Ryan ChartrandThe start of a new quarter often goes hand in hand with a collective sigh and increase in complaints over book prices. Students check their bags and wait in long lines at El Corral, all the while loathing the fact that they are paying too much. Many students have turned to alternative sellers when buying textbooks to save money.
For example, El Corral sells the textbook “Personality,” required for PSY 305, for $127.75 new and $96 used. The same book costs $118.95 at barnesandnoble.com and $95.16 if you are a Barnes and Noble member. Half.com, Ebay’s textbook center, offers the book for $58. And at screwthebookstore.com, a Web site where students can buy and sell their textbooks among students from their university, the book was available used for $65.
If more students turn to these alternative sources, maybe it would force campus bookstores to decrease their prices to a more competitive level.
In addition to the inflated prices, El Corral pressures professors to move to the newest version of the textbook by offering students lower buyback rates for the older version. Many professors have stopped reserving textbooks for their classes through El Corral altogether. Instead, they are advising students to shop at Aida’s, a local bookstore located on Foothill Boulevard, where students can usually buy their books for much less.
The Mustang Daily urges you to consider these alternative options when selling and shopping for your textbooks this year. Save yourself some money and show the bookstore that students have had enough.
Editorials reflect the opinion of the Mustang Daily editorial staff.