Q: What ways can students save money on textbooks?
A: “There are four different options. The first two are new or used books, students can save 25% off of a new book and up to 50% off of a used book. We also offer the option of renting books. Rental books are offered at 50% off retail. A new option we are beginning to offer are digital books. They are offered at 40-50% off the retail.”
Q: How can the bookstore have more books available for rent?
A: “Specific criteria must be met for a book to qualify as a rental. A book can’t be customized or in a package. As long as they don’t fall under that category they can be rented. Our rental options are becoming more diverse as time goes on.”
Q: What ways can students get more money back for their books?
A: “Buying back books is simply a function of supply and demand. The best we could ever do is give back 50% of the actual price. Some professors may need the book for next semester so we would buy it back, but if a professor tells us they will be using a new edition we will not buy the book back. Once the quota is hit demand drops and wholesale price drops. We will not accept damaged books either.”
Q: What ways can WVU and the bookstore work together to lower textbook prices?
A: “We don’t have much control of how much books cost. It is up to the professors to pick the books for their coarse so we really can’t control on what books will be used or how much they cost. Like a said earlier eBooks and rentals are becoming more popular.”
Q: Where do you see textbook prices going in the future?”
A: “EBooks and rentals are becoming popular. EBooks will become popular because popular publishers will lean toward the digital process. The only thing that could cause a problem would be the Digital Rights Management. The DRM controls who is in charge of the title. As far as textbooks go there are many people involved, editors, authors, photographers, etc. It is harder for everyone to agree on digital books, because obviously everyone would be taking a price cut. Technology is growing and it is only a matter of time before everyone could be using books from their iPhones.”
If anyone knows how to save money. It is You.
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