College Bookstore Textbooks and

Alternatives
Rebecca Bordon

Textbook Prices on the Rise

Raised 6% per year between 19! and "##$

%ove&ber '11 to %ove&ber '1" ( increased to %

Ca)ses*
+re,)ent %ew -ditions
B)ndling Packages

Advantages o. P)rchasing Textbooks

Co&&on .o)ndation o. in.or&ation

/traight.orward learning &aterial

0ong ter& )se

1isadvantages o. P)rchasing Textbooks

-xpensive

0ow re2sell pay percentage

Possibility o. in.re,)ent )se

B)ndle packages

/t)dent P)rchasing 3n.l)ences

A..ordability

Availability

Book Condition

+or&at

+ig)re 14 Percentage o. st)dents b)ying textbooks by textbook designation
/o)rce* Anne Christie5 6ohn 74 Pollit85 and Cheryl 9iddleton4

9ore on /t)dent P)rchasing 3n.l)ences

Relation to &a:or

Pro.essor teaching styles

Pro.essor P)rchasing 3n.l)ences on
/t)dents

0ack o. price reali8ation

Book re,)ire&ents

Book editions

3nternet reso)rces

;pen -d)cational Reso)rces <;-R=

+ree5 open licensed &aterial

Provided by other a)thors or pro.essors

-nhances st)dent learning

Print or electronic .or&ats

/)pple&ental reso)rces

Traditional Bookstore Textbook Alternatives

;nline Booksellers

;nline Book Rentals

-lectronic Books

;nline Booksellers

Co&pare prices between websites

;verseas sellers

Cheaper than bookstores b)t &ay be &ore expensive

than other alternatives

9ore p)rchasing and renting options

0arger stock than bookstore

;nline Book Rentals

>s)ally )sed books

%o long ter& )se

-scape b)ndle packages

9)ltiple .or&ats* print and electronic

-lectronic Books

%ew ?book@ rental

0i&ited )se

Accessible thro)gh e2readers or co&p)ters

%ew technology

0i&ited availability

+ig)re "4 B)siness Co&&)nication Process and Prod)ct
th
-dition Book Price Co&parison

Concl)sion

%ew editions and b)ndles raise prices

/t)dents look .or a..ordable options and other

characteristics s)ch as availability5 long ter& )se5 and
.or&ats

Pro.essors provide the biggest p)rchasing in.l)ences on

st)dents

;pen -d)cational Reso)rces <;-R=

Concl)sion

;nline booksellers5 online book rentals5 and electronic book

alternatives to ca&p)s bookstore prices

;nline booksellers o..er &ost renting and p)rchasing options

;nline book rentals provide cheap5 )sed books b)t have no

long ter& val)e

-lectronic books have li&ited )se and portable .or&at

Reco&&endations
Ae5 the st)dent govern&ent o. /olano Co&&)nity
College reco&&end444

+or Pro.essors5 to consider*

9oney2saving options .or st)dents
%o re,)ired books5 older textbook editions i. possible
3nternet reso)rces and ;-Rs

+or /t)dents5
Research between online booksellers5 online book
rentals5 and electronic books .or a..ordability and other
personal re,)ire&ents

+or any ,)estions5 please e2&ail &e at
rbordon"Bst)dents4solano4ed)
Thank yo) .or yo)r ti&eC