Western Illinois University made changes to ensure it is charging the lowest price for textbooks this year.
Bookstore Director Jude Kiah said it is using a computer program called Verba to compare Western’s prices to the online market. He said Verba sends an alert if it finds a cheaper alternative.
"That's a powerful piece of information and we are able to change prices to make sure our students find out that you’re going to get the best deal or very close to the best deal here," Kiah said.
Students can now see the university's prices beside those of other online retailers on the bookstore's website.
"Transparency is a weapon because if others say you are gouging them and you really are not," Kiah said. "You want to show them that you're not."
WIU has also revamped its book pricing structure. Each title now has a unique price instead of the old system where the cost was solely determined by whether the book was new or used.
"Even a Psychology 101 to another Psychology 101 book are not priced the same," Kiah said. "They are priced based on where they are in the usage cycle, the number of them in the market, whether they are custom or not and a number of other factors that have nothing to do with new or used."
Western’s bookstore also expanded its book rental program to include nearly 1,500 titles. Kiah said that saves students the hassle of waiting until the end of the semester to sell the book back. That eliminates risks and allows students to get the best deal up front.
“You bought it and sold it back in one transaction," Kiah said. "That’s what rental is. You don’t know and I don’t know what its going to be at the end of the semester. Usually what I tell people is if the rental rate is half the original price then go ahead and rent. It’s only a quarter then buy it."
Kiah says the bookstore saw a 6.6% increase in textbook sales in 2013, despite a decline in student enrollment.
Overall bookstore sales including college apparel and Western memorabilia were down slightly last year. Kiah blames that on the construction at the University Union and lack of student traffic.
