Should You Order Books using a Reservation Service?

Most college bookstores allow you to order books using some type of reservation or personal shopping service. These services are designed to target the incoming freshman new to the book buying process. Why is this? The college freshman is eager to learn and not knowing any better, will buy all their textbooks and anything else they think they might need. The college bookstore also believes if they can earn the freshman’s business the first time, they’ll return each new term for their learning materials. These services do provide the student some convenience, but in the end the college bookstore reaps the greatest benefit from these programs.

How it works: Order Books

Time to pick up your order: How'd you do?

The good news is that if you do use one of these services, you’ll likely be able to return anything you don’t want or need for a limited time. But the college bookstore knows if they get it in your hands and charge you for it up front, they have a better chance of keeping the sale than had you never purchased it from them in the first place. Good for the bookstore.

With a growing number of students now refusing to buy textbooks they can get by without, and all the alternative places students have to buy the books they do need, the college store loves the guaranteed pre-sales from these programs. The college store also jumps at the opportunity to up-sell and over-sell from these programs as well. There may not be a sucker born every minute, but there is a new freshman class born every school year. Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware).

If you believe you should be doing your own shopping now, let's take a closer look at what types of stores are serving your campus and how to compare them:

College Bookstore Comparison





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