National Association of College Stores Offers Students Purchasing Advice
OBERLIN, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Jan 13, 2003--Contrary to what many students believe, college bookstores have little control over textbook prices. Unlike other books, developing a textbook and bringing it to market incurs costs and fees that drive up their price tags long before they arrive on bookstores` shelves.
Still, some smart shopping strategies can make a big impact when it comes to purchasing textbooks. The National Association of College Stores, an industry trade group of more than 3,000 college stores, offers students the following suggestions:
1) Go to class before buying. Make certain you understand what materials are required and how they will be used in your classes. Many books are only ''optional'' or ''recommended'' and won`t actually be used by the instructor.
2) Be cautious when making educational purchases online. The exact items you need may not be available for shipping right away causing you to fall behind in your studies.
3) Buy ''used'' books whenever possible. Used books contain the same information as new books - and they have a lower price tag.
4) Know your store`s refund policy, especially the deadlines. This way, you won`t be disappointed if you need to bring things back to the store.
5) Keep your receipts. Most stores require receipts for course material returns.
6) Don`t write in your books until you`re certain you`ll be keeping them. Most stores will not offer full credit for books that have been marked.
7) Finally, if you have a choice between buying a textbook by itself, or the same text packaged with a study guide or software package, make sure you need both parts. Packages can be a great value but are often non-returnable once opened.
About NACS
Headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing more than 3,000 collegiate retailers and about 1,000 associate members who supply books and other products to college stores. NACS member stores daily serve the majority of America`s 15.6 million college students while supporting the academic missions of higher education institutions everywhere. Additional information on NACS along with a graphic that details textbook pricing can be found online at www.nacs.org.
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