I am no longer with the company as of last November but I still like following this board. Follett will learn the hard way if they don't change. Successful retailers focus on what is good for the customer, the top/bottom lines will take care of themselves. Adding extras fees to book prices at campus stores where students are semi locked in, removing ISBN's so students can't shop elsewhere (easily), locking in schools to your interfaces are all forms of focusing on profits, and not the customer. Bestbuy is a great example. They used to try to prevent show rooming (comparison pricing) then realized it was turning customers off and their financial results showed it. Two years ago they brought in new leadership who decided to compete based on what is best for the customer. Sales and profits are up and so is store visits. They now price match, became more efficient and put the customer first. No retailer succeeds at putting their own interests ahead of the customer.
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Funny, I saw an interview with Bill Gates and he was asked what he did to make Microsoft’s stock worth more. He laughed and said he dreamed of really cool software. He said the stock prices take care of themselves. Follett drops 58 million dollars on a new office that looks better than Google like that’s going to make them successful. Do you treat your associates well like they do at Google? The human resources department is called that because your associates are a resource. Your most valuable resource. MLS and her senior management team have brought fear and intimidation to Follett. I bet MLS dreams of being as successful as Microsoft or Google without a clue of how that happened. MLS and the Follett Family, you own it!
They can't compete. It's that simple. Blunt force into some sales via financial aid, but that's it.
The lease model is dying and only coward administrators choose leaser virtual and/or institution stores.
Check out Walmart's Savings Catcher program. https://savingscatcher.walmart.com/
Lock in does not work, especially with the competition that is available on the internet. This is pre-internet thinking - students don't have a choice.