Note: This is the fourth in a series of stories about how some of the departments and units at Brock University are operating during the COVID-19 pandemic measures. If you would like to tell your department’s story, please email stapp@brocku.ca

Quick shipping, low prices and an expanded online store are all ways Brock’s Campus Store has adapted to the operational changes at the University to help keep up with the needs of students and instructors.

The Campus Store is hard at work from Monday to Friday filling web orders, an amount which has drastically increased since the launch of their free shipping deal across Canada for orders over $50, as well as ensuring quick delivery, with packages arriving within one to three days.

“We have been successful in adjusting quickly to the needs of our instructors and students as they have shifted to online courses,” said Nick Fabiano, Associate Director, Campus Store. “We have also updated the website to include more countries for shipping in an effort to support our international students.”

Some of the Campus Store’s work is being done remotely, including communication with instructors in regard to the upcoming term courses, handling internal orders for faculty and staff, preparing for fall purchasing and invoicing.

All full-time staff who are able to work from home have been set up with remote computer access, with 10 full-time staff actively working on campus on a rotational basis.

Only two staff per day are working in the Store to ensure physical distancing guidelines are upheld while they fill orders. Gloves are being worn during this process, and multiple new hand sanitizing stations were installed throughout the Store.

“It is definitely an adjustment, but we are finding tasks that can be done remotely that have been typically done face-to-face,” said Fabiano. “For example, the buyers are continuing to work with vendors remotely to order materials to prepare for the summer and fall customers.”

The Store’s Guaranteed Buyback program has also been updated to make the process easier for students to sell back books to Brock remotely. After filling out an online form, the employees verify the books, send a shipping label to the student and then credit their student account.

“I am especially proud of the efforts being put in by our team each and every day,” said Fabiano. “They continue to show up to help meet the needs of our student, faculty and staff, both on and off campus. We are here to make sure our students have the resources they need.”

The Campus Store has been helping the Brock community as much as possible, with team members being instrumental in helping direct traffic during the evacuation of residence buildings in the early stages of the pandemic.

They were also one of several departments who partnered together to give back to the community. The group made a huge donation to Niagara Health, consisting of lab coats, scrubs, goggles and stethoscopes to support the local front-line workers in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19.  

For inquiries about course materials, customers can email campusstore@brocku.ca or shop online at campusstore.brocku.ca.