APPAREL Apparel Best-Sellers Words of Wisdom from College Stores

By Sara Karnish

Whether showing school spirit or team loyalty, name-dropped and logoed collegiate apparel is a clear way to show support for a favorite college or university. Tastes may change, but college stores strive to carry a mix of styles that are both trendy and timeless.

“Our top sellers are short sleeved tees with our primary athletic and baseball GS logo,” said Holly Berry , assistant store manager and merchandise manager of the University Store at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga. “Here in South Georgia, a typical day can range from 75 to 100 degrees from the morning to the afternoon, even in the winter months, so tees are very popular.”

Likewise, basic tees are big sellers at Gustavus Adolphus College’s Book Mark in St. Peter, Minn, according to Danielle Burger , general merchandise buyer. “Solid graphics on core pieces through brands like Nike, Blue 84, Champion and Gear for Sports have continued to be our best-sellers. Our customers see others wearing them and come looking specifically for them.” She added, “Lifestyle pieces through Artisans and anything oatmeal color have also been top sellers.”

Mary Sivertson, apparel buyer at North Dakota State University Bookstore in Fargo, N.D., said she tried something different this year and the items “flew off the shelves”— “Cropped crews and tees for girls consistently do well. I tried this year and would recommend jeans from Gameday Social Apparel, a company out of Brookings, S.D. They have a lot of unique things and cool designs. The jeans have done really well. They’re custom; ours have the word ‘Bison’ running down the leg. They’re a washed-looking denim style. Overall, we tried a new company called Artisans that I would book again. They had a faux leather applique which said ‘NDSU Bison’ which I would get again because it was just a different application. Also, anything vintage sold very well. Our school colors are green and gold—anything with a mustard or ‘old gold’ color seemed to sell quickly. It’s something I would try again. It was kind of a nice change—something different from all the green. It seems more people can wear the ‘old gold’ shade rather than a bright yellow, and it’s a great fall color.”

Good layout and product placement are just two effective ways to sell more apparel. “It is important that your sales floor makes sense to you and your guests. If it is confusing to you and you work there every day, think what this does to your customers. Make it easy for guests to finds what they are looking for,” Berry suggested. “We section our sales floor out by class. We have a T-shirt section, crews and hoodies, jackets, polos and wovens, boutique, pants and shorts, Young Eagle wear, et cetera. We place signage above those sections directing our guests on the sales floor when possible. We have very high ceilings so it is not always feasible to hang signs, but we do so where we can.”

Burger noted, “Have a plan to stagger when you bring out those core pieces, so they are not competing against each other. This also allows customers an option if we do not have their size in a style they wanted.” And a surefire sales tip: “Utilize your student employees for social media whenever possible! They are so creative and a great asset to your store.”

Sivertson suggested mixing classic and trendy items—bringing in something new to balance the longtime favorites. And be creative—find ways to get products in front of customers both in and out of the bookstore through online and in-person events. “You have to try different things,” she said. “I’ve been a buyer for 17 years, and with the bookstore for 25 years, and when I look at things now, I think, ‘Does it look like anyone else’s product?’ Also, make sure everything is online. If we miss a garment or forget to post something online, it has a tremendous impact on the sell through. We do a lot of social media—we post on Facebook and Instagram on a weekly basis. Keep it in season.” Like many retailers, Sivertson said she and her team faced shipping delays and shortages over the past year; they would often get inventory in past the requested delivery date so it was sometimes out of season. “You have to have events to keep moving the inventory,” she said. “Do offsite events. Create them—just keep the inventory moving. People want to come to an event, have fun, and have it be convenient.”

Keeping an eye on trends and stocking accordingly drives merchandise sales, too. “Crew sweatshirts are still outselling hooded sweatshirts. Oversized sweatshirts worn with tight and high-waisted bottoms are still very popular,” Burger noted. Vintage continues to be popular—the 80s have returned in pop culture in a big way, and the 80s-style fashion has come back. Sivertson noted, “One of our vendors was showing us a bell bottom-style lounge pant, and I’ve noticed this style in some other stores. The vintage look will continue. It never goes away.”

The University Store at Georgia Southern University has a boutique with less namedropped logowear and more subtle clothing choices. “It seems to be trending well,” Berry said. “It is comprised of mostly Ladies’ wear in our school colors—navy, white, and old gold without trademarks on them. As of right now we have a collection of shorts, pants, rompers, dresses, tanks and tops. Our female fans seem to like the idea of being able to show their school colors but not necessarily have a logo on their clothing. They can wear them to work and still show their school pride.”

Bookstores serve current and potential students as well as alumni, parents, and community members. Many university stores carry a selection of merchandise specifically for each market. “We provide our current students as well as our alumni with hundreds of different options to choose from. We have a separate area for alumni merchandise such as crews, polos, several different designs for tees, et cetera. And we provide our Eagle moms, dads, and grandparents with some great options as well,” Berry explained.

Sivertson said they do not have a huge demand for alumni-centric apparel. “We have some ‘alumni’-branded sweats and tees. They’re pretty basic. I try to change up the designs every year. We don’t have much demand for alumni garments except maybe around the holidays, and at graduation so parents and families can buy those items.” Burger noted, “We try to have a couple clothing and gift options that are specifically for our Gustavus alumni, parents, and grandparents. If there is a piece that a customer really likes but wishes it could say alumni, mom, dad, et cetera, we refer them to a local company we’ve worked with for customizing items.”

Merchandising and displaying items are a key element of driving sales. “Displays should always be fresh and clean,” Berry said. “They look so much better with the ‘less is more’ rule of thumb. Our displays are usually reflections of the seasons, events, and themes for the week. They should answer a question, such as ‘What are we featuring this week?’ or ‘Who are we playing this week in football?’, ‘What time of year is it?’, ‘Is it getting chilly or is it Fun in the Sun time of year?’ Displays should make sense to the consumer.”

Burger suggested using other merchandise in a display to create a fuller visual picture. “Change them out often and do not be afraid to ask your student employees to assist too! Bring in different materials, elements such as jewelry, drinkware, and clothing so the focus isn’t only on clothing,” she said. Sivertson said the most effective displays include “height, color, and relevance to the season or upcoming events. Stock fresh products. Have good signage, and use layering for multiple sales.”

Apparel is a core non-textbook profit center for most university stores. Use merchandise to capture the excitement and spirit of a school’s student body and fans. “People are so excited to be back on campus for events that had been cancelled or altered the last couple of years,” Burger pointed out. Create a fun atmosphere in the store that reflects the fun on campus. “Always enjoy what you do,” Berry said. “Make every day fun and enjoyable. When you are happy and have that vibe running through your store, your guests will follow suit and want to come back for more.” ❖