Bookstore Mayhem

Everyone complains about the price of college textbooks, yet no one does anything about it. At the most, a person can choose not to purchase the book from this outlet, and is usually penalized in some way for doing so. If, for example, you buy books online, a waiting period is in order; either waiting for the auction of the book to end or for delivery services, causing you to miss early assignments. Some students, like myself, oftentimes do not purchase expensive texts at all, which in turn hurts their GPA in the long run.

Before I get to that, I need to share a story. At the close of every semester, the college bookstore offers a 'buyback' opportunity on select texts, where they pay you half what was charged at the start of the semester, then sell it back to the college community for the 'used' retail price. This is much higher than what they pay for it to get it in stock from the college students. If you miss the 'buyback' period, they pay you even less for a book, about half of what you would have received if you waited in line at the close of the semester.

I misplaced a text for one of my courses about half-way through the semester, only to find the book over winter break. I missed the buyback period, and was only given $17 for the book, which, as a poor college student, isn't too bad. When classes began two days later, I found out I needed the book for another class. I immediately went to the bookstore and explained my situation, offering to pay them the $17 in return for my book, which I sold to them two days earlier. Apparently, this was not an option. My book, I was told, was sent off THE SAME DAY to a processing center, and there was no way they could locate it. In order for me to have an exchange, I would need the exact same book. I then asked if I could possibly have $17 off another used book, and that too, was out of the question. Luckily, one of my professors was nice enough to put the book on hold in the library after I explained my conundrum to her.

At this point, a week into the semester, I have only purchased two books. I am supposed to have five. I cannot afford to spend any more money. Because of bad credit, I can't get a credit card with which to purchase books online, and am forced to use the bookstore for all my texts.

In closing, I would just like to say 'fuck you,' to the barnes & noble booksellers at Utica College, and will forever refuse to capitalize the name of their bogus corporation.

I hate to bitch so much on my first official posting, but whatever. When will people realize that college textbook publishers are a monopoly, preying on poor college students who 'need' their books to get high GPAs. Not every college student has a book voucher, you know.