The start of the new semester at Elizabethtown College not only brought new classes but also a new College Store website. The new site, which launched two weeks ago, offers a large variety of merchandise ranging from personalized clothing to tailgating tents and BBQ sets.
The store switched to a new Web design because the previous one offered little functionality and limited merchandise. “We decided to look for something that was not only affordable but also could offer more merchandise and have more flexibility then we currently had,” said Susan Smith, director of the College Store. The search ended with Advanced-Online, which is offered through the National Association of College Stores.
The more user-friendly website makes it possible for the College Store to offer a larger variety merchandise, specifically in size range. Previously, when the store ran out of a certain size, it had to order a minimum of 48 additional items. Now, staff members can place an order for a single item through the website. This has eliminated excess merchandise and has freed up more space in the College Store storage room. “Now we can use the space to keep more items here and rotate our stock more easily,” said merchandise manager, Wendy Gibble.
While the new website offers something for everyone, its new features might appeal, especially, to athletes and fans. The small store faced a problem with space, specifically room for athletic wear. “If all the sports teams wanted a t-shirt, sweatshirt and long-sleeve shirt, we wouldn’t have room for anything else,” said Smith. This problem has been solved with the new website, which allows students to pick a sports team logo and drop it on anything they want. Replica E-town sports jerseys also are available to be personalized with names and numbers.
Though the website does not accept gift cards, customers can use a Master Card, Visa or American Express credit card to purchase merchandise. Students who wish to use their students I.D’s to buy online merchandise can do so at the College Store. “We have not done it yet but it’s definitely an option with this company,” said Smith. “We can order just one piece for a student, which is something we couldn’t do with other venders.”
Customers can view and purchase the new merchandise at the College Store website www.EtownJayWear.com. The old school store website is still up and running for textbooks and specialty items; however, the two websites will not merge.