To offset declining textbook sales, the ASU Bookstores is working to increase the number of book titles available for rent next semester.
Sales have declined the last few years because of a tough economy and increased competition, according to an ASU Bookstores representative.
Rob Meyers, ASU Bookstores assistant director, said sales have been dropping a few percentage points each year.
“We have seen sales decline,” Meyers said. “Some of it is has to do with all the different choices online, but also some of it is the economics — people are buying less books.”
Meyers hopes to capitalize off of growing nationwide trends of students renting books instead of buying them.
“Our main focus is to get books in students’ hands a lot cheaper than they have been,” Meyers said. “If we can do that we can capture those sales.”
Though ASU Bookstores has seen a loss of sales the last few semesters, it has remained profitable, he said, adding that it’s important for the stores to remain competitive because they’re not funded by the University.
ASU Bookstores is self-funded, he said, paying for all of its own operating expenses.
“If we were to eventually go away, then the students and the University itself would lose out on a lot of stuff,” Meyers said.
ASU Bookstores has funded a few University projects and clubs in the past. The stores funded the tennis courts outside the Student Recreation Complex and the top level of Memorial Union on the Tempe campus, he said.
Veda Pendleton, operations manager of the ASU Bookstore, said helping student groups is important.
“We feel like we’re part of the University community, and if we can help, we try to,” Pendleton said.
In the past, student groups have asked for educational materials like pens, pencils and folders, she said.
“We don’t have a donation fund,” Pendleton said. “It comes out of our budget.”
The ASU Bookstores have lost sales to online textbook rental companies like Chegg, as well as textbook renters near the four campuses.
One of the ASU Bookstores’ biggest competitors, The College Store, near the Tempe campus started its own rental program this semester to stay competitive.
Manager Amanda Wedding said the service has been very popular, renting over 2,000 books since January.
“We’ve had to change the way we do business,” Wedding said.
The rental program offers textbooks for half-price off the original cost giving students a more cost-effective way to get their books, she said.
Reach the reporter at dbjoraas@asu.edu
