Students combat rising costs by renting textbooks

Rising textbook prices forced college bookstores and online providers to be creative in their marketing tactics. Renting textbooks is among the fastest growing means of ordering textbooks recently.

With each book price dramatically cut, many college students saw renting as the perfect option. The Liberty University bookstore rental program was responsible for much of their success this semester. Half of the courses offered at Liberty now provide the option to rent the required text, which enabled students to take full advantage of the rental program.

“More students are coming back to the bookstore for their textbooks because of our rental program,” store manager Ellen Mayes said.

Liberty University’s bookstore rental program offered 50 percent off the regular purchase price of the textbook. Even with cheap ways to find textbooks online, students preferred the convenience of the campus bookstore. According to Mayes, students still bought at least one of their textbooks from Liberty’s bookstore.

“I know I’ll get them on time from the bookstore, and I don’t have to worry about shipping,” senior Kristin Taylor said.

Taylor bought most of her textbooks at the bookstore because of the easy accessibility, she said.

Some students, like intercultural studies major Megan Melton, had very limited options when ordering textbooks because of student loans. Melton agrees she would still buy her books at the bookstore because she is keeping most of her books now that she takes classes in her major.

College students look for affordability and convenience when buying textbooks. This semester was no different when students came back with the challenge of finding the least painful way to order textbooks. With more options provided to students, especially through the web, it is now easier to find a textbook at the cheapest price. The campus bookstore still gets the majority of students’ business, though. Liberty’s bookstore is working on making the other options disappear from students’ minds.

“We are trying to be more cost-conscious for them,” Mayes said. “We want to be the one stop shop.”

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