is designed as an open exchange of ideas and experiences, guided by participant questions and shared examples. Members will discuss practical preparation tactics, communication strategies, audit considerations, and ways to improve accuracy while minimizing disruption to daily operations.

Connect with colleagues from stores of all sizes to share approaches, gain insight, and explore strategies to make physical inventory more efficient, accurate, and manageable year after year.

Format: Interactive round-table discussion and idea sharing — participation is encouraged.

Who Should Attend: Directors, operations managers, inventory managers, buyers, finance/business office staff, and anyone involved in inventory control or year-end preparation.

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: Summer Reset & Strategic Projects (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Summer Reset & Strategic Projects

Thursday, May 28, 2026 | 10:00 AM EST | Virtual via Zoom

FREE for store members! You must be logged in to register.

For many campus stores, the period following commencement offers a rare opportunity to step back from the pace of the academic year and focus on operational improvements and long-term planning. Summer can provide valuable time to evaluate processes, refresh store spaces, and tackle projects that are difficult to address during peak seasons.

Join fellow NCSA members for a collaborative discussion focused on how campus stores use the summer months to reset operations and implement strategic projects. Together, we’ll explore ideas such as store layout updates, inventory organization, workflow improvements, policy reviews, and planning initiatives that help set the stage for a successful fall semester.

This session is designed as an open exchange of ideas and experiences, guided by participant questions and shared examples. Members will discuss projects that have delivered meaningful improvements, ways to prioritize initiatives with limited time or staffing, and strategies for using slower periods to strengthen operations and customer experience.

Connect with colleagues from stores of all sizes to share approaches, gain insight, and explore practical ways to make the most of the summer season.

Format: Interactive round-table discussion and idea sharing — participation is encouraged.

Who Should Attend: Directors, store managers, operations staff, buyers, marketing teams, and anyone interested in improving store operations and planning strategic projects during the summer months.

Northeast Campus Stores Association upcoming events

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: Special Orders: Process & Partnership (21 Apr 2026)

Campus Store Connect

Special Orders: Process & Partnership

WEBINAR: Unlocking Psychological Messaging and Pricing (28 Apr 2026)

webinar

Unlocking Psychological Messaging and Pricing

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: K–12 School Store Round Table (5 May 2026)

Campus Store Connect

K–12 School Store Round Table

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: Physical Inventory Strategies (7 May 2026)

Campus Store Connect

Physical Inventory Strategies

CAMPUS STORE CONNECT: Summer Reset & Strategic Projects (28 May 2026)

Campus Store Connect

Summer Reset & Strategic Projects