According to 2022 findings, 80% of transactions are processed electronically. What would you say that percentage is for your school or district?
Millennial parents expect to be able to make their purchases online; only 38% of them even own a checkbook in the first place.
Setting up a free online school store is an easy solution to this problem. In fact, it makes life easier for school personnel, families, AND students:
- Teachers no longer have to count cash & checks during class
- Bookkeepers can easily track funds without worrying about user error
- Parents don’t have to dig around for cash or checks at home
- Students don’t have to worry about losing money on the way to school
You can work with a specialist to create a free online school store in a couple of days. Then, once you’ve got your online school store set up, it’s time to transition your school community to online payments.
30 Items to List In Your School Store
If you sell something in a school office, you can put it in your school store. Your online payment provider should also give you the option to absorb the credit card processing fees OR pass them on to the consumer, meaning it’s absolutely free for your school or district to make the change to online payments.
Fees
If you charge your students fees, put them in your school store. This includes:
- Course fees at the start of the term
- Extracurricular participation fees
- Laptop insurance
- Field trip participation
- Library fines (you can personalize the listing per student for these!)
- Testing sign-ups (AP course exams, etc.)
- Before & after school daycare program charges
Tickets
You no longer have to keep a cash box at the gate! Instead, put your tickets online:
- Sporting events
- Season passes or all-sports passes
- Theater shows
- Band & choir concerts
- School dances
- Carnivals, family nights, haunted house, etc.
Physical Items
For physical items, sell them in your school store & include the option to determine whether the items will be picked up in your office or sent home with a student:
- Spirit wear
- Sports & club uniforms
- PE uniforms
- Class supplies (recorder, lab goggles)
- Parking passes
- Yearbooks
- Fundraiser items
Read about the student fundraisers at Santa Rosa Academy, where they raise money for a classmate’s scholarship by selling spirit wear in their school store!
More School Store Items
That’s only the beginning! Get creative with your school store listings:
- Donations for the school or individual clubs, sports, etc.
- Teacher wish list items
- Business sponsorships from the community
- Transcripts for current students & graduates
- Staff purchases (jeans passes, Homecoming shirts)
- Instrument rental fees
- Building & facilities rental payments
- Ads for the yearbook or sports programs
- Fees for the school mascot to appear at a local event
- Local restaurant menu items for “fun lunch” in the cafeteria
Read how Eaton Academy does it!
If you’re still struggling with handling cash & checks, we’d love to help! Book a free demonstration to see how you can set up a FREE school store with Edlio, and make the transition to online payments today!
