When Opportunity Knocks, Answer the Door

Editor’s Note: Marie Clapper is executive producer for “Focus on Suppliers.”

In retail, as in life, seizing opportunity is critically important. Hearing the knocking? That’s the first step.

Bed, Bath & Beyond saw extraordinary opportunity in back-to-college shopping, and they are making the most of it in several ways.

On a recent “Focus on Suppliers” episode, Jennifer Simpson, manager of the Rogers store, spoke about how they handle the back-to-college season and why they cater to college students as they do.

For Bed, Bath & Beyond, back-to-college is a funnel of opportunity that’s filled with customers who could continue to shop there for years and years. By catering to that demographic and building a relationship with her from the beginning point of college, the team hopes to see the relationship flourish.

For starters, the store offers a registry for college students that’s similar to a bridal registry. The customer then associates the registry process with Bed, Bath & Beyond; this prepares them for registering gifts at the store for other big events like weddings and showers. This special college registry is called Pack-and-Hold, allowing customers to order in one location and pick up in another. Buy in your home town; pick up in your college town.

Over the years, Bed, Bath & Beyond has worked with colleges to provide lists of everything their students need — from the dimensions of the dorm room to the size of the closet, to how much storage is available under the bed.

Additionally, the store holds special events geared for back-to-college — with lots of giveaways and advice and tips for those new to college life. Many stores even set up a sample dorm room so college kids can check it out with their parents or friends.

“We want to make the transition to college as seamless as possible so that you think of us for all your needs,” says Simpson. “So when you get your first job and you’re ready to furnish your first apartment, you come to us. When you get married, you come to build your bridal registry with us and pick out all the items for your home. Then you have your first child. We want to build that customer for a lifetime.”

On this same episode of “Focus on Suppliers,” Jessica Hendrix, president and chief executive officer of Saatchi & Saatchi X-USA, relates that only 6 percent of shoppers use the Internet exclusively when shopping for back-to-school.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Where’s the opportunity there? Most shoppers will be in brick-and-mortar stores for at least some of their purchases. What are you doing to motivate them to return? How are you engaging them more fully while they are shopping for back-to-school? Who are they today and who will they be next?

Opportunities abound. Be on the alert for them. Listen for that knock.

 

Coming Up On ‘Focus on Suppliers’

The show regularly broadcasts weekly on KNWA-NBC at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and 5 a.m. Sundays.

August 6: Food/Fresh and Moving Your Company

Food Safety Management Advisors – Mike Bentel

Hall Estill – Richard Levin

Saatchi & Saatchi X – Jessica Hendrix

Sage Partners – Grady Mathews

Tampico Spice – Francisco Medrano

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. – Shawn Baldwin

 

August 13: Baby

Buy Buy Baby – Jennifer Simpson

GRACO – Bill Norman

Infantino – Lee Clemons

Kimberly-Clark – Drew Phillips

NUK – Tina Winham

nwaMotherlode – Gwen Rockwood, Shannon Magsam

Saatchi & Saatchi X – Jessica Hendrix

 

Full episodes and extended interviews can be found online at YouTube or Vimeo. Currently scheduled guests and episodes are subject to change.