Bookstore competitive with online companies
The chaos of students hunting for their books and the resulting bill at the cash register during the first week of school can be confusing for even the most seasoned senior.
As students take their finds home, Utah State University Bookstore administration and an army of temporary employees are hurrying to find out-of-stock books and used books from suppliers around the country and get them on the shelves.
Most students are surprised by the amount they have to pay at the bookstore.
“This book is outrageously expensive. … Textbooks are pretty expensive, but they’re probably expensive everywhere,” said Taylor Cone, a freshman from Potomac, Md.
Jamie Black, a freshman from Spokane, Wash., felt his books were expensive but “basic supplies are about the same.”
Book prices are not much different from one store to the next. Curriculum manager Susan Tedrow said book prices are set nationwide by publishers, then a standard margin of profit is set to augment these prices.
Internet e-commerce also plays a part in textbook buying. USU has had an online bookstore since winter of 1998 and use of the site has “steadily increased,” Dave Hansen, bookstore director, said. Last fiscal year, 15 percent of bookstore sales at USU were from the Internet and Hansen expects that number to climb this year.
The Web site, at www.bookstore.usu.edu offers every book listed and carried in the bookstore, a book reserve option and a feature called “Is My Book In?” where students can check if the bookstore has their book without setting foot in the store.
Other online booksellers have also stepped in to try and gain a piece of the on-campus textbook business. Several were advertising on campus two years ago and “were very competitive with marketing,” Tedrow said.
Tedrow feels they have “reached their plateau” and no longer pose a threat because “they can’t take a schedule, give you a smile, and help you find a book,” she said.
“There’s nothing wrong with competition,” Hansen said. “We understand what they were doing and learned from their mistakes.”
Because the bookstore, both in-store and online, is based at USU, it can guarantee every necessary book and will take whatever efforts needed to get it here.
“Our biggest responsibility is to supply the students,” Tedrow said.
She searches stores across the country for used books before purchasing new ones, allowing students to pay the lowest price possible.
No matter if students purchase books online – through USU or at the bookstore – they can return them through the “book recycling” program when they are through with them.
Despite conveniences found in the USU bookstore and Web site, many students are willing to experiment with online stores.
“I’ve heard it’s a lot cheaper. I’m starting to investigate,” said Calli Hancock, a sophomore from Evanston, Wyo.
For those willing to check them out, here is some information on other textbook sites on the Web. For the most part, prices are not much cheaper than bookstore prices once shipping and handling were added in, but there are occasional deals out there if one is willing to search.
www.ecampus.com
This site offers a plethora of options for the average college student. On top of offering most books searched for, they also peddle clothing, dorm decor and electronics in their ecampus.com mall. This company charges $2.99 per shipment plus an additional 99 cents per item for standard 1 to 5 day shipping. Second-day and overnight charges increase accordingly. Their buyback policy is conditional on the age of the book. They pay shipping and 50 percent.
www.barnesandnoble.com
Barnes and Noble carries the familiar name and trust, and occasionally carries higher prices because of it. It also sells prints and posters, electronics and gift certificates. Shipping on Barnes and Noble textbooks is free with two or more items. For individual items, shipping is $3.98 for one book or video and $1.98 for one CD, tape or DVD. They buy books back at approximately 30 percent and do not cover shipping.
www.textbookx.com
The newcomer to e-commerce, previously known as textbooksatcost.com, is a very simple site with few options. It is ideal for those who want in-and-out, pure textbook shopping.
Textbookx.com offers free shipping on orders over $150 and a textbook tracking system so customers do not have to worry about when their order will arrive. They do not offer a book buyback system or express shipping.