Although Elon University’s campus bookstore works with Barnes & Noble to provide students with textbooks, some students have noticed that prices at the bookstore are significantly higher than those at Barnes & Noble.
The solidarity between Barnes & Noble and the bookstore seems to be contested.
“I’ve honestly never considered buying books at the campus store because I know I’ll get ripped off," said sophomore Allison Shamon.
At the beginning of each semester, students can log onto their OnTrack account and get directed to the bookstore’s website to find a customized list displaying the required textbooks for their courses. They have the option of purchasing new or used textbooks, and sometimes have the option of renting.
Students must then decide whether the convience of purchasing textbooks through the campus bookstore or exploring increased economical options is the better route to take.
Just like any other business, profitability is key to staying open, said Kathy Scarborough, campus shop manager. Each book has a standard price plus a 25 percent margin price, she said. It is the necessary price to provide students with their required books while attaining a profit.
Ten percent of the margin accounts for rent, 8 percent for the salary of campus store staff and students, 3 percent for transporting textbooks, 2 percent for stickers and other supplies and 2 percent is pure profit.
Despite the price variance, some students view the practicality of ordering through the campus bookstore enticing.
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“I’ll pay for the convenience,” sophomore Charlotte Suozzi said. “There are cheaper options such as Amazon, but it takes so long.”
While some students continue paying for the efficiency associated with the bookstore, others are moving towards more tech savvy approaches.
“I buy them online because it is easier to find them this way than searching the bookstore,” said sophomore Kara Kreutzberg. “Plus, you can get them cheaper on Amazon and Half.com.”
[box]“Management" by John Schermerhorn is a required textbook for an advanced level management course. It is listed for $232.35 at the bookstore and $216.75 on the Barnes & Noble website. It can be rented for $75.83 from Barnes & Noble, in comparison to the bookstore’s price of $111.05.[/box] Every textbook has an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) code. By entering this number into sites such as Amazon or Chegg, a list of available purchases show up. The prices on these sites tend to be lower.
“They garage sale price it,” Scarborough said. “There is no way for us to compete.”
One potential downside of ordering through these bargain price websites is the arrival process of each textbook. Since every item is shipped individually, they arrive at different times, forcing students to check their mailboxes daily.
Whether students choose economical over convenience methods or vice versa, a common frustration shared is with sellback prices. Purchasing a $300 biology textbook and receiving $49.75 when the semester ends is an irritation many students share.
As technology advances, students note the growing availability of eTextbooks, which are physical versions of textbooks downloaded onto a computer.
In the meantime, Scarborough said she understands students’ frustration with high prices.
“I went to school too,” she said. “I get it. I have been on both sides and all I can say is textbooks are not profitable.”