Sears gets 'Campus Ready'

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. Sears has launched "Campus Ready," a digital platform designed to help first-time college students get ready for school.

The Campus Ready platform includes Campus Gift Getter, Roommate Matchup and the Dorm Room Designer -- all available on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/campusready or www.sears.com/campus.

“Our Campus Ready program allows Sears to connect directly with students as they plan to go off to college,” said Don Hamblen, chief marketing officer for Sears.  “We began by developing the Campus Gift Getter and transitioned into our Roommate Matchup and Dorm Room Designer applications. These applications allow students to get to know their new roommates and furnish their dorm room with their collective style in an affordable manner. The combination of these tools will help to prepare students as they enter the next stage of their life.”

The Campus Gift Getter functions much like a bridal registry, according to Sears, and allows high school graduates to create a wish list of desired items for their dorm or apartment. Family and friends of the graduates can register to access the register and purchase items on the list.

To help new college students get to know their new roommates, Sears offers Roommate Matchup, a program that uses Facebook to help roommates get to know one another before college begins. The program includes an interactice survey that provides personal compatibility results and visual product suggestions.  All product suggestions are automatically added to the virtual dorm room for consideration.