2008 Woodie Awards
Lewis bookstore begins book buyback
Margaret Finnegan
Issue date: 12/16/05 Section: News
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As students finish their final week of school and begin to prepare for finals, many also make a trip to the campus bookstore to sell back their textbooks.
According to Nita Young, manager of the bookstore, buyback officially starts the week of finals, but they have been buying them back this past week as well. "We buy back year round," Young said, "but the best time to sell back the books is once the instructor actually turns in their book orders." Most instructors have turned in their orders for the next semester by finals week of the current semester, which is why this is the most advantageous time to sell back textbooks.
Some students find the process frustrating, because of the huge depreciation in value of a book purchased a mere 4 months ago. Chris Anschuetz, broadcast journalism major, said, "I've never sold my books back because it's a huge scam. They give you $12.00 for a book you paid $60.00 for and then resell it for $50.00."
Young provided a brochure stating the bookstore's policy regarding book buyback. It addresses Anschuetz's concern and many other common issues students may have regarding selling their textbooks.
If a textbook is listed on an instructor's order, a student will get more money for that book than one that is not listed. A book that will be used on campus next semester could be sold back for as much as half the new book price. For books no longer used on this campus, the bookstore will check with wholesale book companies for the national market value. The wholesalers sell books to campuses throughout the United States and are responsible for setting the market value; the bookstore is not.
The brochure also states the bookstore does add markup to books it buys back from students to cover operating expenses. In fact, all merchandise has an amount added to it to cover costs such as staff wages and benefits, utilities, insurance and taxes, among others. The more money the bookstore pays for used books, the more it must charge to resell those same books.
According to Nita Young, manager of the bookstore, buyback officially starts the week of finals, but they have been buying them back this past week as well. "We buy back year round," Young said, "but the best time to sell back the books is once the instructor actually turns in their book orders." Most instructors have turned in their orders for the next semester by finals week of the current semester, which is why this is the most advantageous time to sell back textbooks.
Some students find the process frustrating, because of the huge depreciation in value of a book purchased a mere 4 months ago. Chris Anschuetz, broadcast journalism major, said, "I've never sold my books back because it's a huge scam. They give you $12.00 for a book you paid $60.00 for and then resell it for $50.00."
Young provided a brochure stating the bookstore's policy regarding book buyback. It addresses Anschuetz's concern and many other common issues students may have regarding selling their textbooks.
If a textbook is listed on an instructor's order, a student will get more money for that book than one that is not listed. A book that will be used on campus next semester could be sold back for as much as half the new book price. For books no longer used on this campus, the bookstore will check with wholesale book companies for the national market value. The wholesalers sell books to campuses throughout the United States and are responsible for setting the market value; the bookstore is not.
The brochure also states the bookstore does add markup to books it buys back from students to cover operating expenses. In fact, all merchandise has an amount added to it to cover costs such as staff wages and benefits, utilities, insurance and taxes, among others. The more money the bookstore pays for used books, the more it must charge to resell those same books.
