Bed Bath & Beyond Debuts Online College From Home Store

Need to Know

• New “online shopping experience” aims to help students and parents redesign bedrooms for learning-from-home, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cast uncertainty on the 2020-2021 school year.
• College From Home is a partnership between Bed Bath & Beyond and Decorist, an online interior decor service.
• Students can take a style quiz or consult a Decorist designer to assist with design and purchases.

Analysis

As uncertainty surrounding the upcoming school year continues, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many post-secondary students are preparing for remote learning due to campus closures and safety concerns. To help make this a more (literally) comfortable prospect, home furnishings store Bed Bath & Beyond has launched College From Home, a digital shopping portal aimed at helping students convert bedrooms to learning spaces by selling items from desks to organizational solutions.

College From Home, which is now live, is essentially a curated product page: students (and/or their parents) can browse items from those that are practical (think: desk chairs, filing cabinets, and whiteboards) to those aimed at helping students create a stylish learning space (like floor lamps, fairy lights, and floor rigs). The initiative is a partnership with Decorist, Bed Bath & Beyond’s sister site, which is an online interior decor service.

Shoppers can simply purchase items outright, or select items that have been curated into one of three room styles: chill camp vibes, low-key bohemian, and modern glam. They can also partner with a Decorist decorator to design their own room. And, by signing up for Bed Bath & Beyond’s College Savings Pass, students can receive 20% off their purchase each time they shop.

The site also offers decor and furnishing tips, including advice on comfortable seating, good organization, and the importance of having a good background for virtual class scenarios.

“College students are adjusting to a new learning environment this year,” said Cindy Davis, Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer of Bed Bath & Beyond and President of Decorist. “In July, we saw searches on our site up more than 200% for desks and office chairs compared to the same period last year. They need design guidance and inspiration to create a conducive space —whether they’re living at home or on campus. With that in mind, and along with insights from current students, we designed these spaces to set students up for academic success, as well as to be cozy, comfortable, and personal.”

Bed Bath & Beyond has struggled throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with sales falling 50% during the first quarter of 2020. However, the company has seen significant online growth: digital sales increased by 82% in Q1, with online purchases now making up about two-thirds of the company’s overall sales.