Buying Textbooks Online Not Always Most Convenient Option

NACS Busts First of Four Textbook Purchasing Myths

OBERLIN, Ohio, July 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the economy in turmoil,
students are worrying more than ever about paying for their college textbooks.
To complicate this already tough situation, inaccurate information about
purchasing textbooks from a college store floods the media with many
misleading claims. With a series of four releases, the National Association of
College Stores (NACS) aims to debunk some of these myths and make the return
to class easier on students and their wallets.

MYTH # 1: Buying textbooks from an online retailer is always more convenient.
The perception is that buying course materials from multiple online retailers
is far more convenient and cheaper than walking to the college store or
checking the college store's web site.

According to NACS' Student Watch(TM) 2009, Confessions of College Student
Consumers, fully one-quarter of the students that purchase some of their
course materials online do so from their college store's web site.

By purchasing directly from their college stores (either in-store or through
the web site) and not from an online retailer, students:

-- Pay no added shipping costs.
-- Receive books on time with no worries about shipping delays or
purchases
lost in the mail.
-- Can be confident that they are purchasing the correct book, by the
correct author, and the correct edition, volume, etc.; this can be
confusing online.
-- Can buy all course materials at one stop, saving time and the stress
of
trying to find each book, study guide, and other supplies from
multiple
web sites.
-- Can easily tap their financial aid.

-- Can easily return books to their college store if a class is dropped.

Myth busted! Purchasing textbooks from an online retailer is NOT always more
convenient.

Next week. . . MYTH #2: Buying textbooks online is always safe.

About NACS
Headquartered in Oberlin, Ohio, the National Association of College Stores
(NACS) is the professional trade association of the college store industry.
NACS represents more than 3,100 collegiate retailers and approximately 1,100
associate members who supply books and other products to college stores. NACS
member stores serve America's college students while supporting the academic
missions of higher education institutions everywhere. Additional information
on NACS can be found online at www.nacs.org.

SOURCE National Association of College Stores

Charles Schmidt of National Assn. of College Stores, 800-622-7498 ext. 2351,
or +1-216-255-0744 (cell), cschmidt@nacs.org