Playing for Keeps

摘要

Does Bed Bath & Beyond own the back-to-college business? Some of its rivals would argue the point - Macy's chief among them. But there's no question that BBB is the most aggressive in going after the college-bound student and her mom. It's also the first out of the gate in promoting the season. As chronicled on this page last month, Bed Bath & Beyond set its first Campus & Beyond merchandiser around Memorial Day - at a point when most college students returning home for summer break had barely finished unpacking. Just before the July 4th holiday, it had already stepped up its game. The Campus & Beyond sheet merchandiser in the Eatontown, N.J. store was outfitted with a video depicting a mother and daughter working their way through a BBB store, list in hand, to fully furnish a dorm room. A store associate informs them about the retailer's campus pick-up option. "That is awesome," says the mother. "I am so not looking forward to stuffing all of her things into the Prius."