Every college student can vouch for the costliness of textbooks, but do they have to be so expensive? Saint Leo University says “No.” Saint Leo has shown numerous times how much it cares about its students and have added another to the list. To give students a hand, Saint Leo has found a way to shave off a little of the cost of college courses by joining the Price Match program.
In fall of 2015, the Follett Higher Education Group started the Price Match program to get textbooks to students for less. This spring semester of 2016, Saint Leo University Campus Bookstore, alongside other stores, is participating.
The way the program works is if a student finds a price from an online book seller website that is lower than the Campus Bookstore price, the student can either print a screen shot or show an image via an electronic device that shows the ISBN to verify the book and price.
The only requirements for the selected online book seller are 1) that the website must allow the potential buyer to buy and ship the book from the site, 2) the book must not be from a peer-to-peer market place, and 3) it cannot be a digital book. Common major online book sellers include Amazon, Barns & Nobles, and Chegg. Some sites that are not accepted are Gold Box, Publisher Direct, and Digital Book.
Once the book is purchased from the Campus Bookstore at the bookstore price, the difference between the Campus Bookstore and lower, online site price will be given to the student via a gift card.
“For example,” says Maureen Tarpey, Saint Leo University Bookstore manager, “a customer purchases a new book from us, but finds it less expensive on another approved site in new condition, we’ll match the price by giving the customer the difference on a gift card. This also applies for [used books and rentals].”
“But,” one may say, “I have already bought my textbook on campus and found it on Amazon for less! Is it too late?” Answer? Maybe not! The Campus Bookstore allows customers to come back within seven days of the purchase (it is mandatory to have the receipt) with proof of the price difference to receive a gift card. The gift card can be used in the Saint Leo University Campus Bookstore as well as on the store website (www.saintleoshop.com). Campus Bookstore gift cards have no expiration date.
Spring 2016 is the first time Saint Leo has participated in a program like Price Match and plans to continue the program should it be successful. Not too long ago, the Campus Bookstore started their rental program and book buyback program; both have been effective, and rentals have given students the opportunity to save up to 80 percent on textbook costs.
So far, the Price Match program has been successful and Tarpey believes the program to be very helpful to students on saving money.
“[Price Match] is a program that requires some effort on behalf of the customer,” States Tarpey, “And I hope those that have participated so far have found it to be worthwhile because of that.”
