Highlighting the differences between Spotted Cow and ASU's Bookstore
James Furlan
Issue date: 1/26/10 Section: News
With prices soaring above $200, students are looking at alternative methods when purchasing textbooks.
Many students are well-informed of the used bookstore, Spotted Cow, which claims that it sells college textbooks at lower prices. When researching the prices from the ASU bookstore and the Spotted Cow, there was a small price difference.
For instance, at the ASU Bookstore, students taking Wellness will have to purchase the "Total Fitness & Wellness" textbook that costs $66.25 brand new, while the same new book costs $60 at the Spotted Cow. A used version of this book would run a student $49.70 at the university's bookstore, whereas it would cost $44.95 at Spotted Cow.
One book that has many business students talking is "Financial Accounting." A new edition of this book will run a student $202.50. At the Spotted Cow, the same new book cost $193.
"You have the convenience and ability to use financial aid," Augusta State student Kat Causey said.
While students' note that the ASU bookstore is convenient, many students believe that it charges high prices to bring in extra money since it is a business, but those employed by the bookstore refute these beliefs.
"The ASU Bookstore has the lowest markup of many of the bookstores in the University College of Georgia," Michelle Neely, ASU bookstore manager, said.
She explained the process that the ASU Bookstore goes through when buying and selling books.
Augusta State buys books from many publishers. The publishers charge the school a price for a particular book. Augusta State has the authority to mark-up the price of books by a certain percentage to cover the costs of operating the bookstore.
According to Neely, Augusta State's markup is 24 percent.
If this markup is applied to the "Total Fitness & Wellness" textbook, the school paid $50.35, while the student pays $66.50. The bookstore receives nearly a $16 profit when a student purchases that book.
Many students are well-informed of the used bookstore, Spotted Cow, which claims that it sells college textbooks at lower prices. When researching the prices from the ASU bookstore and the Spotted Cow, there was a small price difference.
For instance, at the ASU Bookstore, students taking Wellness will have to purchase the "Total Fitness & Wellness" textbook that costs $66.25 brand new, while the same new book costs $60 at the Spotted Cow. A used version of this book would run a student $49.70 at the university's bookstore, whereas it would cost $44.95 at Spotted Cow.
One book that has many business students talking is "Financial Accounting." A new edition of this book will run a student $202.50. At the Spotted Cow, the same new book cost $193.
"You have the convenience and ability to use financial aid," Augusta State student Kat Causey said.
While students' note that the ASU bookstore is convenient, many students believe that it charges high prices to bring in extra money since it is a business, but those employed by the bookstore refute these beliefs.
"The ASU Bookstore has the lowest markup of many of the bookstores in the University College of Georgia," Michelle Neely, ASU bookstore manager, said.
She explained the process that the ASU Bookstore goes through when buying and selling books.
Augusta State buys books from many publishers. The publishers charge the school a price for a particular book. Augusta State has the authority to mark-up the price of books by a certain percentage to cover the costs of operating the bookstore.
According to Neely, Augusta State's markup is 24 percent.
If this markup is applied to the "Total Fitness & Wellness" textbook, the school paid $50.35, while the student pays $66.50. The bookstore receives nearly a $16 profit when a student purchases that book.