Why Everything You Believe about Buying College Textbooks is Wrong

OBERLIN, Ohio, Aug. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As students head back to class after the summer break they will be bombarded with a multitude of options and inaccurate information about the best ways to buy or rent textbooks. To make the return to class easier on students and their wallets, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) is busting four common misperceptions about textbooks:

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MYTH #1: Buying textbooks from an online retailer is always more convenient. BUSTED!

By purchasing directly from college stores, students avoid shipping costs, receive the correct edition of their books on time, make only one stop, and can easily make returns and tap their financial aid.  Most college stores also offer several alternatives to buying new textbooks including used, rental, and e-books.

MYTH #2: Buying textbooks online is always safe. BUSTED!

Students should be wary of online fraud by purchasing textbooks from their college store's web site or directly from their college store. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center's  (IC3) 2010 Annual Report, the Center received a total of 303,809 complaints of Internet crime, the second-highest total in IC3's 10-year history.

MYTH #3: Most students spend more than $1,000 each year on textbooks. BUSTED!

According to Student Watch 2010™, students estimate spending approximately $667 a year on required course materials. NACS provides simple tips to help students spend even less.  

MYTH #4: The college store makes a huge profit on high priced textbooks. BUSTED!

Although textbook prices have increased by 6% annually, college stores only make four cents from every dollar spent on new textbooks.  The remaining money goes toward the publisher, the author, and freight expense.

About NACS

Headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) is the professional trade association representing the $10 billion collegiate retailing industry. NACS represents more than 3,100 collegiate retailers and approximately 1,000 associate members who supply books and other products to college stores. NACS member stores serve America's college students while supporting the academic missions of higher education institutions everywhere. Additional information on NACS can be found online at www.nacs.org.

SOURCE National Association of College Stores

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