»Chaseton Donahoe
Staff Writer
Many college students could reasonably assess their financial situation as “broke,” so they are always looking for ways to save money. The Ann Ross Bookstore has helped out in a crucial way in the past, and it is helping out even more with textbook rentals, which have become increasingly popular this year.
Students who rented their books from the campus bookstore saved a total of $63,140, and a total of 3,667 books were rented out. Savings amounts were printed at the bottom of each sales receipt so the students know exactly how much money they are saving. The savings amount oftentimes amounts to even more than the actual cost of their bill.
“In the rental process, students can pick whether they want new or used books,” says bookstore manager, Shonte Cadwallader. “Then, they simply use the book as if it were their own. They can write in it and highlight as they would with an owned book.”
The price difference between rentals and purchases is balanced out, based on how much a person would get at the end of the year by selling the book back.
“It really is a matter of when a student wants their money and whatever is best for them. Whether they want it at the beginning of the semester, or at the end,” Cadwallader said.
Students agree that the process is a great idea. “Renting is initially cheaper than buying and then having to sell your books back to a bookstore later,” said John Hoppers, sophomore chemistry major.
“Renting reduces the chance of the books that you own becoming worthless. If a new edition of the book comes out before you sell your old copy, then you lose whatever money you could have made back by reselling it,” said Jared Cornelius, sophomore physics major. “It’s cheaper, and there’s no worry about trying to sell it back later. There’s also no clutter after a class has ended because the leftover books aren’t still taking up your space.”
Offering students multiple options for buying and renting can customize their shopping experience to the way that suits them personally.
The bookstore allows students to walk out with their books immediately, rather than having to wait on or pay for shipping and risk not having it when their classes begin. It also allows them to pick their books specifically; they can know the quality of the book before purchase and not end up paying for one that is in bad condition. This option is great for students, giving them the best possibilities available for the best price.
