EDUCATION & RESOURCES

Emerging technologies, evolving institutional strategic plans, shifting customer preferences, and increasing competition are reshaping the college store industry. ICBA offers education and resources to help independent college stores adapt and meet challenges head on. Topics include Course Materials, General Merchandise, eCommerce, Marketing, Systems, Strategy, Leadership, Inventory Management, DEI, and more!

Explore our learning opportunities and resources below.

NEW (3/25): Visual Merchandising Resources!

Here are new resources specifically to help ICBA Members with visual merchandising. Based on conversations with Members and the sold out 2025 ICBA Visual Merchandising Institute (VMI) held in Chicago (historically popular), we know there is great interest in VM and for how Store Members can enhance this area of their operations. MEMBERS: When logged in, you’ll see the download links for these documents, and you can also find them in your Member Dashboard!

Visual Merchandising Glossary with Images

Tracy’s Tips: 8 Visual Merchandising Ideas to Keep You Grounded

DIY Folding Board for Visual Merchandising

Hoodie Folding Reference Guide

Fixture Capacity Planning Worksheet

Visual Merchandising Resources List

WEBINARS

Webinars are offered in the Spring and Fall and cover a wide range of subjects, including Campus Relations, Assortment Planning, Marketing, Equitable and Inclusive Access, and more. ICBA webinars are free for all Members.

LEARN MORE

ONLINE INSTITUTES

ICBA Online Institutes offer in-depth instruction from subject matter experts, presented in a multi-part webinar series. Each webinar in an Online Institute can stand alone, but the full value is realized by participating in the entire series. ICBA Online Institutes recognize that many ICBA Members have limited travel capabilities or may prefer that the curriculum be delivered over several weeks. They also allow multiple associates in each Member Store to participate and learn.

LEARN MORE

VENDOR SCORECARD

The Vendor Scorecard is a tool that allows Buyers to rank vendors across several criteria, providing a more strategic approach to general inventory management.

LEARN MORE

ICBA INSTITUTES

ICBA Institutes offer a comprehensive, immersive examination of pressing industry topics through a combination of lectures, case studies, and collaborative learning. Our Institutes are held over the course of 2 days, usually in conjunction with the ICBA Annual Retail Conference.

LEARN MORE

UNIVERSAL HIERARCHY

The Universal Hierarchy is an inventory classification system that supports improved assortment planning and inventory management,

LEARN MORE

INDEPENDENT COLLEGE STORES REPORT

The Independent College Stores Report (ICSR) is a joint initiative of ICBA and the Large Stores Group (LSG) that outlines the financial performance of each participating store. The ICSR provides key financial and operation data from participating stores and offers critical insights for benchmarking and strategic planning.

LEARN MORE

THE ICBA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

The ICBA Annual Conference is an intensive, multi-day conference that provides education and professional development through informative sessions, peer-to-peer networking, and round-robin Buyer-Vendor meetings.

LEARN MORE

Education

EDUCATION