Females can shop MORE at the bookstore

               The Utica College Bookstore has expanded it's apparel to fit the female students' interest after the usual settlement for the unisex clothing.

               Savannah Hansen, assistant manager of the UC Bookstore, is in charge of the general merchandise. Ever since June 2009, she has been working for the bookstore. Hansen has been able to change the bookstore for the better. Her decisions have allowed the bookstore to sell more women's clothing than every before. 

               As in the past, the bookstore goes through a particular process for orders. Lauren Partyka, manager of the UC Bookstore, is in charge of the school supplies and book orders. According to Hansen, the supplies are chosen from a "Pick List" given to the store by the home office. Partyka and Hansen are being told the amount of each supply to sell to the students by the corporate offices. For the books, it's process differs. 

              For years, it has been the same way of ordering trade and reference books. The books are ordered on demand by students or professors. As for other times, it would be sent automatically to the store from the vendors. If professors had an upcoming exam for their students, they would special order the books through  the bookstore. 

              The clothing has been chosen from the "Assortment Plan" given to each college bookstore of Barnes & Noble. Each brand would tell the bookstore what type of clothing can be sold in the store. Another aspect for the clothing for years has been the GM Newsletter. This is provided to all Barnes & Noble College Booksellers about the different trends and the ways other bookstores are selling their clothing. 

              "The students are our customers and we sell what they want," said Hansen. She felt her motivation for selling the women's clothing came from the students. According to Hansen, her female student workers constantly complained about the lack of women's fitted clothing. 

               Hansen first tested the waters of female clothing with "Fear the Moose - Utica" tees. "These t-shirts were not good at all," she said. "They ran too small and close-fitted." These shirts did not sell well for the bookstore. The Champion vendor sold better for the bookstore displaying "Utica College" on the front. 

               "I realized there has been a lot more women's clothing being sold," said Jamilia Cain. She is a sophomore psychology student. "I love the UC tees and the tie-dye shirts, but I brought some track shorts and a zippered sweatshirt." 

                In December 2009, Jansport sold black and white sweatpants with "Utica" in pink zebra print to the bookstore. According to Hansen, every bookstore in the upstate region carried these pants specifically for their school. "The black ones sold out in a week, but the white ones a lot slower," she said. She constantly speaks with the Hamilton bookstore allowing the region to all sell similar clothing. 

               Women's clothing now makes up between 15 to 20 percent of the stores' general merchandise. The new tie-dye navy sweatshirts for women were sold out in one month. These new trends were especially posted in the GM Newsletter. In February of 2010, the newsletter promotes the "Spring Theme Table" of Pink and Green. As it states, "New product for the spring table should be set up on 3.01.10 and will feature Spring Break travel items continuing with the pink and green trend." There have been many changes not only in the bookstore, but in what they are persuaded to convey from the stores. 

                The bookstore has continued to improve on the intake of female fitted clothing. Their growth of the clothing has allowed it to be sold very quickly.