On a chilly Sunday morning, Bianca Arámbula visited Red & Black College Bookstore to sell back some books she purchased last semester.
She is now taking 13 hours and was required to buy five textbooks and one PDF. Arámbula said out of those five books, she bought one book in-store, but two online because of the lower price.
Arámbula, a junior political science major from El Paso, Texas, said she has not even bought or rented textbooks on previous occasions because of the prices, and will usually just buy used books.
“Used books tend to be cheaper,” she said, “and I usually don’t buy them here, I normally go online. I save a good, five, 10 – maybe even 20 bucks at times. It’s just better.”
According to a released report by the U.S. Interest Research Group, a survey found 65 percent of respondents said they had decided against buying a textbook because it was too expensive.
The survey also found that 94 percent of the students who decided against buying a textbook because of its price were worried that doing so would affect their grade.
Keith Leary, manager at Red and Black, said students spend around $300 to $400 on textbooks per semester, and prices depend on the students’ major. He said engineering and mathematics students end up spending anywhere between $500 and $600.
“The publishers set the price,” Leary said. “The store can manage the price – they can drop it or lower it based on demand and what other people are doing, but it’s the publishers who set the price.”
In addition, Leary said the store has definitely seen a change in revenue as a result of students turning to e-books or simply not buying the books.
“It used to be three or four years ago,” Leary said, “students would come in and they would spend $400, $500 on books and that was the accepted deal. Now with e-books and online book buying and all that, revenues have probably dropped for the entire industry.”
Leary said he can’t argue with students as to why they are deciding not to buy textbooks. He said he agrees textbook prices are ridiculous sometimes.
The book “Thinking Like an Engineer,” with access code, is required for Engineering 1315 and goes for a $199.20 at the Barnes & Noble on campus.
But if a student wishes to get the book for a much lower price, he or she can visit Chegg.com and purchase a new book for $48.99, rent it for $40.99, or get an online copy for $69.45
“It’s one of those things where people start buying books online, so publishers start raising their prices in order to make up for that revenue, so then more people start buying books online and they have to raise their prices, and it’s kind of a downward spiral,” Leary said.
Arámbula said she feels students are going to take whatever is the cheapest route.
“Put everything online for us basically,” she said. “Everyone has tablets now, so why not? Next thing you know books aren’t even going to be needed.”
About Daniela Parraga
