By Joe Moffa
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – High prices in the student bookstore at Camden County College in Blackwood aggravate enrolled students. The prices in the campus bookstore, say students, are way too high and some can’t afford their whole list of books.
Brendan Corcoran, a Camden County freshman, says, “They were overpriced for the amount of time you have to use them for.”
Online stores such as Chegg and Bookrenter let students rent books for much cheaper. As to why he ignores those sites, Corcoran responded, “Because it’s complicated trying to find the books you need and to get the right edition because if it’s an older edition then it’s pointless to get it.”
A cashier at the bookstore noted, “It’s the publishers of the books that make the prices, not the bookstore, and because of that they lose business to online stores.”
The bookstore manager had the day off and couldn’t be reached for comment.
Even though book prices on online sites are half the price they are in the store, students still go to the book store.
“The bookstore is more convenient because it’s just there,” said Christian Thomas.
Online sites make book searching a bit difficult because to find a book online, students need the ISBN number or the author, which requires them to go to the book store anyway.
Chegg, an online site that rents out textbooks, mentions when students buy the books it is no guarantee they will get the CD or an online access code with the books when they are used. Chegg and Bookrenter, however, cut the costs in half. For example, the price for the sixth edition of Writing and Reporting News on the shelf is $125 but on Chegg is available for rent, as long as you need it, at $53.
This is the checkout line in the Camden County College bookstore, where students spend hundreds of dollars to buy the books they need for their classes. By Joe Moffa, CCC Journalism Program