By Laura Acuff, Opinion Editor
Students itching to finish final exams and conclude the semester should consider making one last stop to pad their wallets before hitting the road. Textbook buybacks in The Campus Store begin Dead Day and last through Friday.
“It’s quick cash; I mean, you’re going to get that money then and there,” said Tammy Powell, text and media manager for The Campus Store. “You can come in, get it and it’s automatic cash right there for you.”
Beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, students will be able to sell back their used textbooks as long as they bring a photo I.D. Buyback hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
While students will not receive a full refund for their textbooks, the buyback offers the option of receiving cash for any of the books The Campus Store will accept. Books that do not make the store’s approval list may include books that will not be used in future semesters or books with new editions, Powell said. Also, once quotas are met, certain books may depreciate in value.
Although long lines at the buyback have been an issue in the past, Assistant Store Director Scott Harsh said he does not anticipate experiencing that problem this year. Improved technology has sped up the buyback process.
Although some students line up early the first day of buybacks to sell their textbooks, Powell said she does not think such measures are necessary.
“Usually once it gets going, it goes pretty fast, but some of them just really want to get there, and I guess they’re really ready to sell their books back,” Powell said. “If people want to, that’s great. They’ll be first in line to sell their books back, but I don’t really know what the benefit is.”
As the Internet has become more a part of everyday life, Harsh said students have more venues and opportunities through which they can buy and sell used textbooks. However, he said The Campus Store has yet to see a decrease in profit, and he said students continuing to return books to The Campus Store benefit the ACU community.
“One of the strengths of our area is being able to offer used books,” Harsh said. “If we can keep that cycle going, that really is what makes it beneficial to everybody, and so we like to see books in that cycle as long as we can because more than one student can benefit from those books.”
Powell also said selling back books to The Campus Store aids other students.
“If you sell them back here, then it’s going to be cheaper for the students to buy a used book in the fall or the next semester,” Powell said. “Whereas, if we don’t get any back, we’re just going to have to order new ones, and then those students will have to buy all new ones.”
