College Bookstores Aim to Educate Students on theRisks of Buying Textbooks From National...

OBERIN, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 1999--

As national "online-only" booksellers continue to target college campuses with promises of huge "discounts" on textbooks, the National Association of College Stores (NACS) is conducting a grassroots campaign so local college stores nationwide

NACS has provided its 3,100 member stores with a series of campus advertisements, posters and other promotional materials to encourage students to "Shop smart and be sure" by purchasing their textbooks from their local college store.

"In most cases, the so-called `discounts' that these national companies are advertising apply only to a small number of titles," explains Brian Cartier, NACS' chief staff officer. "And when you add in shipping charges and consider all the risks -- like getting the wrong editions, experiencing delivery delays, or dealing with difficult returns policies -- most students will find that they're really not getting a bargain."

Cartier points out that college bookstores across the country are successfully fighting back against the national online booksellers by:

-- Warning students that "discounts" from these companies are being used as bait to lure them into buying at prices that are often higher than in local college stores.

-- Embracing the online revolution by creating complete online versions of their local brick-and-mortar stores. By using collegestore.com (a NACS service) and other e-commerce solutions, stores are selling textbooks and a wide variety of other materials online, delivering electronic ordering convenience 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to students, faculty, and other shoppers -- from a source they can trust.

-- Working hand-in-hand with the faculty on their local campuses to provide exactly the right materials to be used in class, and all the materials used at the school.

-- Matching and often beating prices on textbooks as quoted by the national online booksellers.

-- Continuing to provide their unique combination of services, including cost-saving used books, convenient returns policies, textbook buybacks, and a complete array of other merchandise needed for student life, such as apparel, supplies, computer products, and more.

"Local college stores are dedicated to providing the best value, service, and convenience to the students they serve," said Cartier, "and they are greatly concerned about college students being duped into buying the wrong editions of their textbooks at prices that are often higher online. Therefore, NACS is helping local stores deliver this message as an important public service."

NACS is the National Association of College Stores, the trade association representing the retail stores which sell principally to students. There are more than 3,000 NACS member stores in the United States, Canada and 15 other countries. NACS member stores represent an estimated 90-95 percent of the 15 million American college students. Associate members of NACS total 1,100 firms supplying books and other products through the nation's college stores.

NOTICE TO EDITORS: Interviews with Brian Cartier, NACS chief staff officer, or specific college store managers/directors who will discuss this campaign can be arranged by contacting Jerry Buchs, Director, Public Relations, National Association of College Stores (NACS), 800/622-7498, ext. 2205, or e-mail to jbuchs@nacs.org.