2008 Woodie Awards
Bookstore return policy seems unfair to students
Brendan Block
Issue date: 3/9/07 Section: Forum
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At the beginning of each semester, the majority of students at Southwest Baptist University purchase books at the school bookstore. Some students walk away satisfied while others feel like they have been robbed by an unfair system. This editorial is meant to explain the school policies of the bookstore and to explore some current problems that students face with the bookstore.
The number one complaint against the bookstore is the lofty prices. Why should we pay a premium for books, higher sometimes than either a Borders or Barnes & Noble?
Director of Bookstore Services Walt Tredway assured me, "The price is set a little higher because the bookstore offers services as well as books; we let you return a defective or unneeded book."
The price reflects the services we receive, such as buy backs of books at the end of the semester and the customer service of the employees.
The SBU Bookstore is currently owned by Nebraska Book Company, with some commission going back to the college. Tredway expressed it is important that students continue to shop at the bookstore because the money the school receives goes back into the general fund for student services.Through each item that people purchase at the SBU Bookstore, some of the money stays here and affects students.
Freshman Chad McCoy does not see eye to eye with Tredway.
"I find the bookstore very unfair because after you do business with them, they will not cooperate with you," McCoy said. "A Christian college should be more pro-student in policies, and less pro-money." McCoy is specifically referring to section six of the textbook return policy, which states, "You may not return a book if you have obtained another copy elsewhere."
The return policy is also an important issue students complain about. McCoy found two books that he needed from a suitemate's brother but found he could not return the two books that he already bought at the bookstore. Both books were untouched and unused. When he approached the bookstore on it, they were unsympathetic and told him he should have read the return policy he received after buying the books.
The number one complaint against the bookstore is the lofty prices. Why should we pay a premium for books, higher sometimes than either a Borders or Barnes & Noble?
Director of Bookstore Services Walt Tredway assured me, "The price is set a little higher because the bookstore offers services as well as books; we let you return a defective or unneeded book."
The price reflects the services we receive, such as buy backs of books at the end of the semester and the customer service of the employees.
The SBU Bookstore is currently owned by Nebraska Book Company, with some commission going back to the college. Tredway expressed it is important that students continue to shop at the bookstore because the money the school receives goes back into the general fund for student services.Through each item that people purchase at the SBU Bookstore, some of the money stays here and affects students.
Freshman Chad McCoy does not see eye to eye with Tredway.
"I find the bookstore very unfair because after you do business with them, they will not cooperate with you," McCoy said. "A Christian college should be more pro-student in policies, and less pro-money." McCoy is specifically referring to section six of the textbook return policy, which states, "You may not return a book if you have obtained another copy elsewhere."
The return policy is also an important issue students complain about. McCoy found two books that he needed from a suitemate's brother but found he could not return the two books that he already bought at the bookstore. Both books were untouched and unused. When he approached the bookstore on it, they were unsympathetic and told him he should have read the return policy he received after buying the books.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
rev.spike
JP Williams
posted 3/09/07 @ 10:55 AM CST
One thing that most consumers do not seem to understand is "volume resale purchasing". This is something I dealt with as a music dept manager at a small Christian bookstore in OK. (Continued…)
scottie7
scottie7
posted 3/10/07 @ 1:32 AM CST
If you read the article, it is not about buying back books. The article is mainly about the bookstore return policy that students get after they buy the books and many students are unaware that they cannot return their books later unless they meet the strict guidelines in the return policy. (Continued…)
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