Educational institutions such as schools and universities are the number one buyers of promotional items and promotional products, and a large proportion of those items are intended to be sold to students, parents and supports through the school store. School stores are an excellent educational experience for your people who are considering business careers. By creating a small school store that is run by students with the help of an adult supervisor, your school can instill business sense and an understanding of how the retail world works in the students who are selected to manage and run the school store.

If you're just beginning a school store on a limited budget, it's important to select promotional items that fit that budget. A flexible inventory for a school store might include several items that can be printed on the same press setup to save on design and setup fees as well as novelties and items that are not imprinted at all but share the school colors. Some of the most popular promotional items for selling in school stores include:

Promotional Pens
Pens printed with your university or school details are the perfect low cost way to advertise a particular message or just to highlight the profile of the school. Plastic pens come in massive array of styles and colours and you can be rest assured that any recipient will always find a use for an additional pen.

Promotional Notebooks, Binders and Folders
Composition notebooks and notepads imprinted with the school seal are the single most popular promotional item sold in school stores. Most suppliers of promotional items offer imprinted notepads in a wide range of sizes and styles from which you can choose. You might also choose to carry presentation folders and binders for special projects.

Conference Bags and Rucksacks
Canvas carry bags are another popular choice for school stores. The most popular style of carry bag for students in lower levels is the rucksack, which can easily hold all the books that need to be carted back and forth and be slung over the shoulder to leave the hands free. Growing in popularity among the higher forms are airport style rolling carry bags, printed with the school seal.

Team Clothing
Promotional T-shirts and sweat shirts bearing the image of the school mascot or in team colors are very popular sales items in school stores. School jackets sell well to alumni and parents as well as to students.

Water bottles
Plastic water bottles and travel mugs with the school seal are yet another brisk seller, and appeal to both students and school supporters. Add to the list various types of stadium merchandise if your school has an active athletics program and enthusiastic supporters.

In addition to selling them in the school store, the various kinds of promotional items and promotional gifts can also serve as incentives and rewards for students who are high achievers or exhibit and excellent school spirit.

For more information on promotional items and products check out some of the leading online suppliers where you can tap into their wealth of experience to ensure that your next marketing campaign is well targeted and sets off on the right footing.