Another way to cut costs: Team with Amazon for textbooks

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University students have the opportunity to save up to 30 percent -- or $6 million -- a year on textbooks thanks to a new and unique collaboration with Amazon.

Purdue and Amazon have launched the Purdue Student Store on Amazon, a new, co-branded experience where students can purchase lower-cost textbooks and other college essentials.

And for the first time ever, Amazon also will bring staffed customer order pickup and drop-off locations to Purdue’s campus, as well as expedited shipping benefits phased in over the course of the 2014-15 academic year.

“This relationship is another step in Purdue’s efforts to make a college education more affordable for our students,” said President Mitch Daniels. “With the pressure on college campuses to reduce costs, this new way of doing business has the potential to change the book-buying landscape for students and their families.”

Daniels noted that books are the third-biggest expense for college students. The university has addressed tuition with a three-year freeze and has reduced room-and-board costs by 5 percent two years in a row.

Student affordability and accessibility is a key component of Purdue Moves, a range of initiatives introduced by Daniels to broaden Purdue's global impact and enhance educational opportunities for its students.

Through the Purdue Student Store on Amazon, students can purchase or rent new and used print textbooks, as well as buy and rent Kindle eTextbooks. Students and others who enter the online store also will find the same prices, selection and shopping experience as on Amazon.com.

Amazon will return a percentage of eligible sales through the Purdue Student Store on Amazon to the university, including sales to faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the university. Purdue will use the proceeds for its student affordability and accessibility initiatives.

The Purdue-Amazon relationship follows a year of work by a Purdue committee looking at ways to cut the cost of textbooks, said Frank Dooley, interim vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs.

“According to the College Board, students at four-year public institutions spend more than $1,200 a year for class materials,” Dooley said. “That’s roughly 12 percent of Purdue’s in-state tuition.”

Dooley said the committee looked at several options before deciding on Amazon.

“We feel Amazon is right for Purdue for two reasons: Amazon doesn’t force students or instructors into any one format, offering print and digital, buying and renting, new and used," he said. "And the potential savings is about 30 percent a year on textbooks for our students.”

Dooley said the committee also found that Amazon’s buyback rate for used textbooks is projected to be higher, which would create additional savings for students.

The Purdue Student Store on Amazon is the second co-branded university program. An online student store was established at the University of California, Davis, last fall.